Hi and thank you for the wealth of information posted in these forums.
I am an active (generally healthy?) 55 year old woman recently diagnosed with RRMS. I had my first symptom in 1998, followed by more. I have had four MRIs. The earliest reports in 2003 speculated about MS/demyelination. I was content to fall off my neurologist's radar.
But now after two super stressful years, in January 2018 I woke up with my vision gone in one eye. At this point I'm back to 20/40 I guess, but there was no more "we just don't know, so come back whenever" sort of talk.
Now I'm tasked by my new neuro with researching about 6 drugs and am thankful to have so many choices at this point.
The cost of all of this is upsetting, and I've already had it with people's philosophical remarks ("well, just take one day at a time and know anything could happen to any of us"). I am more worried about mental stuff than physical stuff (at this point).
Once on the medication, the best escape I can think of is to find ways to help others and get lost in that. I did a lot of emotional support volunteering for people with AIDS and their loved ones back in the late 80s and early 90s, and loved it. My doctor said I should get someone to counsel me regularly be it a priest, therapist, guru, etc. How have people here who did not have therapists before approach getting one?
I've always had a good diet but right after the optic neuritis attack, read about the Wahl diet. It is too extreme for me - but I did up the veggies and cut out dairy and virtually all refined sugar, and some major sinus problems and headaches I had during the months before January instantly abated. I think this means my immune system might not be on overdrive like it was.
Thank you to those who have been fighting through so many different meds and so much pain on behalf of all who come later.
Rox
I am an active (generally healthy?) 55 year old woman recently diagnosed with RRMS. I had my first symptom in 1998, followed by more. I have had four MRIs. The earliest reports in 2003 speculated about MS/demyelination. I was content to fall off my neurologist's radar.
But now after two super stressful years, in January 2018 I woke up with my vision gone in one eye. At this point I'm back to 20/40 I guess, but there was no more "we just don't know, so come back whenever" sort of talk.
Now I'm tasked by my new neuro with researching about 6 drugs and am thankful to have so many choices at this point.
The cost of all of this is upsetting, and I've already had it with people's philosophical remarks ("well, just take one day at a time and know anything could happen to any of us"). I am more worried about mental stuff than physical stuff (at this point).
Once on the medication, the best escape I can think of is to find ways to help others and get lost in that. I did a lot of emotional support volunteering for people with AIDS and their loved ones back in the late 80s and early 90s, and loved it. My doctor said I should get someone to counsel me regularly be it a priest, therapist, guru, etc. How have people here who did not have therapists before approach getting one?
I've always had a good diet but right after the optic neuritis attack, read about the Wahl diet. It is too extreme for me - but I did up the veggies and cut out dairy and virtually all refined sugar, and some major sinus problems and headaches I had during the months before January instantly abated. I think this means my immune system might not be on overdrive like it was.
Thank you to those who have been fighting through so many different meds and so much pain on behalf of all who come later.
Rox
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