Introduction of myself

[Jennyfer30]

ok, not sure how this whole introduction goes but here it is...
My name is Jennifer and I was diagnosed in 2010 when I was brought to the hospital due to increasing difficulty walking and numbness up to my chest. They immediately did an MRI and found an active lesion on my spine in the back of my neck. I was put on cortisone and kept for a week at the hospital.
Since then I found out that my MRI also showed at least 20 brain lesions and another one in my lower back. I did go to a doctor when I was twenty because of right sided numbness but I never followed through with the MRI ordered because I got pregnant with my daughter and with already a one year old son life kind of was really busy after that.
Anyway moving on, since my first MRI I have had one other one with which it was decided ms is aggressively progressing but I have always refused the medicines due to all of the side effects and the fact I have 4 children ages ranging from 8 to 14. But this past year I have noticed a huge increase in my symptoms and am having alot of difficulty. I was looking for a community where I could talk to others who understand how difficult life can be sometimes with ms and as a parent with ms. I am not currently involved in anything in my community with regards to ms. I dont know anyone else with this and therefore makes it hard to talk to someone about it all.

Anyway, thanks for reading!

[lyndacarol]

My name is Jennifer and I was diagnosed in 2010 when I was brought to the hospital due to increasing difficulty walking and numbness up to my chest. They immediately did an MRI and found an active lesion on my spine in the back of my neck. I was put on cortisone and kept for a week at the hospital.
Since then I found out that my MRI also showed at least 20 brain lesions and another one in my lower back. I did go to a doctor when I was twenty because of right sided numbness but I never followed through with the MRI ordered because I got pregnant with my daughter and with already a one year old son life kind of was really busy after that.
Anyway moving on, since my first MRI I have had one other one with which it was decided ms is aggressively progressing but I have always refused the medicines due to all of the side effects and the fact I have 4 children ages ranging from 8 to 14. But this past year I have noticed a huge increase in my symptoms and am having alot of difficulty. I was looking for a community where I could talk to others who understand how difficult life can be sometimes with ms and as a parent with ms. I am not currently involved in anything in my community with regards to ms. I dont know anyone else with this and therefore makes it hard to talk to someone about it all.

Welcome to ThisIsMS, Jennifer (Jennyfer30).

You've found the right place – we listen to everything (even to venting), we try to answer questions, we share our opinions and relevant information that we find.

I am curious about your diagnosis in 2010. Since MS is a diagnosis of exclusion and can only be made after other more likely possibilities have been ruled out, I marvel that doctors could test for and rule out these other possibilities in the WEEK (just 7 days!) that you were in the hospital. There is no definitive test for MS – even lesions in the brain and on the spine can be symptoms of many other conditions, not only MS. In my case, it took 2 years to arrive at the MS diagnosis (and even then, my doctors did not screen for a possible vitamin B12, the most likely cause of my symptoms).

I support your decision not to take the MS medications – I have taken cortisone in the past, I have used 3 of the injectables over more than a 10 year period and NONE of these has improved my symptoms. Currently, I use NO approved MS medication. This is an individual decision for each of us to make.

[Jennyfer30]

