Why Did It Take 20 Years For a DX? I Get So Angry At Times.

[sgrammied]

My Sx started in 1966. I was Dxed with MS in 2005. That is 39 years of thinking I was going crazy. I finally got dxed after I had a very bad relapse. Testing and eye specialist. In fact it was the eye specialist that found the MS first.
Now I know I may be a bit crazy, but it being natural for me, I am glad to have the DX for real.
When I walk like a drunkard, can't remember words, tire after only being up for 3 hours, fall into wall or on the floor, drop things, or can't move my legs, I now know what it is. The pins & needles, numbness, weakness, blurred vision, pain, I now know what it is.
Going all those years without knowing ,I think is worse than knowing.
I feel your pain and frustration.

[AlaskaAnn]

Why it took so long

I was a military spouse. Took 8 years of lots of issues and specialists...ended with me being sent to mental health. Once they cleared me and the next numbing attack occurred I was being excused by the emergency room. I thru a fit and some how got a MRI . A month later they called my sponsor (husband now ex) in to give results. I once again thru a fit a came along. As the doc was showing my ex the film stating things like "see it's nothing" a visiting General came in and told us to carry on. As we were leaving the room I looked at MRI and asked "what are those white spots"? The General walked over and said it was ms. I gasped what and he said "multiple sclerosis ". Then I got some anti depressants and they sent me home. My current nuro re-diagnosed 5 years later.

[wendya432]

Wow, that is a long time! I'm so sorry you had to go so long. I'm still in limbo and am frustrated after just a few years!

Glad you finally have an answer though. Hopefully you can learn to accept it and move on. (((hugs)))

[puglover]

I met the McDonald criteria years ago. I have had optic neuritis at least 6 different times. The doctor treated the symptons with IV steroids but didnt want to give a diagnoses of MS. Why I dont know but would love to call him and ask why.
The eye doc that I had seen for years always said that it was MS and always said if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck it probably is a duck. This doc wanted me to see another neurologist and made an appointment for me. I was called by the office and told that there wasnt nothing else that he could do, so he would take me as a new patient. I stayed with the first neurolgist for so long because at least he was treating the symptons. The other neurologist that I had seen in the past just called me crazy and told me to see mental health. I went to many different mental Health professionals who said that mentally there was nothing wrong, it was physical. I think at that point I had just given up of ever finding a dx.
I just want to let everyone who is in limbo dont give up on trying to find a diagnoses. Dont do what I did which was not speaking up for myself and basically giving up on myself.

I feel that most of the neurologist out there dont want to give the diagnoses of ms.

[Auctioneer]

It took about 35 years for someone to finally check me for MS. I agree it was good to finally find out what it was that had caused so much trouble over the years. I was even diagnosed as having a stroke once when it was actually an MS flair. I guess that's why they call them practicing physicians and I guess I was one of the ones they were practicing on.