Husband just diagnosed -- what should I expect?

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ebrownkirkland
Family Member
Posts: 83
Joined: Tue Jan 17, 2017 7:22 am

Husband just diagnosed -- what should I expect?

Post by ebrownkirkland »

Hi everyone. My husband (43--almost 44) was just diagnosed with RRMS this past Friday, April 28. Right now, he is just having occasional spasms in his feet and underneath the right side of his rib cage (he has the spasms in one foot daily). He also gets the pins and needles feelings in the same foot he has the spasms in and he says that particular foot feels heavy. It frequently just falls asleep. He was prescribed Baclofen for the spasms.

In addition to that he has issues with frequent urination, for which he was prescribed Detrol.

He also has issues with his eyesight occasionally. He will experience all types of visual disturbances (these started last fall)--especially something that blocks his field of vision (looks like a giant black dot in the middle of his field of vision).

The MS drug he's being put on is Tecfidera, and I'm assuming that, since he is supposed to be shipped this drug and we haven't gotten it yet, that the drug manufacturer and our insurance are fighting things out to get a good price for us.

My question is this: what kind of future is he looking at? I know the progression of MS is different for everyone (he has been diagnosed with relapsing remitting MS and the doctor believe his first symptom was two years ago), but I am concerned about what our future together looks like. Will he wind up in a wheelchair? Will he be limited to using a cane? Or will all of his symptoms subside after starting on Tecfidera to the point that he will be able to continue exercising like he does now (he likes to kickbox and box and occasionally he hops on the treadmill). I just would like someone's honest opinion on this. I have no idea what our future looks like. We have two children who depend on us both, and my husband is the breadwinner in the family so I worry about that, too.

Thanks for any help you can provide.
ElliotB
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Posts: 2062
Joined: Mon Feb 03, 2014 4:08 pm

Re: Husband just diagnosed -- what should I expect?

Post by ElliotB »

As you stated, " the progression of MS is different for everyone" and there is just no way to know.

Expect that he may not be able to be "the breadwinner in the family", but ultimately there is just no way to know.
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