Hello

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imafighter
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Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Oct 20, 2011 6:26 pm

Hello

Post by imafighter »

Hello, everyone. My name is Elizabeth. I'm 30 (almost 31) and was diagnosed with MS in August. I had my first exacerbation 2 years ago, and a second one in July "sealed the deal."

I started on Copaxone about 2 weeks ago and it's going fine so far.

I'm hoping to be able to find support here! Everywhere I look, all I'm finding is the scary parts of MS. I know that it's scary and unpredictable, but I want to find some positive people...you know, the kind that say, "Yes, I have MS, but I am in the best shape of my life," or "Yes, I have MS. I've had it for 15 years. I can still do everything for myself." What I'm hearing so far is stuff like, "If you have MS, you WILL fall. You WILL have trouble walking. Etc. etc. etc." NOT what a busy mommy of 3 little ones wants/needs to hear! I want honesty, but I want to hear the success stories too!

Thanks for "welcoming" me into the group.
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jimmylegs
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Re: Hello

Post by jimmylegs »

hi there! welcome to TiMS - tons of support here. this is not a board for sucks - the prevailing attitude is solution oriented. you found the right place :D (i'm not biased or anything)
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CanuckChick
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Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:25 pm
Location: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Re: Hello

Post by CanuckChick »

I, too, am noew to the MS world. I have been on many boards, and this one is BY FAR the best one out there. Thanks to everyone for helping to make this journey a bit less scary.
Jen
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euphoniaa
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Re: Hello

Post by euphoniaa »

imafighter wrote:
I'm hoping to be able to find support here! Everywhere I look, all I'm finding is the scary parts of MS. I know that it's scary and unpredictable, but I want to find some positive people...you know, the kind that say, "Yes, I have MS, but I am in the best shape of my life," or "Yes, I have MS. I've had it for 15 years. I can still do everything for myself."
Hi Elizabeth, and welcome! Sorry it took me a few days to reply, and yikes! You haven't been offered too many success stories, have you? Well, in my case, I really do feel like I've done well after dealing with MS for at least 38 years. Maybe even starting earlier than that. It doesn't matter to me.

I have so many other medical conditions that it would be impossible to identify the trigger for each symptom. Don't care. :smile: And I always say I wouldn't recognize an exacerbation if it jumped up and bit me on the ass (and then one day it did :smile:). Don't care. I'd like to give you the quick version of my story on the thread here, because I know people seldom click on links. But I've told it so many times. :-D Here's a link to one of my many posts that explains my history a bit instead:

http://www.thisisms.com/forum/general-d ... 16335.html )

I feel VERY fortunate, however, that I didn't get diagnosed with MS earlier, because in the meantime I concentrated on making my wayward body healthier and managed to improve every symptom that way. The day I got my surprise MS diagnosis, I felt super healthy.

And in a teensy reference to your screen name, I had long ago decided not to fight my aging body, but treat it gently, and adapt. I was a bit shocked when I came on MS boards and found that the recommended approach was to fight, fight, fight MS with everything you've got! Geez. The opposite approach has always worked for me. :smile: I don't want to punish my entire body for having MS, so I just get up every morning and go with whichever body parts work the best that day.

Of course, you will also find that each and every one of us has a unique version of MS, so there's not a universal treatment. I still don't think you can go wrong with a healthy lifestyle - diet, exercise, sleep, music, and laughter has worked very well for me.

Keep smiling, and make yourself at home!

P.S. I still work full-time, take college classes, and take care of myself, and even with partial use of a cane for balance now, I've kept my legs so strong with exercise I can still pick it up to walk up & down several flights of stairs a day at work.
Dx'd with MS & HNPP (hereditary peripheral neuropathy) 7/03 but must have had MS for 30 yrs before that. I've never taken meds for MS except 1 yr experiment on LDN. (I found diet, exercise, sleep, humor, music help me the most.)
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maynaka
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Re: Hello

Post by maynaka »

Welcome Elizabeth,

This board is a great source of support, ideas and success stories.

I was diagnosed in 84' when my son was one year old and danced with him at his college graduation party in 05'.

I think euphoniaa's prescription for a healthy lifestyle sums it up perfectly!

M
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daverestonvirginia
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Re: Hello

Post by daverestonvirginia »

Welcome Elizabeth, I think you have found the right site if you are looking for ways to fight MS and talk with people who have. I was dx with MS over six years ago and am doing great. I believe it has a lot to do with the fact that I am on the Best Bet Diet, Vitamin D, and Copaxone. From what I have read through the years MS does seem to effect people in different ways. But, I believe if you start early and stick to it the diet, supplements and meds can be of a great help. Take Care, Dave
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