Hello everyone. I have been lurking about on here for about a year now. I posted a couple of questions at the start of my journey relating to medication choices. I am 37.
I was diagnosed a year ago in September, but my exacerbation started at the end of July with a terrible back spasm. This was not my first rodeo with back issues, so I did what I always do, schedule a massage, take some ibuprofen and a heating pad. After a couple of days, it was to the point where I could not sit in a chair without nearly being in tears. My solution... another massage, more heat, more ibuprofen. After the first week of agony, my left leg started to get tingly all the way to my toes. Then my entire left thigh went numb. I thought "wow, the sciatica is really bad this time!!" Nearly another week, and I think the pain is finally easing, though the numbness is still present.
I woke up on a Sunday exactly two weeks from the initial back spasm to pain in my left eye, mostly when I looked up or to the side. I didn't think too much about it, mostly "ugh! I must have strained my eyes, I should wear my glasses not my contacts" The next day, while driving to work, I realized the pain was still there, and I thought my sight was a little blurry. I ignored it, and decided I was just imagining things. By Thursday, I knew something was really wrong. I couldn't see out of the top left quarter of my left eye. I made an appointment at a local eye clinic. I'm not a patient there, but they got me right in. They eye doctor did a thorough exam. She asked me if id been having any numbness in any of my limbs. I told her about the leg and the sciatica. I never would have connected the numb leg to the blind eye. She then asked me if there was any family history of neurological conditions such as MS in my family.
Needless to say, at this point, I am starting to panic. She told me that there was nothing wrong with my eye itself, but was concerned about the nerves, then mentioned something called optic neuritis. She ordered an MRI of my brain and orbit(?). Of course the first thing I did was google optic neuritis. The first thing that comes up associated with it is of course MS.
Needless to say, the MRI came back with the presence of ON and lesions, so she recommended a Neurologist that specializes in MS. I was unable to get an appointment immediately, so she sent me to a neuro I could get into immediately. She didn't know if they would want to do steroids or not. I have to say, the eye doctor was amazing, not only did she recognize what was happening. After my initial appointment with the first neurologist, she helped facilitate my appointment with my specialist.
My neurologist officially diagnosed me after my first visit. I started on Copaxone a year ago.
I was diagnosed a year ago in September, but my exacerbation started at the end of July with a terrible back spasm. This was not my first rodeo with back issues, so I did what I always do, schedule a massage, take some ibuprofen and a heating pad. After a couple of days, it was to the point where I could not sit in a chair without nearly being in tears. My solution... another massage, more heat, more ibuprofen. After the first week of agony, my left leg started to get tingly all the way to my toes. Then my entire left thigh went numb. I thought "wow, the sciatica is really bad this time!!" Nearly another week, and I think the pain is finally easing, though the numbness is still present.
I woke up on a Sunday exactly two weeks from the initial back spasm to pain in my left eye, mostly when I looked up or to the side. I didn't think too much about it, mostly "ugh! I must have strained my eyes, I should wear my glasses not my contacts" The next day, while driving to work, I realized the pain was still there, and I thought my sight was a little blurry. I ignored it, and decided I was just imagining things. By Thursday, I knew something was really wrong. I couldn't see out of the top left quarter of my left eye. I made an appointment at a local eye clinic. I'm not a patient there, but they got me right in. They eye doctor did a thorough exam. She asked me if id been having any numbness in any of my limbs. I told her about the leg and the sciatica. I never would have connected the numb leg to the blind eye. She then asked me if there was any family history of neurological conditions such as MS in my family.
Needless to say, at this point, I am starting to panic. She told me that there was nothing wrong with my eye itself, but was concerned about the nerves, then mentioned something called optic neuritis. She ordered an MRI of my brain and orbit(?). Of course the first thing I did was google optic neuritis. The first thing that comes up associated with it is of course MS.
Needless to say, the MRI came back with the presence of ON and lesions, so she recommended a Neurologist that specializes in MS. I was unable to get an appointment immediately, so she sent me to a neuro I could get into immediately. She didn't know if they would want to do steroids or not. I have to say, the eye doctor was amazing, not only did she recognize what was happening. After my initial appointment with the first neurologist, she helped facilitate my appointment with my specialist.
My neurologist officially diagnosed me after my first visit. I started on Copaxone a year ago.
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