This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

Hello everyone. This is my first post. I was just diagnosed with MS on 3/23/11. I had a course of steriods last weekend that lessened my symptoms, but only slightly. I am taking neurontin and I am about to start on copaxone.

I have a feeling that my questions are common... and don't have answers. But here goes. How long does an "attack" last? I know everyone is different, but I am going on four weeks with numbness and tingling from my neck down into my hand. I also have a lovely itch that comes and goes. It is slowly trying to make me go insane, I think. Also, does the severity or length of an attack have any bearing on how you will recover from it?

Thanks in advance,
Dana

Difficult to say.

I had an acute bout of optic neuritis which triggered the path to diagnosis.

Since then the neuritis has resolved itself. What I do get on and off is occasional mild flaring in the eye, itchy skin, and elecetrical pulses.

I dont know whether this is MS activity or simply the residual affects of nerve damage

I dont tend to get numbness - only time is after taking interferon my feet go cold.

I have found that since the acute attack I have slowly recovered. My cognitive function is much better,infact almost back to normal. I find the best way to deal with symptoms is sleep - if you are tired, if you can just go to bed.

Good luck

Hi Dana:

I've been reading a lot of the posts on this site and many people have attacks that last weeks at a time. My second attack included numbness on my left side for 5 weeks and then 2 weeks of electricity/buzzing on my left arm. I don't know if the severity of length has any bearing on how we will recover (I'm newly dx'd too).

Take Care.

Hi,
I've had 4 flare ups since the first 20 yrs ago.
It seems my symptoms last longer the longer it takes me to get treated. If I waited too long after the firsat signs of a new attack to see my doctor, the longer it takes for the medication to really start to have an effect.

When I got hit 5 yrs ago with the Transverse Meylitis it was between 1st & 3rd vertebre. I was numb, pins & needles and painful from neck down. It took 12 weeks for body to heal. They told me if it didn't go away within 6 mos. it probably wouldn't. I never recovered in arms, hands & fingers. I have learned to live with it but sometimes it wears me down. I have to do all physical chores in morning because by night, I'm not very useful. I am grateful the rest of my body didn't stay this way. You would have thought they could have diagnosed me then but it took 5 more yrs of other "issues" and 24 docs. later to find out it is MS. I was just diagnosed 2 mos ago. Good luck and explore physical therapy if things don't resolve. The new neuro I have now was stunned that they did not sent me.

You were right when you said that "I know everyone is different" and it seems to me that is really true. I think you can look at that both ways, in that maybe there is more uncertainty to how the disease will progress, but it always could go better than you ever thought. My first attack lasted between 4 to 6 weeks and so far it has been my only acttack.

Unfortunately, every attack is different, and it also matters if you get steroid treatment as well. I've had attacks that only last a week or two, and I've had attacks that even with steroid treatment have lasted over a month. I'm into my third week on this attack, and considering asking my doctor for oral steroids as the symptoms have just gotten worse after having been better for a few days. I know Tysabri is controversial, but I'm looking forward to getting on it and getting the expected results from it.