Newly Diagnosed and Very Anxious
Posted: Wed Mar 14, 2012 9:12 pm
Hello all! I'm 21 years old and in college and a newly-diagnosed sufferer of MS (or at least clinically isolated syndrome). One second I was going in for an MRI because of (unrelated to MS) neck pain, and the next thing I knew, I found out that I had active lesions on my brain and that the vision problems I had for a while when I was eighteen were likely MS-related.
I've been taking copaxone since January, but it appears that I may be suffering from an outbreak. Right side of my face has been twitching for 1.5 weeks now, and now my mouth has gone slightly crooked :/. It's almost like one muscle in my face contracted and kind of stuck there. Headed to doctor tomorrow.
I have obsessive-compulsive disorder. I've dealt with it for several years, and I usually get by. However, I do tend to obsess over how intelligent I am. When I get really anxious I start making lists and memorizing them and quizzing myself on things. With my recent diagnosis and the twitching in my face, I have become INCREDIBLY ANXIOUS over losing my cognitive abilities. Beyond the fact that, for whatever reason, being smart is of obsessive importance to me, I am about to begin a very challenging job at an economic consulting firm, and I eventually want to go for my economics ph.d and become an academic economist and professor.
Some people tell me that, since I caught it early and am treating it, I could very well go my whole life with very few problems. Other people tell me that cognitive symptoms are far rarer than physical symptoms, but can happen. Then, an MS patient from Shared Solutions (Copaxone provider) shared with me his story, which mostly concerned diminished memory. With this new outbreak I'm having, I'm really looking for someone to calm me down...
I've been taking copaxone since January, but it appears that I may be suffering from an outbreak. Right side of my face has been twitching for 1.5 weeks now, and now my mouth has gone slightly crooked :/. It's almost like one muscle in my face contracted and kind of stuck there. Headed to doctor tomorrow.
I have obsessive-compulsive disorder. I've dealt with it for several years, and I usually get by. However, I do tend to obsess over how intelligent I am. When I get really anxious I start making lists and memorizing them and quizzing myself on things. With my recent diagnosis and the twitching in my face, I have become INCREDIBLY ANXIOUS over losing my cognitive abilities. Beyond the fact that, for whatever reason, being smart is of obsessive importance to me, I am about to begin a very challenging job at an economic consulting firm, and I eventually want to go for my economics ph.d and become an academic economist and professor.
Some people tell me that, since I caught it early and am treating it, I could very well go my whole life with very few problems. Other people tell me that cognitive symptoms are far rarer than physical symptoms, but can happen. Then, an MS patient from Shared Solutions (Copaxone provider) shared with me his story, which mostly concerned diminished memory. With this new outbreak I'm having, I'm really looking for someone to calm me down...