New & Alone
Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:34 pm
I am a 27 year old single female with an 8 year old daughter. I work, go to school, and have an internship. I was officially diagnosed in January 2013, though the episode began on Thanksgiving Day 2012. I woke up with my left eye completely turned out, with no ability to control it. I had to close it/cover it to see straight and ended up wearing an eye patch and feeling ugly from November until February 2013 when it returned to normal. Immediately after the initial eye symptom, I went to the ER where they did a CT scan and spinal tap and ordered an MRI for outpatient, but didn't really tell me what was suspected until I went for my MRI results, and even then they said they couldn't tell me for sure (all I knew was those tests were serious, and some jerk doctor popped in my room for 30 seconds to say "You have a spot on the left side of your brain"). So after my initial ER visit in November 2012 until December 2013, I had no diagnosis or treatment. My symptoms grew worse until I was drooling, could not walk or speak well at ALL (the only thing I can compare it to is being more drunk than I think is possible...I also work on the telephone so I had to take a few months off). I could not taste anything at all and eating/drinking anything was disgusting. My mom ended up taking me to a different hospital (University of Michigan) where they gave me an IV treatment right away and a script for prednisone - and a DIAGNOSIS. All of the symptoms but the eye went away within days (and as I said the eye resolved itself shortly after).
I was hooked up with the U of M MS Clinic and the doctor quickly went through the medications with me without much collaboration. I remember her saying of my 2 strongest options, one was bad for young people because of potential liver damage so she prescribed me Rebif. Had I been informed the injections were 3 times a week, I would have protested, but I feel I was too uninformed and just pushed in one direction. I don't know much about the medications, but I do know I am having a hard time finding the courage to do my injection. As it is, I simply cannot do it myself even with the auto-injector and I make my brother who lives with me do it. My boyfriend was doing the injections for me until a month ago when he suddenly broke up with me; he provided a level of comfort during the process that I don't have anymore and I really need advice about changing medications. Of course I am going to speak to my doctor about it, but I don't know if I am being stupid and wanting to switch from a "good" medication to one that won't be as good. I have such an irrational fear of needles I make my mother hold my hand if she happens to be with me at the hospital. I can't imagine overcoming the fear enough to be able to take care of myself NOW. I apologize for the length of my post, but hoping to find some support here. Thank you.
I was hooked up with the U of M MS Clinic and the doctor quickly went through the medications with me without much collaboration. I remember her saying of my 2 strongest options, one was bad for young people because of potential liver damage so she prescribed me Rebif. Had I been informed the injections were 3 times a week, I would have protested, but I feel I was too uninformed and just pushed in one direction. I don't know much about the medications, but I do know I am having a hard time finding the courage to do my injection. As it is, I simply cannot do it myself even with the auto-injector and I make my brother who lives with me do it. My boyfriend was doing the injections for me until a month ago when he suddenly broke up with me; he provided a level of comfort during the process that I don't have anymore and I really need advice about changing medications. Of course I am going to speak to my doctor about it, but I don't know if I am being stupid and wanting to switch from a "good" medication to one that won't be as good. I have such an irrational fear of needles I make my mother hold my hand if she happens to be with me at the hospital. I can't imagine overcoming the fear enough to be able to take care of myself NOW. I apologize for the length of my post, but hoping to find some support here. Thank you.