MS...really?
Ok, where do I begin? I'm hoping by writing this, it will help other people going through what I'm going through. This morning as I left the neurologists office I felt a sense of relief...relief is probably not the word that some would use but to me it was, I'm not a hypochondriac! !
My symptoms started about 2 years ago when I started a new career but in a job I love!! My right side from my foot to my abdomen started started burning and I lost all sense of feeling and went numb, I was that numb I burnt myself because I ran a scolding hot bath!!
After going to the doctors they thought I had shingles but without the rash. This subsided after about 6 weeks and only flared up for a day or so for a few months after. I always felt tired, even after some sleep but I'm a mummy to two munchkins and a not so good sleeper of a toddler. Fast forward 18 months later and I had started a new job, not stressed just enjoying the job :-).
I woke up one mild October morning because my left index finger started itching, the itching turned into pain which then radiated up my left arm and down the left side of my chest! I felt like I was having a heart attack! After a week the pain turned to numbness and I couldn't use my left hand properly. I went to the doctors and again they diagnosed rash less shingles. After the antivirals didn't work I went back after a month and they decided to refer me to the neurologist as they thought it could be damage from my shingles. It was at that point that when I bent my head forward I started to get an electric shock from my brain to my toes on my left side and my leg felt very little shaky when I walked. I thought it was the cold and possibly from breaking my left metarcal 5 months earlier? My appointment came through and off I went. I was told something wasn't right and was referred for an MRI. After Christmas I received a letter saying that the neurologist was concerned about my central nervous system, I had no idea so I went to the GP that told me they were looking for MS!!
I had never heard of MS but she said not to worry and off I went. After googling it (just don't do it, you will be diagnosing yourself with the plague!) I burst into tears because what I read horrified me!! I didn't want to be disabled, in a wheelchair not being able to look after myself! The thought of hubby having to wheel me around was terrifying, I was a blubbering wreck. After that I started to read into it abit more and the symptoms made sense, it wasn't all doom and gloom and in some cases it didn't affect others in a bad way. I decided they if that was what it was it wasn't going to beat me!!
The neurologist says I have 2-3 lesions on my spine and some dots on my brain which he couldn't see but he said he doesn't specialise in MS. He said it looks like it is but can't be sure ( I think he was sugarcoating it for me, but I appreciate that he did), I've now been referred to the MS clinic for tests and advice to whether it is. If this turns out it's not which is highly unlikely than I guess I will stop writing and there will be no need for this blog, however I know is so I guess this is where my journey starts...
It won't beat me, I won't let it but I know it's gonna be rocky so cheers!!
Ok, where do I begin? I'm hoping by writing this, it will help other people going through what I'm going through. This morning as I left the neurologists office I felt a sense of relief...relief is probably not the word that some would use but to me it was, I'm not a hypochondriac! !
My symptoms started about 2 years ago when I started a new career but in a job I love!! My right side from my foot to my abdomen started started burning and I lost all sense of feeling and went numb, I was that numb I burnt myself because I ran a scolding hot bath!!
After going to the doctors they thought I had shingles but without the rash. This subsided after about 6 weeks and only flared up for a day or so for a few months after. I always felt tired, even after some sleep but I'm a mummy to two munchkins and a not so good sleeper of a toddler. Fast forward 18 months later and I had started a new job, not stressed just enjoying the job :-).
I woke up one mild October morning because my left index finger started itching, the itching turned into pain which then radiated up my left arm and down the left side of my chest! I felt like I was having a heart attack! After a week the pain turned to numbness and I couldn't use my left hand properly. I went to the doctors and again they diagnosed rash less shingles. After the antivirals didn't work I went back after a month and they decided to refer me to the neurologist as they thought it could be damage from my shingles. It was at that point that when I bent my head forward I started to get an electric shock from my brain to my toes on my left side and my leg felt very little shaky when I walked. I thought it was the cold and possibly from breaking my left metarcal 5 months earlier? My appointment came through and off I went. I was told something wasn't right and was referred for an MRI. After Christmas I received a letter saying that the neurologist was concerned about my central nervous system, I had no idea so I went to the GP that told me they were looking for MS!!
I had never heard of MS but she said not to worry and off I went. After googling it (just don't do it, you will be diagnosing yourself with the plague!) I burst into tears because what I read horrified me!! I didn't want to be disabled, in a wheelchair not being able to look after myself! The thought of hubby having to wheel me around was terrifying, I was a blubbering wreck. After that I started to read into it abit more and the symptoms made sense, it wasn't all doom and gloom and in some cases it didn't affect others in a bad way. I decided they if that was what it was it wasn't going to beat me!!
The neurologist says I have 2-3 lesions on my spine and some dots on my brain which he couldn't see but he said he doesn't specialise in MS. He said it looks like it is but can't be sure ( I think he was sugarcoating it for me, but I appreciate that he did), I've now been referred to the MS clinic for tests and advice to whether it is. If this turns out it's not which is highly unlikely than I guess I will stop writing and there will be no need for this blog, however I know is so I guess this is where my journey starts...
It won't beat me, I won't let it but I know it's gonna be rocky so cheers!!
Good luck on your MS journey I really love your blogs!
ReplyDelete