How often do you get flare ups??

[KMCangel00]

I was just diagnosed last month and as far as I can figure have had two flare-ups two years apart: Optic Neuritis in May 2008 and then the flare-up that led to my DX last month. I know I have forever to find patterns and analyze my flares/symptoms but I just wanted to ask as a Newbie, how often do you guys have flare ups? How long do they last?

My ON lasted like 6 weeks from start to finish and my second exacerbation started in mid-December 2010. I figure that since I've been feeling better it probably ended after 6 weeks as well.

I know everyone's MS is different, but do you notice a pattern in how often you experience exacerbations? It's just hard to accept that this disease could affect me whenever it wants to without warning and control...I know I should just let it go and "ride it out" but I need some kind of control... LOL

[salamandertom]

well. I don't really know the answer for me yet because I am either at my new "normal" which would really, really, REALLY suck or I am still flaring and have been since late November 2010. I am still hoping for the later. It was my first flare - though I have had symptoms for about 5 years thinking back. I know I had lesions on a MRI in Sept 2009 that they assumed were from migraines.

[Mamabug]

1. January 2002
2. April 2002
3. June 2002? -- probably a pseudo-exacerbation
4. December 2003
5. June 2005
6. April 2007
7. April 2008
8. September 2008 (Went off Betaseron in August, and was just getting ready to begin Copaxone in September, before flare occured.)
9. Feb 2010
10. August 2010? -- probably a pseudo-exacerbation

I suspect that I've had flare-ups more frequently than most people. My MS Specialist told me (in 2008) that, if flares occured once a year or more, that is often taken as a sign that a DMD is not working.

She told me that I wasn't borderline (ie: Her opinion was that my flares were occuring too frequently, even though, while I was on a DMD, they weren't occuring more than once a year). She switched me from Betaseron to Copaxone.

~ Faith

P.S.: My diagnosis history and medication history is in my signature, below.

[KMCangel00]

well. I don't really know the answer for me yet because I am either at my new "normal" which would really, really, REALLY suck or I am still flaring and have been since late November 2010. I am still hoping for the later. It was my first flare - though I have had symptoms for about 5 years thinking back. I know I had lesions on a MRI in Sept 2009 that they assumed were from migraines.

Okay - I just hit "quote" on your post because I had a very clear response in my head. Now I'm here and I can't remember what it was to save my life....wow, this has never happened to me before. It's kind of funny :P

[salamandertom]

Okay - I just hit "quote" on your post because I had a very clear response in my head. Now I'm here and I can't remember what it was to save my life....wow, this has never happened to me before. It's kind of funny :P

LOL, well if you are anything like me you should probably get used to it, and make friends with it b/c it will happen more and more. The response will hit you at a highly inappropriate time and make you giggle.

[SNOOPY]

Exacerbations (relapse, attack, flare-up):

1985 - Severe - approximately 6 weeks

1986 - Severe - approximately 6 weeks

1993 - Severe - approximately 6 weeks

2001 - mild - approximately 3 weeks

2002 - mild - approximately 3 weeks

Recovery time for each exacerbation took longer.

[futurmil2b]

What are flare ups? Flare ups vs Hormonal????

I have been recently diagnosed with MS Feb 2011..(in somewhat denial) What are flare-ups.

I am going through peri-menopause - stay tensed a LOT, tight neck/shoulder - tight muscles..tight head muscles as well - with all this tightness and tension, I do feel numbness and tingling . When I take Ativan I am more relaxed and don't have the numbness/tingling as much.

I can feel when my hormones are all over the place.. its an awful feeling and I be thinking is this MS or hormones..

I have some numbness/tingling when I am very tensed... so not sure if this will be considered a flare-up.... If so I flare up all the time... but the Neuro told me I had mild MS.

Not sure if anyone can relate....

Ms. Jay

[Thinkimjob]

Fun, fun, fun

Hello. I had maybe three flares after d/x in the first 8 years, nothing too bad, mainly a new numb hand, another round of optic neuritis, very tingly legs etc.
I was always tired.
But about 4 years ago, I got hit with the first "oh God" I can't walk properly flare. It went away with steroids, but about 18months later, it came back, and I haven't really been right since. One exciting new symptom after another. There have been reasonable months here and there, but my dancing days are definitely done.
This year has been flare after flare after flare, but the tingling and numbness does go away, so what's up with that? (I have been living on 'roids.)
The scary bit is the disease is going on, eating my myelin, even when I feel okay, and no doubt has been from the beginning.

