New

[Guest guest]

Thought I would introduce myself before I begin my day, teacher here.

I was diagnosed with MS just last week. Began having symptoms mid-May.

I went through everything from vertigo to high blood pressure with my regular doctor and nothing panned out. I had an MRI in mid-October and saw a neuro last week who finally gave me a diagnosis of MS. I

am experiencing slurred speech, weakness on my left side, and balance problems. With

the cold weather we are having in southwest Louisiana as of lately, helps I've noticed. I am having

a spinal tap on Monday and little nervous about what to expect. I have also noticed that as the day progresses my symptoms get worse. The slurred speech is the one problem I hate as I deal with parents quite a lot. This is my 19th year in education. I am 49 btw. Anyway, that is whats going on now. Great to be here among people who know what I am going through.

Barbara in Louisiana

[Guest guest]

Welcome from SW Oklahoma

I started MS and fibromyalgia at 17 and was not diagnosed until 2004 at 55 - army docs do not see much MS - then I was living in Oklahoma

I have learned more here than I have in town from Docs

my favorite deserted me and went to the county hospital as a hospitaliter - I did convert him to Fibromyalgia as a real disease - but then he grew up in East Texas and he sorta understood me

good luck with the docs God, grant me the strength of eagles wings, the faith and courage to fly to new heights, and the wisdom to rely on his spirit to carry me there.

To: MSersLife Sent: Wed, December 15, 2010 5:27:54 AMSubject: New

Thought I would introduce myself before I begin my day, teacher here.

I was diagnosed with MS just last week. Began having symptoms mid-May.

I went through everything from vertigo to high blood pressure with my regular doctor and nothing panned out. I had an MRI in mid-October and saw a neuro last week who finally gave me a diagnosis of MS. I

am experiencing slurred speech, weakness on my left side, and balance problems. With

the cold weather we are having in southwest Louisiana as of lately, helps I've noticed. I am having

a spinal tap on Monday and little nervous about what to expect. I have also noticed that as the day progresses my symptoms get worse. The slurred speech is the one problem I hate as I deal with parents quite a lot. This is my 19th year in education. I am 49 btw. Anyway, that is whats going on now. Great to be here among people who know what I am going through.

Barbara in Louisiana

[Guest guest]

Barbara

Welcome to our family! Very sorry that you find a need to be

here, but also very happy that you've found us. You will find

here, not only a second family, but a great group of extremely

knowledgeable peoples as well. If one of us doesn't know the

answer to a question you may have, someone else will.. and

should it happen that nobody does know the answer offhand,

someone else will find the answer to your question. And I'd be

willing to lay money on the fact that someone in the group has

or is experiencing the same symptom(s) as you as well. We don't

all have the very same thing going on at the same time, and no

two symptoms are quite 100% the same, but very similar in most

cases. And our vast stores of knowledge aren't limited to just

the MonSter either.

There is nothing considered "off topic" in this group because

the MonSter does affect every aspect of our lives, thus the name

for the group. We discuss anything and everything that strikes

our fancy, not all of it having to do with MS either, but

somehow someway we always seem to end up talking about food,

glorious food! <grin>..

I understand you being nervous about the Lumbar Puncture. I was

quite leery myself when I underwent mine. My significant other

accompanied me and he never left my side. In fact, my

neurologist at the time, said he had quite a unique technique in

keeping me calm and distracting me throughout the procedure.

One she'd never seen before. We fairly new in our relationship

(though nothing in this aspect has changed much over the past 10

years) and he held my hand and kept his nose pinned against mine

for much of the time (sort of like those scenes in movies where

foreheads touch, noses rub and lips meet.. I have to admit, I

was definitely more focused on what was in front of me than what

was going on behind me.. <grin>)

Plenty of fluids, and as Reb suggested caffeine can't hurt. My

neurologist then, was quite adept at what she was doing, being a

direct import from Russia, and as she explained all the "fancy"

equipment for diagnosis that we have here was not something

readily available there. The one thing she did require

following the procedure, was that I lye flat on my back for 30

to 45 minutes following the procedure. I did NOT experience the

headache that can follow the procedure. At least not until I got

quite stupid later than evening, and rather than get down out of

my computer chair to swap out headphone jacks for speaker jacks

on my computer, I leaned over, putting my head toward the floor

while my butt stayed put in the chair. That caused the shift in

spinal fluid, and brought on a headache. The headache still

wasn't anything near what I expected it to be once I brought it

on. One thing to keep in the back of your mind if you should

develop the headache is that a "blood patch" can be administered

that will stop the headache. The headache is caused by the

shifting of spinal fluid or continued leakage of spinal fluid.

