I am a 42 yo male surgeon who began having symptoms in June 2017. First noticed some peripheral vision changes and retro eye pain with inward gaze in one eye. I have always been healthy and would have ignored this, but it was different enough to make me want to have it checked out. Saw my optometrist who noted a 3% visual field loss in the eye, the optic nerve was normal in appearance on slit lamp exam. Retro eye pain worsened with all directions of gaze over several days, saw opthamologist who noted some loss of red color vision in one quadrant of same eye. He recommended MRI with contrast of brain and optic nerve set up for early July 2017.
2 days prior to MRI, awoke with right arm paresthesia, shoulder/arm weakness, and soon developed some right ear numbness. Once per day would have tingling pain along right side of body that lasted only seconds and not associated with neck movement. MRI confirmed optic nerve inflammation and showed several small periventricular white plaques, some old and new based on the contrast enhancement of some.
Saw neurologist in July and neuro exam was normal even though I did not feel normal in that arm. He reviewed MRI and said it was likely MS and wanted a spinal tap. I started oral prednisone taper and had good partial response over 24 hours with shoulder weakness and paresthesia. Eye pain, ear numbness, and right sided body tingling had resolved on its own already.
Spinal tap was done July 17th and was easy and painless luckily. Got results at end of July that showed 4 antibody bands. I had been researching DMT meds and talking with a couple people I knew with MS and their experience with Rebif and Copaxone (both have done well). My neurologist suggested Plegridy based on its every 14 day injection vs 3x/week for Rebif or Copaxone.
Insurance approval took several weeks, but my Plegridy starter pack arrived 8/24/17. Gave my first injection on Friday night 8/25. Took 2 Motrin and 2 Tylenol PM prior to injection. No flu like side effects so far on the 63mcg first dose.
I canceled most of my surgeries in July. I started back doing my most physically demanding surgeries in August, but I have purposely cut my schedule back to see how I do with some fatigue and was worried about side effects of the Plegridy.
Looking back my wife noticed me bringing more work home in the evenings and fatigue that probably started in March or April of 2017. I know I am lucky in that my time to diagnosis and starting DMT was very short. I researched symptoms and read forums like this to educate myself. I am posting this so others may read this and help them if they experience any similar symptoms.
2 days prior to MRI, awoke with right arm paresthesia, shoulder/arm weakness, and soon developed some right ear numbness. Once per day would have tingling pain along right side of body that lasted only seconds and not associated with neck movement. MRI confirmed optic nerve inflammation and showed several small periventricular white plaques, some old and new based on the contrast enhancement of some.
Saw neurologist in July and neuro exam was normal even though I did not feel normal in that arm. He reviewed MRI and said it was likely MS and wanted a spinal tap. I started oral prednisone taper and had good partial response over 24 hours with shoulder weakness and paresthesia. Eye pain, ear numbness, and right sided body tingling had resolved on its own already.
Spinal tap was done July 17th and was easy and painless luckily. Got results at end of July that showed 4 antibody bands. I had been researching DMT meds and talking with a couple people I knew with MS and their experience with Rebif and Copaxone (both have done well). My neurologist suggested Plegridy based on its every 14 day injection vs 3x/week for Rebif or Copaxone.
Insurance approval took several weeks, but my Plegridy starter pack arrived 8/24/17. Gave my first injection on Friday night 8/25. Took 2 Motrin and 2 Tylenol PM prior to injection. No flu like side effects so far on the 63mcg first dose.
I canceled most of my surgeries in July. I started back doing my most physically demanding surgeries in August, but I have purposely cut my schedule back to see how I do with some fatigue and was worried about side effects of the Plegridy.
Looking back my wife noticed me bringing more work home in the evenings and fatigue that probably started in March or April of 2017. I know I am lucky in that my time to diagnosis and starting DMT was very short. I researched symptoms and read forums like this to educate myself. I am posting this so others may read this and help them if they experience any similar symptoms.
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