How did your walking problems begin?

[lori]

Amy,
Your symptoms sound very much like mine. I first noticed foot drop/dragging after a long walk on the beach 3yrs before my diagnosis. The distance of the walk became increasing shorter before the left leg drag became apparent. I also had people comment on my staggering gait and "limping" well before I knew of my problem.

My neuros concluded that my first ms "event" was numb feet and left hand after the birth of my only child 9 yrs before diagnosis in 1993. An abnormal MRI of cervical spine along with an abnormal VEP and my history gave me my ms diagnosis quickly.

I'm sorry you are having gait problems along with pain. One at a time is bad enough. As you may have found on this site Ampyra (or compounded 4-ap) helps many ms pts with walking and/or strength.

MSworld has been wonderful for me over these many years. I have found more info here than from my neuro on new drugs including those "off-label" like compounded 4-ap and LDN that have helped me. And there have been so many compassionate, knowledgeable people that I couldn't begin to thank. (A yoga class after my diagnosis was also one of my best therapies)

I wish you the best,
lori

[opiegirl]

First systoms and indicator of future mobility?

Below was a question from this thread awhile ago....any studies on this that you know about?

This is more of another question about walking problems...is it less likely or less common for a person not to have walking /mobility issues if one of the first symptoms was ON? ( with a few other tingles, stiff hand,fatigue issues). Wondering if first symptoms can predict about mobility or if doesn't matter about kind of initial symptoms?

[Thinkimjob]

Diagnosed in 1997, aged 27, walked like a champion until three years ago. No problems at all, just an occasional burning/tingling in the thighs when I'd really overdone it.
Then it began. Left leg dragging, big limp. Went away, came back. One morning I could not walk at all, dragged myself, literally, to the phone.
Cleared up with steroids, but the limp remains.
Can't really feel the soles of my feet. Stairs a nightmare, going down worse than going up. That's balance - the legs work okay, I'm just not 100% sure where they're going where they were meant to go unless I am holding onto something.
Steps, slopes, uneven surfaces, I can do it, but it's hardly frolicking like a newborn lamb.
My first symptom was ON. I think it's all a matter of time, and benign MS usually turns into not-so benign MS if you give it long enough.
I've been on dmds since the very start.

[KyleW]

My walking issues started with my legs feeling like they weighed 400 lbs each. Much worse in heat. The 3/4 mile walk to the subway is about all I can handle at the moment. Like others, I look like I'm drunk I'm just diagnosed and hope to start IV steroids on Friday!