The "blood patch" is not as bad as it sounds either. It's sort

of like putting a band-aid on the inside, one of those little

round ones that seem to proliferate a box of assorted sized

band-aids.

However, if you replenish your fluids, stay as flat as possible

for as long as possible following the procedure, and then take

it fairly easy for the rest of the day, you shouldn't really

expect to experience a problem. I even walked into the

hospital, up the street from my neurologist's office, and had

the blood drawn for the other tests the same day, before going

home. Had I used the brain inside my head, and realized I

should NOT be bending over in my chair like I did, I wouldn't

have experienced the headache. I went to bed shortly after the

headache started, and by morning I was fine, well at least I

remember being fine.

Do you know which of the CRAB therapies your neurologist will be

offering you? And if so, have you decided on which?

Again, I am sorry that you had need to find us, but so very

happy that you did find us..

HUGS

|)onna

Thought I would introduce

myself before I begin my day, teacher here.

I was diagnosed with MS just

last week. Began having symptoms mid-May.

I went through everything from

vertigo to high blood pressure with my regular doctor and

nothing panned out. I had an MRI in mid-October and saw a neuro last week who

finally gave me a diagnosis of MS. I

am experiencing slurred speech,

weakness on my left side, and balance problems. With

the cold weather we are having

in southwest Louisiana as of lately, helps I've noticed. I

am having

a spinal tap on Monday and

little nervous about what to expect. I have also noticed

that as the day progresses my symptoms get worse. The

slurred speech is the one problem I hate as I deal with

parents quite a lot. This is my 19th year in education. I

am 49 btw. Anyway, that is whats going on now. Great to be

here among people who know what I am going through.

Barbara in Louisiana

--

Help Feed The Critters!

Your daily click counts at

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/

[Guest guest]

Welcome Barbara,

I am also a teacher and ...also 49. Good luck with your spinal tap...just remember to stay flat afterwards.

This is a great place to share your symptoms and get advice. Hang in there....

Connie

From: Barbara Blount

Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2010 5:27 AM

To: MSersLife

Subject: New

Thought I would introduce myself before I begin my day, teacher here.

I was diagnosed with MS just last week. Began having symptoms mid-May.

I went through everything from vertigo to high blood pressure with my regular doctor and nothing panned out. I had an MRI in mid-October and saw a neuro last week who finally gave me a diagnosis of MS. I

am experiencing slurred speech, weakness on my left side, and balance problems. With

the cold weather we are having in southwest Louisiana as of lately, helps I've noticed. I am having

a spinal tap on Monday and little nervous about what to expect. I have also noticed that as the day progresses my symptoms get worse. The slurred speech is the one problem I hate as I deal with parents quite a lot. This is my 19th year in education. I am 49 btw. Anyway, that is whats going on now. Great to be here among people who know what I am going through.

Barbara in Louisiana

No virus found in this message.Checked by AVG - www.avg.comVersion: 10.0.1170 / Virus Database: 426/3316 - Release Date: 12/14/10

[Guest guest]

Hi BarbaraIt's so good to have you with us! But I am sorry you need to be with us. We have several teachers in our membership. When I was diagnosed I was 47. My crackpot primary care doc at the time completely dismissed the neuros idea of me having MS. The primary care said "you are too old for MS", turned on his heels and stomped out of the exam room. Ha! I guess I proved HIM wrong! lolThe slurred speech is a hard one to deal with, isn't it? Have other people noticed the slurred speech? Sometimes I can tell my speech is slurring but other people don't hear it. When do you go on Christmas break from school? Hopefully the rest will help you get better.

hugs SharonThis email is a natural hand made product. The slight variations in spelling and grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and in no way are to be considered flaws or defects. To: MSersLife Sent: Wed, December 15, 2010 4:27:54 AMSubject: New

Thought I would introduce myself before I begin my day, teacher here.

