New Diagnosis
Posted: Sun Jul 09, 2006 7:35 pm
Hello everyone,
I'm was diagnosed with MS on June 20. It's been a real shock, because although I've had problems with extreme fatigue, weakness, muscle aches, twitches, blurred vision, dizziness, and difficulty with concentration and memory, and have been worked up for everything under the sun in the last five years, (or so I thought), nobody ever mentioned MS. I went to the doctor in June with what I thought was the worst sinus headache I've ever had. It was left sided and the worst pain I've ever experienced. My PCP wanted an MRI to rule out a tumor since the pain was so bad. It came back showing multiple white matter lesions consistent with MS. He sent me to a neuro, who examned me, took a history, looked at my MRI and said "you have MS." I'm having a lumbar puncture on Wednesday, but he's pretty sure, and said the LP is just to confirm.
On the one hand, I feel vindicated, because I was beginning to think maybe I was just a 50-ish, menopausal, depressed, overweight, inactive hypochondriac, and that losing weight, and getting some exercise really WOULD cure me.
On the other hand, now I have this disease to deal with, and it's sort of blown us away. My husband (who was thinking along the hypochondriac lines, and still does a little bit), is scared to death. We've been talking a lot about it, and I know that's a good thing. We have three boys, all grown, two of them still at home, and they don't want to discuss it at all.
I know it's not the end of the world and there's lots of worse things I could have. (Four years ago a neuro told me I had ALS ... then changed his mind). I'm worried about affording the medications, as we have no prescription coverage, and are financially strapped right now. I'm worried about not being able to work. We have a home based business that is our sole support, it's not doing well, and there is no way I can cut back my work hours. I just feel like this is all a bad dream.
So, I was very happy to find this forum. I need to learn a lot, and it looks like this is a good place to get started.
Thanks for listening.
I'm was diagnosed with MS on June 20. It's been a real shock, because although I've had problems with extreme fatigue, weakness, muscle aches, twitches, blurred vision, dizziness, and difficulty with concentration and memory, and have been worked up for everything under the sun in the last five years, (or so I thought), nobody ever mentioned MS. I went to the doctor in June with what I thought was the worst sinus headache I've ever had. It was left sided and the worst pain I've ever experienced. My PCP wanted an MRI to rule out a tumor since the pain was so bad. It came back showing multiple white matter lesions consistent with MS. He sent me to a neuro, who examned me, took a history, looked at my MRI and said "you have MS." I'm having a lumbar puncture on Wednesday, but he's pretty sure, and said the LP is just to confirm.
On the one hand, I feel vindicated, because I was beginning to think maybe I was just a 50-ish, menopausal, depressed, overweight, inactive hypochondriac, and that losing weight, and getting some exercise really WOULD cure me.
On the other hand, now I have this disease to deal with, and it's sort of blown us away. My husband (who was thinking along the hypochondriac lines, and still does a little bit), is scared to death. We've been talking a lot about it, and I know that's a good thing. We have three boys, all grown, two of them still at home, and they don't want to discuss it at all.
I know it's not the end of the world and there's lots of worse things I could have. (Four years ago a neuro told me I had ALS ... then changed his mind). I'm worried about affording the medications, as we have no prescription coverage, and are financially strapped right now. I'm worried about not being able to work. We have a home based business that is our sole support, it's not doing well, and there is no way I can cut back my work hours. I just feel like this is all a bad dream.
So, I was very happy to find this forum. I need to learn a lot, and it looks like this is a good place to get started.
Thanks for listening.