[Mamabug]

1. January 2002
2. April 2002
3. June 2002? -- probably a pseudo-exacerbation
4. December 2003
5. June 2005
6. April 2007
7. April 2008
8. September 2008 (Went off Betaseron in August, and was just getting ready to begin Copaxone in September, before flare occured.)
9. Feb 2010
10. August 2010? -- probably a pseudo-exacerbation

...

Oh. I forgot about my December 2007 flare. My flares are often either in spring (3 in April) or around Christmas (2 in December).

~ Faith

[inmoni5]

Thinkimjob,

Have you taken any dmds during your progress? When were you dxd?

I am also very new to this...and have the same questions too.

Kristen, I've been in this flare since the beginning of Feb. and it's still going. Maybe it's the now me. Don't really know. Hope not.

[Thinkimjob]

Sorry I took so long

Sorry I'm so slow to respond. I was on beta for five/ six years, right from day one, virtually. Very religious about taking every dose, every time. Then I got neutropina, which is a white blood cell disorder, so I stopped. Had to stop, really. I had a three year gap, and have been on copaxone ever since. I probably shouldn't have had the time off, but I did have a ruptured brain aneurysm bang in the middle, and I thought I deserved a bit of a break.
Honestly, I don't know what difference it's made. Personally, the copaxone is not doing it for me, but the alternatives are too expensive or potentially life-threatening.
I think the early years are the crucial years for a,b and c.

[inmoni5]

Sorry I'm so slow to respond. I was on beta for five/ six years, right from day one, virtually. Very religious about taking every dose, every time. Then I got neutropina, which is a white blood cell disorder, so I stopped. Had to stop, really. I had a three year gap, and have been on copaxone ever since. I probably shouldn't have had the time off, but I did have a ruptured brain aneurysm bang in the middle, and I thought I deserved a bit of a break.
Honestly, I don't know what difference it's made. Personally, the copaxone is not doing it for me, but the alternatives are too expensive or potentially life-threatening.
I think the early years are the crucial years for a,b and c.

Do you think it was the Beta that caused your neutropina? I don't really know too much about Beta or any other disorders involved with ms. I'm learning as I go. I think you deserved the time off from having to stick yourself all the time after a brain aneurysm! Wow, definately! I chose the Copaxone just because I didn't want do deal with the potentials of the other meds either....scary.

[KathyL]

From what I recall, this is how mine have gone.

January 2009 - first symptoms (woke up with numb feet which slowly moved up to my knees on my left leg over a few weeks). Minor. Didn't go to the doctor because "it was probably nothing". Eventually faded away.

June 2009 - Numbness on left groin/thigh area. Didn't go to the doctor because "I'm sure it's just a pinched nerve". Numbness was a bit stronger than the January attack.

August 2009 - Numbness in feet again which ended up progressing up my legs. Oh Oh. Time to see the doctor. This flare progressivly developed into more over the next few months. Was off work due to extreme numbness from waist down. Could walk, but balance bad, couldn't drive, hard to get around. Was off work from early Oct - early Dec.

Diagnosed finally in January 2010 - Started Copaxone in June 2010.

July 2010 - Numbness in outer left hand/arm (minor)

September 2010 - Numbness in right ankle (minor)

November 2010 - Numbness "down there" area (minor)

March 2011 - Numbness on side of head/neck (minor)

Throughout all of this I have had residue numbness from about the waist down, but minor (or maybe I'm just used to it now). Balance is great (I can finally stand on one leg again if I try). It seems my main symptom is the numbness.

My Neuro wants me to switch to an interferon and now looking at how many flares I've had, even though minor, I guess I can understand now.

[sydlerobinson]

I had my first flare up in 2003. It was an episode of ON that lasted about 2 months. I didn't get diagnosed till May 2010 when I was having another ON flare-up. Since May I have had one more flare-up that I am just getting over. Not ON, but major fatigue, foggy head, and tingling in my arm & leg. I have been on Betaseron for almost a year, I asked my neuro is this is a concern that this MS medication isn't working but he said that the medication won't stop the flare-ups just hopefully make them less frequent. It is just so frusterating how unpredicable this disease is!

[wkikta]

Diagnosed Dec. 2000, none since then. Avonex since Jan. 2001. There has been a very slow decline in my abilities, may be the MS or it could be the broken back in June 2002.