I was diagnosed with MS just last week. Began having symptoms mid-May.

I went through everything from vertigo to high blood pressure with my regular doctor and nothing panned out. I had an MRI in mid-October and saw a neuro last week who finally gave me a diagnosis of MS. I

am experiencing slurred speech, weakness on my left side, and balance problems. With

the cold weather we are having in southwest Louisiana as of lately, helps I've noticed. I am having

a spinal tap on Monday and little nervous about what to expect. I have also noticed that as the day progresses my symptoms get worse. The slurred speech is the one problem I hate as I deal with parents quite a lot. This is my 19th year in education. I am 49 btw. Anyway, that is whats going on now. Great to be here among people who know what I am going through.

Barbara in Louisiana

[Guest guest]

Welcome to the group. Sorry you have to be here, but glad you found us, this is a real family. We're here to support you in any way possible.

 ~*~Hugs~*~

~*~Akiba~*~

http://www.affiliates-natural-salt-lamps.com/pages/156.php

-- New

Thought I would introduce myself before I begin my day, teacher here.

I was diagnosed with MS just last week. Began having symptoms mid-May.

I went through everything from vertigo to high blood pressure with my regular doctor and nothing panned out. I had an MRI in mid-October and saw a neuro last week who finally gave me a diagnosis of MS. I

am experiencing slurred speech, weakness on my left side, and balance problems. With

the cold weather we are having in southwest Louisiana as of lately, helps I've noticed. I am having

a spinal tap on Monday and little nervous about what to expect. I have also noticed that as the day progresses my symptoms get worse. The slurred speech is the one problem I hate as I deal with parents quite a lot. This is my 19th year in education. I am 49 btw. Anyway, that is whats going on now. Great to be here among people who know what I am going through.

Barbara in Louisiana

[Guest guest]

I understand what you are going on with you. I have some slurred speech at times. Please feel free to ask questions there are people here who will understand the problems you are having. Margaret A. CoteTo: MSersLife Sent: Wed, December 15, 2010 5:27:54 AMSubject: New

Thought I would introduce myself before I begin my day, teacher here.

I was diagnosed with MS just last week. Began having symptoms mid-May.

I went through everything from vertigo to high blood pressure with my regular doctor and nothing panned out. I had an MRI in mid-October and saw a neuro last week who finally gave me a diagnosis of MS. I

am experiencing slurred speech, weakness on my left side, and balance problems. With

the cold weather we are having in southwest Louisiana as of lately, helps I've noticed. I am having

a spinal tap on Monday and little nervous about what to expect. I have also noticed that as the day progresses my symptoms get worse. The slurred speech is the one problem I hate as I deal with parents quite a lot. This is my 19th year in education. I am 49 btw. Anyway, that is whats going on now. Great to be here among people who know what I am going through.

Barbara in Louisiana

[Guest guest]

Welcome to the group, Barbara. I am sorry for your diagnosis, but glad you have found us. I respect teachers a lot. What age/subject do you teach? I can understand that slurred speech can be upsetting, especially with having to interface with parents. Do you know when, and what, they will be treating you with, med-wise?I'm Kate, dx'd 12/8/05; 51, married (kinda), mom to 5.Welcome again from NY!To: MSersLife Sent: Wed, December 15, 2010 6:27:54 AMSubject: New

Thought I would introduce myself before I begin my day, teacher here.

I was diagnosed with MS just last week. Began having symptoms mid-May.

I went through everything from vertigo to high blood pressure with my regular doctor and nothing panned out. I had an MRI in mid-October and saw a neuro last week who finally gave me a diagnosis of MS. I

am experiencing slurred speech, weakness on my left side, and balance problems. With

the cold weather we are having in southwest Louisiana as of lately, helps I've noticed. I am having

a spinal tap on Monday and little nervous about what to expect. I have also noticed that as the day progresses my symptoms get worse. The slurred speech is the one problem I hate as I deal with parents quite a lot. This is my 19th year in education. I am 49 btw. Anyway, that is whats going on now. Great to be here among people who know what I am going through.

Barbara in Louisiana