Thank you for your reply. The doctors made a diagnosis from many questions and medical history and blood tests. I had been to a neurologist when i was 20 because my entire right side became slightly weak and very numb. But I did not follow through with my MRI because I found out I was pregnant with my daughter and didnt want to risk affecting my baby. The symptoms went eventually went away and life became very busy so I didnt look back. When my daughter was around one and a half i went to my family doctor due to severe fatigue and following blood tests she order iron suppliments. I just figured I was tired due to being a single mother of 2 small children and working fulltime. I found ways to cope with my tiredness. In 2009 i lost most of the eyesight in my left eye which the doctor could not explain nor the optometrist. At this point I had 5 children (3 step daughter) and all that entails so once again life went on and my eye eventually corrected itself. In 2010 i has just finished a really bad couple of months with a custody battle and i noticed my legs very really numb but as I had become used to these little 'annoyances' i didnt seek medical attention right away and it gradually moved up to my chest. This brought me to emergancy room to a doctor who decided I was just stressed and anxious and who administered an anti anciety pill with a appointment for an MRI. It became seriously d8fficult to finction and so my husband brought me to the city hospital in a wheelchair and they did alot of tests including blood and MRI. I was admitted immediately and given a large dose of cartizone in a short period of time which I had severe pain everywhere. They informed me based on all that they found out abd past instances I has MS. Went to my specialist and he said there was no need for a spinal tap because they were sure it was MS. I have been on a strict vitamin regime including vitamin B since then and was doing really well. Feeling better than the doc expected due to my second MRI that stated the disease is aggressively advancing and trying to get me to start on meds for MS.
Hope that explains some more...

[lyndacarol]

Thank you for your reply. The doctors made a diagnosis from many questions and medical history and blood tests. I had been to a neurologist when i was 20 because my entire right side became slightly weak and very numb. But I did not follow through with my MRI because I found out I was pregnant with my daughter and didnt want to risk affecting my baby. The symptoms went eventually went away and life became very busy so I didnt look back. When my daughter was around one and a half i went to my family doctor due to severe fatigue and following blood tests she order iron suppliments. I just figured I was tired due to being a single mother of 2 small children and working fulltime. I found ways to cope with my tiredness. In 2009 i lost most of the eyesight in my left eye which the doctor could not explain nor the optometrist. At this point I had 5 children (3 step daughter) and all that entails so once again life went on and my eye eventually corrected itself. In 2010 i has just finished a really bad couple of months with a custody battle and i noticed my legs very really numb but as I had become used to these little 'annoyances' i didnt seek medical attention right away and it gradually moved up to my chest. This brought me to emergancy room to a doctor who decided I was just stressed and anxious and who administered an anti anciety pill with a appointment for an MRI. It became seriously d8fficult to finction and so my husband brought me to the city hospital in a wheelchair and they did alot of tests including blood and MRI. I was admitted immediately and given a large dose of cartizone in a short period of time which I had severe pain everywhere. They informed me based on all that they found out abd past instances I has MS. Went to my specialist and he said there was no need for a spinal tap because they were sure it was MS. I have been on a strict vitamin regime including vitamin B since then and was doing really well. Feeling better than the doc expected due to my second MRI that stated the disease is aggressively advancing and trying to get me to start on meds for MS.
Hope that explains some more...

Although you have not asked a specific question, or even asked for an opinion, I hope you are open to my comments.

You have mentioned "blood tests" several times – it is a good idea to request a copy of any test results for your own file kept at home. If you have had tests for "serum B12" and have the actual number results (or can get copies from your doctors' offices), would you share the numbers with us here? (By the way, taking vitamin B supplements before testing will have skewed the results and make them unreliable.)

It is estimated that 40% of the American population has low or deficient levels of B12. All your symptoms are consistent with B12 deficiency (as well as other conditions) – numbness/tingling in the arms or legs, weakness, severe fatigue, anemia, vision disturbances, pain. I have no medical background, but if a possible vitamin B12 deficiency has not been investigated, I think you should discuss this with your GP. (By the way, iron supplements may not correct anemia caused by vitamin B12 deficiency.)

But, remember, do not take vitamin supplements for at least two weeks before blood tests are done. In addition to the "serum B12" which can often give misleading results, a "serum homocysteine test" and a "methylmalonic acid test" should be done as well (as confirmation or correction to the serum B12).

I agree with your doctor who said that a spinal tap is not always necessary to diagnose MS – I never had a spinal tap.

[ElliotB]

Welcome! You are among many friends! Aside from family members, I did not really know of any one with MS in my community. Yet, as a limited number of friends have found out about me, they have come forward with stories of friends and relatives dealing with MS and other major ilnesses. It is truly a small world. Be well!