possible ms? help

beth25

long story but i'm currently undergoing tests to see if i've got ms. got terrible tingly and numbess in arms and legs, headaches, tiredness etc. got a mri and lumbar puncture booked for a few weeks.
can anyone help with advice etc?
if it is will i still be able to work, drive etc

thanks

msb5262

Hello OP,
Sorry to hear this - you must be feeling really anxious at the moment.
I can't offer much information having no personal experience but I have two friends with MS, both of whom are currently ok to work, drive, look after their kids and generally live normally. Didn't want to read and run so I'm telling you what little I can.
Very sorry I can't tell you more but have you considered contacting the MS Society?
Best wishes
MsB

milliebear00001

Hi there

Sorry to hear you're going through this worrying time.

Mu OH (husband) has MS. He is 35 and was diagnosed just after we got married when he was 24. He has memory issues that prevent him from working, but only for the last few years. MS affects everyone differently. Other than the memory issues, my husband has had little deterioration since diagnosis (especially physically). He stays at home and takes care of our children now while I work.

MS often progresses very slowly and many people are able to hold down a job and live a relatively normal life.

Fingers crossed your MRI is clear, but it's not the end of the world if it does turn out to be MS.

LittleTinker

beth25 wrote: »

long story but i'm currently undergoing tests to see if i've got ms. got terrible tingly and numbess in arms and legs, headaches, tiredness etc. got a mri and lumbar puncture booked for a few weeks.
can anyone help with advice etc?
if it is will i still be able to work, drive etc

thanks

Who knows whether you can still do things?

Some people carry on as normal for years.....others dont.

Chances are you wont have MS anyway....so why not wait for the results before you go jumping the gun and worrying for nothing?

ellay864

My next door neighbour was diagnosed with MS last year. it was a relief for her to finally get the diagnosis as she'd been off work having all kinds of tests for ages. Now they know what they're dealing with. She's back at work full time, and still drives...though she has now got an automatic as if she gets worse she may not be able to drive a manual. She is always out and about, very active.
I do hope everything turns out OK for you x

foreign_correspondent

It's a very unpredictable condition so it is hard to say how it will affect anyone - but - it may be worth noting that the prognosis is generally better if you are young and female when diagnosed, and if your initial symptoms are sensory.. from what you have said and your user name, I believe you are female and your initial symptoms are sensory.. which is good news - however, I dont know how old you are?

One thing is for certain, treatments are better now than they have ever been, and recent research suggests that taking a high strength vitamin D supplement may reduce relapses significantly, so that may be worth considering.

Good luck with the tests.

LilacPixie

Totally unpredictbable disease. I have R&R MS and lead pretty much a normal life with some adjustments, bath/shower seat and taps mostly. Car has a minor adaption to assist with steering and other than mobility when out soetimes being a problem during and attack I am fine.

delain

I was told I have MS about three weeks ago, when I had a loss of sensation i my left side, followed by a loss of movement in my right leg.

Maybe it was being pregnant at the time, maybe I'm just lucky with where I live but they kept me in A&E overnight with just the altered sensations after my doctor ordered me to go and warned them I was coming, before I lost the movement and I had an MRI scan that week as well as having to visit the emergency clinic on 2 days.

I had a strong steroid injection into my arm and now I can walk because it restored a lot of my movement. I've been told I'm lucky because there is very little damage and it's all in my back, the brain scan was normal. Literally I was seen and scanned with the first symptom, which for me was parasthesia.

I've been told that I should get back to normal because the damage is so small. I've just had a bath board fitted because my GP rang the OT's for me. Have to say if she hadn't done it I probably wouldn't have and it's helped me loads.

So if you need help, ask!

I've also been advised about the vitamin D, and been told to eat lots of fish (or get fish oil supplements) and to get lots of sleep, the GP says that the time you spend sleeping is the time your body does it's healing.

I've not seen the neurologist yet, but I've got another appointment with the emergency consultant on the 13th.

I'm 25 too so if you want to talk at all please feel free to PM me. I know it's a hell of a shock, it was for me!

ETA: My GP is going to help me with housing, as we were going to move over a hundred miles because rents are so high here and now I need to be near my family, they have been fantastic looking after the children whilst I was in hospital and OH was decorating. I don't know what your situation is though. I'm a SAHM to 4

Also I know you need to tell the DVLA, but my ex-mil has had MS for 20 years and is still bombing about annoying me in her motability car.

With regards DLA I can't really help, I'm just about to start treading that particular minefield.

Emmzi

I have MS, hold down a responsible full time job, do a p/t uni course, have an active social life, etc.

I have very, very rare flare ups. And they are mild.

Don't panic - it may not be that, and is it is, it may not be severe.

slummymummyof3

Have you been tested for diabetes? Parasthesia (numbness), tiredness and headaches can also be signs of that.

beth25

thanks fo all the help!!
i'm 32 mum to 2 and work full time
already had 2 mri scans this will be my 3rd.
symptoms getting worse , seem to have flare ups that last a few weeks, then ease for a few weeks.
obviuously i'm not going to do anything until i've been dianogsed or not(hopefully)but like to be prepared!!