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Date: Wed, Jun 27, 2012 at 4:20 PM

Subject: Re: Yahoo! Groups: Welcome to mscured. Visit today!

To: mscured Moderator <mscured-owner >

Hi, I am a 22 year old female and I was diagnosed with MS about 6 weeks ago.

Investigations started about 12 months ago (let's say May 2011) when

suddenly one day I discovered when I put my head down I got intense pins

and needles or an electric shock sensation throughout my body (mainly

abdomen, lower spine and groin area but sometimes hands, legs, upper spine

etc), and it's never gone away since. This is known as l'hermittes sign.

I also began to suffer with fairly severe stomach problems about the same

time as my pins and needles. (I had suffered a little in the past but

nothing compared to the last 12 months). I started getting nasty pains in

my abdomen (mostly upper left just under rib cage) and suffered with bouts

of constipation and bloating. This too has continued on and off throughout.

I also had an episode in Oct of about 3 weeks where I suffered extreme

fatigue and dizzyness and used 'feeling drunk all the time' to describe it.

I did recover but since then have been quite prone to picking up stomach

bugs, and I do get a bit tired and light headed. I generally feel worse

when I am stressed or run down and when I get a stomach bug it seems to

take me longer to get over it than others.

For roughly a year up until May 2011 I had been on depo contraceptive

injections but had read some horror stories about possible long term side

effects so came off it and a while later went back on the pill. Before the

injections I had been on the dianette contraceptive pill for acne which I

now realise probably wasn't bad enough to justify going on this pill, but

wasn't allowed to stay on it as I was told it can be dangerous to stay on

it too long. Recently I have learnt that this pill has been banned in the

USA.

I was then advised (not by my g.p) I shouldn't be taking any pill as this

could be affecting my stomach and went on the patch instead. It was about

2-3 months after starting the patch that I had my funny episode in October.

I only mention the contraceptive information because I feel it was when I

started changing methods that some of my issues began. It may or may not be

of any relevance but I felt it was worth mentioning.

I had a full head and spine MRI scan, which showed a couple of scars on the

brain. This provoked a lumbar puncture which confirmed the diagnosis of MS.

In the four weeks after my diagnosis I started experiencing new symptoms

such as tingling down my right leg, (usually in the same place and the same

sensation as my l'hermittes sign), some muscle weakness or at least aches,

blurred vision in my right eye (only happened once and lasted about 5

minutes), a prickly sensation in various places on both legs like a single

drop of cold water and seemed to be needing more sleep. Otherwise I felt

quite well. I was not in a great place though and feel stress is a big

indicator in my symptoms. I'm sure you will all agree the time of the

diagnosis can be very stressful, especially when you have such little

support from your doctors! My new symptoms seem to have gone away again now.

I am disappointed in how I have been treated by my Neurologist as I came

away from the diagnosis with not even a number to phone for support. When I

asked him if there was anything I could do to help myself he said " some

people take primrose, vit D and B12 etc but I wouldn't waste your money on

it " . He did say I should stay as healthy as possible, eat well (a little

contradictory I thought) exercise and don't smoke. But otherwise don't

dwell on it, live your life and try to forget about it. It then took nearly

4 weeks for any information to come through the post. By which time I had

already done a lot of research myself and felt it a little late. I am just

grateful to the people I have supporting me within my family and friends,

because who knows how I might have dealt with that news otherwise, what

with the horror stories you can come across.

Since my diagnosis I have found a dr called Terry Whal who has a website

and a very inspiring video on youtube and a book (minding my mitochondria)

which I have bought. She talks about how she was diagnosed with secondary

progressive ms and deteriorated quite quickly and even with the best dr's

and treatment wasn't slowing down the progression. She then talks about how

she learnt about the disease and what nutrients you need and how she got

herself out of a wheelchair and cycling 16 miles in 12 months just by

changing her diet. Once seeing this I couldn't ignore this I couldn't

ignore it. This one and lots of other stories of people turning around

their 'uncurable' disease has given me hope that I can make a change to my

lifestyle that will give me the best chance of staying as well as I can,

for as long as I can.

I am being referred to a different neurologist so hopefully will get some

more support from this one. My wonderful Mum continues to do lots of

research for me as I am short of time with my working hours.

Any other advice would be appreciated.

Thanks if you got to the end of this, I know it is a long one!

e

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