This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Hi All

I've been having problems for 23 years but was diagnosed with MS about 6 years ago after a partiuclarly nasty relapse that landed me in hospital. I relapsed again last year but wanted to see another consultant as the one that I had been seeing was not very pleasant. I'm now under another hospital in London. I wanted to join a drugs trial but they said that they will need to re-diagnose me first. Since I've been seeing them (about 8 months) I've suffered another 2 relapses. But the consultant said that I may never get a diagnosis: a) Because of negative lumbar punctures and b) because when I have a flare it all culminates very soon and most people with MS take about 2 days to get into a full relapse.

This seemed a very strange thing to say so I'm interested how long it normally takes for your relapse to become full blown...

Thanks for replying...

thats wierd. i have never heard of them having a criteria for time of onset in the diagnostic process. I swear they are making this stuff up as they go along. Ms has no rules it is highly unpredictable and varies widely in its manifestations. in fact the parameters of diagnostics are drawn by man not nature. if nature were to define what she has set into motion she would define it by causality not the damage left behind. lesions on the brain are damage left behind but what causes the lesions?

Hmmm that is strange they would give a certain amount of days for a relapse to become "full blown". They should know more than anyone that everyone's MS and relapses are different.

With that said, some of my relapses have taken a couple of days...but some have taken longer.

For instance, 3 years ago when I went blind in my right eye, it took about 2-3 days. I woke up one morning and my vision was "off". At the time I had been misdiagnosed with a Pseudo Tumor, so I was being treated with water pills instead of immediately being put on steroids. On day 3, I woke up and my vision was 100% gone. (luckily it came back).

Let's fast forward to only a few months ago. One morning I woke up, and I took a belly flop onto the floor. I hurt my chest really really bad. I noticed immediately that I was starting to get some tingling and numbness, but it was manageable. I could still function and I could still walk, bathe myself, move my fingers, etc.

However, I noticed with each day that passed, it started to get just a little bit worse. I kinda ignored it b/c I thought it was just the residual symptoms of a previous relapse coming back. Then I fell again a few weeks later. When I fell again, it only took maybe a day or 2 and then I couldn't walk at all, my husband had to bathe me, I couldn't move my fingers...I pretty much couldn't do anything.

What I think happened is that I was going into a relapse from falling the first time, but for some reason it was just taking its time.

I could go on and on, but I won't bore you with my relapses. I just think they are wrong for what they are saying. They aren't in your body and they don't know. I don't think doctors and scientists know as much as they think they do. The only person that knows the most about your MS is you.

Good luck with everything!