Hi all,
I am pretty overwhelmed right now with what I believe is another exacerbation. I have not yet been diagnosed and quite frankly don't want to be until I make sure I get my financial house in order to protect my wife and children. Sorry for the long post, I appreciate any advice I can get.
I am in my early thirties. In 2001 I had an unexplained episode of nystagmus that lasted just under a week. An MRI found that I had multiple lesions on my brain that were unexplained. I was subsequently referred to a major city's neurologist who reviewed the MRI but told me at the time that it looked like it probably was MS but because I lacked two episodes a formal diagnosis could not be made. My grandfather also had MS but he passed when I was little and my only memories of him were being bed-ridden.
I got better and quite honestly pushed it out off my mind for the longest time. In 2006, I had another "exacerbation" which caused me to feel like my upper left leg was on fire. I figured I pinched a nerve and after a week or so it went away. In 2007, I had an episode of vertigo which caused a crazy amount of vomiting. I had to be kept overnight for that one. The doctor (not knowing of my past) classified it as caused by an inner ear infection. I recovered fully and quickly forgot about it and believed the doctor and perhaps just not wanting to put things together. Then all of a sudden last week I developed a burning sensation (like when you sit too close to a fire) and tingling on my left side, from just below my rib cage to my toes. It is now day 5 with this and it is not as strong as it was two days ago, it is still there.
My wife wants me to go to the doctor, but I don't want to as I know a formal diagnosis will make me pretty uninsurable. I have bought time by agreeing to keep a log of my symptoms. I have a stable job in education with good benefits. I have a separate 10 year term life ins. policy to protect my family. But I am now thinking I need to get a private LTD policy and a longer-term life insurance policy (since after the term is up I doubt I can get a new policy). Should I also look into long-term care policies?
Finally, I have been fortunate in that if I do have MS, it seems to be of the RR-MS type at this point. What benefit does going on drugs have? Am I being more damaged everyday I am not on meds? Or is it just something that helps control exacerbations? I hate to get all sappy, but I just want to be able to provide for my family and be there for my kids as they grow older.
Any advice on what things I should do at this point would be greatly appreciated and I am sorry for the novel.
I am pretty overwhelmed right now with what I believe is another exacerbation. I have not yet been diagnosed and quite frankly don't want to be until I make sure I get my financial house in order to protect my wife and children. Sorry for the long post, I appreciate any advice I can get.
I am in my early thirties. In 2001 I had an unexplained episode of nystagmus that lasted just under a week. An MRI found that I had multiple lesions on my brain that were unexplained. I was subsequently referred to a major city's neurologist who reviewed the MRI but told me at the time that it looked like it probably was MS but because I lacked two episodes a formal diagnosis could not be made. My grandfather also had MS but he passed when I was little and my only memories of him were being bed-ridden.
I got better and quite honestly pushed it out off my mind for the longest time. In 2006, I had another "exacerbation" which caused me to feel like my upper left leg was on fire. I figured I pinched a nerve and after a week or so it went away. In 2007, I had an episode of vertigo which caused a crazy amount of vomiting. I had to be kept overnight for that one. The doctor (not knowing of my past) classified it as caused by an inner ear infection. I recovered fully and quickly forgot about it and believed the doctor and perhaps just not wanting to put things together. Then all of a sudden last week I developed a burning sensation (like when you sit too close to a fire) and tingling on my left side, from just below my rib cage to my toes. It is now day 5 with this and it is not as strong as it was two days ago, it is still there.
My wife wants me to go to the doctor, but I don't want to as I know a formal diagnosis will make me pretty uninsurable. I have bought time by agreeing to keep a log of my symptoms. I have a stable job in education with good benefits. I have a separate 10 year term life ins. policy to protect my family. But I am now thinking I need to get a private LTD policy and a longer-term life insurance policy (since after the term is up I doubt I can get a new policy). Should I also look into long-term care policies?
Finally, I have been fortunate in that if I do have MS, it seems to be of the RR-MS type at this point. What benefit does going on drugs have? Am I being more damaged everyday I am not on meds? Or is it just something that helps control exacerbations? I hate to get all sappy, but I just want to be able to provide for my family and be there for my kids as they grow older.
Any advice on what things I should do at this point would be greatly appreciated and I am sorry for the novel.
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