New here and newly Diagnosed

[aralis]

Hello! I am new here and was just diagnosed with MS last week based on my symptoms and my MRIs. This coming week I will be getting the eye exam. And I have to get one more set of MRIs taken on my lower back since that area has not been looked at yet. I have 2 mild lesions on my brain and one on my spinal cord. I will be starting the IV infusions soon.

My Dad has MS, my great aunt and uncle had it and my Grandma's niece has it...all on my Dad's side. My Dad has a very strange form of it...he woke up one morning and he was paralyzed...he was in a wheelchair for several months...then the symptoms disappeared...5 years later they came on again in his 30's. He is now 60 and hasn't had an episode since then!! Back then they didn't know alot about MS and couldn't do much...he never had any treatments or took any meds for his condition.

My symptoms so far have been burning/crawling/itching on my neck/jawline area..back of neck..back of head....throbbing pain on the back of my head and neck area...stuttering and forgetting things that lasted only about 2-3 days...weakness in right side..just my right leg and arm/hand that lasted 3 days. Now my left hand/arm and side area has been numb for over a month...pins and needles feeling and worst in my fingertips. I feel clumsy and feel like I am going to tip over sometimes..like my equilibrium is off just for a second. I also feel at times I am not as sharp mentally as i use to be...I also feel weak and get tired often. So far these are the things I have dealt with.

I am hoping mine isn't severe. All these weird things started coming on when I became extremely stressed...my husband had been out of work for a year and a half...he was still trying to get a job and we thought his unemployment was about over. I was worrying constantly and upset.

[sprinkles]

Hi Aralis,

I am new here too and so happy that I found it, I have gotten more "answers" here in the last couple of days then I have for the past 6 months of my "whirlwind" since "getting sick".

I have been doing lots of research on MS (looking back, I dealt with it for years but blamed all my symptoms on other problems). Stress can be a big problem for MS, 2 months of severe stress put me into the hospital 6 months ago, not being able to read, etc.

I am learning how to just let things go that I have no control over. I can tell you, that one thing that helped me greatly was getting involved in my local MS support group. I also took a 10 week class sponsored by the MS Society for "memory problems".

That class was one of the best things I did, at the time I blamed all my cognitive problems on just having brain surgery, but quickly came to realize, that it is a common problem with MS. Connecting with other MS sufferers has been very helpful to me.

Last night I was looking back on here at old post under the general question section. About four pages back, I found a thread titled - One of the best ways to describe MS.

It's hysterical, but spot on. I printed it out and plan to give it to family members who I am already sick of trying to "explain" all my various symptoms to.

Best of luck,
Tammy

[KoKo]

Hello Aralis

Welcome to MS World - nice to meet you! Sorry that you were diagnosed last week with MS. But you've found a good place for information, sharing your experiences, and receiving support from others living with MS

Sounds like you've had several people in your life with MS. And you have seen for yourself that no two people's MS affects them in the same way. It's best to try to be positive, and take each day as it comes.

Glad you found us here. Hope to see more of your posts. We're here for you

Take care,
KoKo

[hunterd]

aralias,
welcome to msworld!!!!! so glad you`re here. come as often as you`d like, we`re a friendly bunch!! ask any question you have, someone has "been there, done that" and can give you helpful hints. good luck

dave

[aralis]

Thanks for all the warm welcomes!! I am new to all this so I am sure I will be asking many questions as things progress.

[Jennyfoo]

Hi! It does sound like we have a lot of similar symptoms. I have no family with MS, but I do have quite a few with RA-type arthritis diseases like me. I hope the meds work for you and you get some relief soon.

Ttfn
-Jenn