Intro to sweetC
Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 9:24 pm
Hello everyone!
I was referred to this site by another MS patient in my area (Florida, USA) who I met at my doctor's office while she was undergoing Campath trial treatment.
My stats:
RRMS since Jan. 2006
Female, 23 yrs old, Caucasian
I'm a certified veterinary technician and full time college student.
Have boyfriend of 4+ years and he is wonderful...gives me Rebif and Copaxone injections in the spots I can't reach.
And that brings me to my current treatments:
Copaxone was the first thing I tried right after I was diagnosed in 2006. I've been having at least 3 relapses a year, 2 of which I received 4-5 days IV steroids for (the initial flare-up where I couldn't walk or balance, and then later for optic neuritis), the others just oral steroids. So my doctor decided Copaxone was probably not the way to go and added Rebif in Nov 2007. So I am taking both right now, but I have still been relapsing and my MRI's continue to look worse, so my doctor has recommended aggressive therapy, namely the Campath (alemtuzumab) trial.
Up until I was diagnosed, I did not know what MS was, and had never met anyone that had it. I currently work with a woman that has RRMS and she physically seems to be doing about the same as I am, but has had the disease for about 10 years. I am much younger than she is, and I have shown her my MRI's and she was shocked.
So between her reaction and my doctor's insistence that I am not responding well to treatment, I am quite scared this week.
I have multiple lesions in my brain and spinal cord, and the doctor says there are new lesions and lots of "black hole" permanent damage.
I am not very disabled yet, I still walk normally, I can run but its physically exhausting, I lift and restrain large dogs at work...but I have noticed that I am much weaker than I used to be, and exhausted all the time, and my balance is not wonderful (I often crash into doorways or sit down unexpectedly when crouching). The optic neuritis went away and I'm left with the usual horrible vision I've always had. Lhermitte's and numb/tingly feet and legs are common for me.
Anyway I've joined this forum to learn of others' experiences and find out about the lastest treatment options people have tried.
Thanks in advance for your support!
I was referred to this site by another MS patient in my area (Florida, USA) who I met at my doctor's office while she was undergoing Campath trial treatment.
My stats:
RRMS since Jan. 2006
Female, 23 yrs old, Caucasian
I'm a certified veterinary technician and full time college student.
Have boyfriend of 4+ years and he is wonderful...gives me Rebif and Copaxone injections in the spots I can't reach.
And that brings me to my current treatments:
Copaxone was the first thing I tried right after I was diagnosed in 2006. I've been having at least 3 relapses a year, 2 of which I received 4-5 days IV steroids for (the initial flare-up where I couldn't walk or balance, and then later for optic neuritis), the others just oral steroids. So my doctor decided Copaxone was probably not the way to go and added Rebif in Nov 2007. So I am taking both right now, but I have still been relapsing and my MRI's continue to look worse, so my doctor has recommended aggressive therapy, namely the Campath (alemtuzumab) trial.
Up until I was diagnosed, I did not know what MS was, and had never met anyone that had it. I currently work with a woman that has RRMS and she physically seems to be doing about the same as I am, but has had the disease for about 10 years. I am much younger than she is, and I have shown her my MRI's and she was shocked.
So between her reaction and my doctor's insistence that I am not responding well to treatment, I am quite scared this week.
I have multiple lesions in my brain and spinal cord, and the doctor says there are new lesions and lots of "black hole" permanent damage.
I am not very disabled yet, I still walk normally, I can run but its physically exhausting, I lift and restrain large dogs at work...but I have noticed that I am much weaker than I used to be, and exhausted all the time, and my balance is not wonderful (I often crash into doorways or sit down unexpectedly when crouching). The optic neuritis went away and I'm left with the usual horrible vision I've always had. Lhermitte's and numb/tingly feet and legs are common for me.
Anyway I've joined this forum to learn of others' experiences and find out about the lastest treatment options people have tried.
Thanks in advance for your support!