recently diagnosed with some questions... - Multiple Sclerosis Message Board

lmurray · 04-23-2007, 09:38 AM

I was diagnosed with ms on April 18th of this month. I just got out of the hospital yesterday. My vision is fine, minor headaches but my legs and feet are still dumb and driving me crazy. I have lesions on my brain(althought not sure how many) and a lesion on the T3 part of my spine. I ma not too sure hwat that means for me but I am definatley sure it is why I can not feel my legs or waist area. I am 37 years old and have been in great health and shape for years. I have 5 children ages 18,16,14,10,and 6 and have been married for almost 19 years. This is a sudden diagnosis for me because 10 days ago I was perfectly normal. I have never had any symptoms that I remember over the last 10 years to suggest any health problems at all. Anyways, my question is, after all the rambling, has anyone else had the peripherial numbness onset resl fast and how long does it take to go away. I am very hopefull that none of this is permanent but right now I guess I am at a bit of a low. I finished my prednisone 1000 mg/day treatment yesterday and am now down to 50 mg/day and I am hopefullthat a lot of the jitters I have are from the prednisone. My legs are not shaky anymore but are still very weak and numb. If anyone can answer some of my questions or just let me know that I am not alone..I would be forever grateful.

Thanks for reading...Leigh

MSNik · 04-23-2007, 12:23 PM

Hi Lmurray,
First of all, welcome to our board and our madness!!

I dont want to be the one to tell you this, but Im 40, at age 39, I woke up one morning thinking that I slept on my hand wrong. Numbness, tingling and pain went from my finger tips to my wrist. I dealt with it for 3 days, and then it seemed worse. IT didnt go away. The following day, I had pain behind my eye and before lunch that day I was seeing double and hardly seeing at all out of the sides of my one eye...this led me to the emergency room where I was given a CT scan. That led to an abnormal result which sent me to a Neurologist- which led me to MRIs, evoked potential tests, Spinal Tap, more eye tests, and the long and the very short of it; MS. I got a second opinion from a highly respected MS doctor in the area (my Neuro actually called and got me the appointment, even he was stumped that a dx could come within a week) and that MS specialist confirmed what I already knew. I had MS.
Your question, how long did it take for this to go away? Well, I also had a round of IV steroids, SoluMedrol, 1000 mgs a day for 5 days..within 2 days the eye pain stopped and the vision returned, the hand..well, it never got better. 9 months later, I am sittting here in pain with this hand. It never ever stops. Howevr, give me a bad hand vs. blindness, and Ill gratefully accept the bad hand. The steroids helped, but only on the eyes...

Now, I also started Rebif. I was warned that it could take up to 6 months to start working...and in the first 3 months, besides the horrible side effects it was causing, I had 3 more relapses....then, all the sudden, the side effects stopped, I started to feel like I had more energy and less exhuastion, and yet my hand never got better. I had an MRi after 7 months on the Rebif, and it appears to be working...no additional Legions ( I had over 50 to begin with) and nothing was active on the contrast...and overall, I feel great! Except for this darned hand, which still tingles, burns and sometimes goes completely numb (usually when Im trying to pull something out of the oven!). I too, was incredibly active, worked out everyday, Im a size 2 and weigh 106 lbs. I was in great shape when this hit...no one knows where it came from, or why. All I can tell you is the people here have been incredibly supportive, and getting involved in your local chapter of MS will also help. But, more than anything value your kids! I had planned to start trying the same week my symtoms started. I have now been told that there is no way at 40 that I can get pregnant (only healthy women can do that) and that I am going to be childless....its really disturbing to me, but honestly, I cant see chasing a toddler around the way I feel. ALthough the advice is probably right, its a hard thing to swallow!
Let us know if we can help you...be brave. It gets easier!
Nikki

zandvoort · 04-23-2007, 12:26 PM

Hi L-

probably no one on this site will be able to tell you if all your feeling will come back and when. The thing about MS is that everyone is unique. Everyone experiences it differently. I have read of people who make a full recovery after being in the hospital and I hear of feeling never coming back to normal. I understand the fear and frustration. I do not actually have a dx yet but within 4 weeks back in September, my entire body became numb and tingly. It has not stopped since. Some times worse, but never better or gone. For me though, I can still function. I never ended up in the hospital and am still driving a car and gettng around, exeriencing worsening symptoms as time passes. I may not have MS so my experience may not matter to you but I can tell you that this site is extrememly helpful and upbeat. Although I cannot really help you from my experinces, when I read your post and saw no one had replied yet, I wanted to be sure someone reached out to you. It is amzing what people on this site adapt to and they can help you adapt as well, providing information and research leads as well as emotional support. Best wishes on the path your journey has suddenly taken. I know you will overcome the initial shock with grace and courage.

carebear3510 · 04-23-2007, 03:29 PM

Hi Leigh,
I was diagnosed in 2004. I thought I was having a stroke. My entire right side was numb. Turned out it was MS. I am in the middle of a relapse now and my left side is completely numb.

I finished with the prednisone a couple of weeks ago. The jitters finally did stop, so hopefully it works the same for you as it did for me. I was very depressed for a few days after I stopped the medication. This was not normal for me, but my doctor said it was a side effect of the medication. The medication caused me all kinds of side effects, but it did help my MS symtoms.

Now, I am able to walk somewhat, I can use my left hand now to type, and I can talk again. I have a long way to go, but each day I see improvement, I take that as a good sign.

Unfortunately, I don't think anyone can tell you how quickly you will recover. At this point, my doctor said I may not ever be back to what I was before, or then again, I may regain the use of everything as be as good as before.

You are not alone, though. I think everyone who posts messages on this site can sympathize with you and we do understand what you are going through. I turned to this site because no one I am around understands what I am dealing with. At least people here understand and won't think you are crazy when you describe how you are feeling or a symptom you are having.

I wish you the best of luck!
Karen

unclesam612 · 04-24-2007, 07:26 PM

You are never alone here we've all been where you are it is a scary thing when you hear those words you have MS. I am lucky I guess no hospitals yet. My symptoms started graduslly over a week virtigo (Dizzy) off balance walked like a drunk and don't drink. after 5 years I have had sevral diffrent symptoms the numbness and tingling started later but it did start.Welcome to the best place you could go for support and info. Any questions just ask someone will know. Life is not over yet just changed.