How long did it take you to be diagnosed?

[pennstater]

Thanks for your service.

I was 13 years, bit had one episode in 1993 of confusion followed by severe vertigo and cog fog. Tested for stroke, epilepsy, etc....MRI was normal. After that, cog fog remained but I only had minor numbness and joint pain. So in 2006, was blind-sided by diagnosis when L'Hermites started, then followed by vertigo.

While it took a long time looking back, to me it was quick. Two months in 2006, and 4 months if include 2nd opinion.

[redopal]

How long did it take to get diagnosed?

I started having bladder and eye issues while in the military in the 70's and fortunately had a doc who told me to keep my medical records so when I returned home I could see a doc to figure out what was really wrong. He was a Rheumatologist and my dad had just been diagnosed with Polyarteritis Nodosa-a very unusual autoimmune disease which alerted him to my strange sx.

I did ok working and living well but would occassionally fall for no reason and get fatigued for no reason. In the late 80's I had an episode of what was called Transverse Myelitis which put me down for over 5 months. I ended up being partially paralyzed and in rehab where I soon became very familiar with a w/c.

I had to quit school, sell my bungalow home, get rid of 2 loved dogs, lost my relationship of 5 yrs and my ex stopped letting me see my son because I was in a nursing home for the last 2 months of rehab. What a shock! I moved into a w/c accessable loft-all open-no barriers. I was told I was depressed and was diagnosed with somatization disorder and started seeing a great therapist but no one was helping me deal with my tingling, numbness, inability to walk or bladder issues-except when I got an infection.

I saw numerous neurologists through the VA and was actually told by one to leave the clinic and not come back as there was nothing wrong with me! I was so angry I wanted to slug him. That provoked me to decide to get stronger. I started working with a physical therapist trained in neuro diseases and he got me out of a w/c and using a walker. It took so much effort but I also began to swim.

Soon I found out I could walk as I got stronger. I also had episodes of falling and periods of lost time. I was officially diagnosed in 2007 when I ended up falling down a flight of stairs after not even knowing I was in the stairwell of my building. Ending up in a trauma unit with a head injury made the VA start looking at my MRI's which had shown lesions for yrs but were never treated.

In 2007 I began Copaxone and continued it till last spring when I ran out of places to give it. I was switched to Avonex which I am on now and doing ok. I continue to walk daily and swim as often as necessary. I make myself do things every day.

I moved out of my apt after marrying a wonderful man and we moved from the craziness of a big city to the peacefulness of a small town and that has helped me tremendously. We are supportive of each other as he had polio as a child and has limited use of one arm so we understand limitations.

So I guess my answer is it took from 1970 till 2007 to get "officially" diagnosed. Way too long and way too much crap to deal with along the way. I am just glad I am a survivor and can handle it. I did return to school to finish my BS degree in nursing (I already had a diploma but always wanted my degree), but had to give up my career in 2000. It was the best choice I made!

** Moderator's note - Post broken into paragraphs for easier reading. Many people with MS have visual difficulties that prevent them from reading large blocks of print. **

[football-mom]

It took about 18 months for me to be diagnosed and that's with mewasting more than a year with a general neuro who (eventually) knew less about MS than I did. When I realized that I had acquired more knowledge about it than he had, I switched to a specialist and was diagnosed within 2 months.

[hdwhit753]

One year, four months (or six months, depending on how you count)

From the first exacerbation (that was ultimately recognized as an exacerbation - once you know what one is like, you can recall the little things that preceded it that were also probably M.S.) until M.S. diagnosis was roughly one year, four month.

But that doesn't tell the whole story. I was initially mis-diagnosed with a multi-focal glioma (a type of brain cancer). It was only when I failed to die on cue that the doctors started looking for something else. Since I was having exacerbations about every 120 days, it didn't take long for the doctors to get radiologic evidence to meet the "disseminated in time" standard.

So, from the time the doctors seriously started looking for something other than cancer, it only took less than six months; which I understand is remarkably fast.

[msesq]

3 months. I had my first symptoms in November 2004, my first neuro appointment and diagnosis after an MRI in February 2005.

[Cat Mom]

1st attack Sept 2005, dx Dec 2005.

[OTT3339]

This is my first post on this site.

The question is something I have been thinking about as I approach the one-year anniversary of my diagnosis - especially as I read the experiences of others stuck in limbo.

Just over one year ago my sister-in-law came to visit. On her last evening in town we went out to dinner. Within a few days I was in the middle of the worst sinus infection/cold I have ever had. The pain and pressure in my face was incredible (I am sure I picked this up at the restaurant). After suffering for a few days I noticed numbness in the left side of my lips and cheek. By Friday evening I had a crooked smile.

Saturday I had such a headache I caved and went to the hospital. I hadn't finished checking in before they to me for a CT scan to rule out a stroke. Diagnosis at the time was a sinus infection.

By the time I followed up with my primary on Monday I was experiencing symptoms in my right calf (like a hot wet towel on my leg). My primary spent 30 mins on the phone waiting to speak directly with neuro (who happens to focus on MS). Appointment with neuro the next day. MRI was scheduled for Wednesday. I was barely home from MRI and office called and said I was to be in Thursday 8:00AM.

Thursday SO and I are sitting in office with neuro and he comes out and says "you have MS" - we have to do more tests but I am very confident this is what you have. The funny thing is I bypassed limbo (did not have time to speculate and was not even thinking MS as a possibility). I just about threw up.

A week of steroids started Monday including a complete set of MRIs brain, C/T Spine with a LP in the middle (Wednesday). All later came back supporting the diagnosis.

I have been on Copaxone for just about one year and am in what appears to be the last phases of my first relapse.

Thoughts and prayers to all those on this site both those who have been diagnosed and those suffering through the uncertainty of not knowing