Getting Diagnosed with MS

I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis August 1, 2006 while travel nursing in the Phoenix area of AZ. I loved being where I was with a great job, my family, my pets, and the area amazed me especially since I am from small-town Mississippi. I always joke that "MS brought me back to MS". I attempted to work after my diagnosis but had to quit my job and move back to Mississippi. I was hospitalized October 2006 for a flare of symptoms.

My first symptom of MS was my entire left leg numb when I woke up Friday before Memorial Day 2006. I assumed (like many) that it was a pinched nerve, so I assumed that it no big deal. The numbness last in my left leg throughout the day, and I started to worry a little about my leg. A few days later my right leg went slightly numb. The next day I went to work and was told to go to the ER for a scan. I went, was assessed, and admitted for a complicated migraine.

August 1st, I was falling, dizzy, blurred vision, numbness/tingling from waist down, fuzzy feeling on my face, extremely fatigued, and the MS hug around the waist. I had MRIs, Lumbar Puncture, Neuro Assessment, and after all of those I was told that I have MS. I knew I have MS all along, because I researched it well.
I was scared but also relieved to know that I has MS and nothing serious such as cancer. I got to 1,000mg of solumedrol for five days. I used the walker with the help of physical therapy.  I have Relpse-Remit type of MS. When after a flare, the body goes back to almost to normal.

I began Rebif injections on Mon/Wed/Fri...I premedicate an NSAID and sometimes benadryl to help minimize the flu-like symptoms such as aches, chills, headache, nausea, and other I forgot to mention. I put up with those symptoms for a few months. Rebif would make me feel alright sometimes and horrible as other. Later, my doctor (new) in Mississippi changed me from Rebif to Copaxone. The Copaxone injections (daily) did leave some redness and lumps underneath the skin. Copaxone is not to have to flu-like system like Rebif and Avonex. Both Avonex and Rebif does require blood to monitor liver functions and othe labs. Copaxone and Rebif do require bloodwork as ordered by your physician.

Copaxone has helped me, I use the autoinjector with all dosesl I am also helps me to injector myself, just click the button and out goes the medicine. The site reactions have decreased over a few months.

I don't use a wheelchair, but use a walker for distnace. I use cruise-control in the car to save the energy in my right leg.

Todays systems were emotional, tearful, anorexia, tighteness in legs, shooting pain in my legs!