NEW DIAGNOSIS AND MEDS

[sammie292]

Hi all,
My husband was just told he has MS from his MRI which showed spots on his 6th nerve and from his presenting history.  Apparently 11 years ago, about 4 years before I met him, he had what has now been decided as his first attack which was dizziness and dragging of his left leg.  He was working 2 jobs at the time and alot of hours, so the gp advised he quit one of the jobs.  The symptoms subsided after a few weeks and nothing happened again untill last year and his eye started giving him trouble.  His vision was blurred and after seeing an optition he was told that he had a lazy eye and it would retrain itself.  Nearly a year after that when I was about 7 months pregnant he decided to get it looked at again and this new optition noticed a scar at the back of his eye.  After being seen in the A&E dept and being told again that it was a scar and nothing could be done he was becoming a bit dejected.  Amonth or so later he made another appt with another consultant, who ordered an MRI and thats when it came to a head.  He has had very poor balance to the point where he might fall and his left leg drags, hugh tiredness and double vision.  He also complains of urinary frequency.  He is due to get a lumber puncture next week.  His biggest fear is the injections and the side affects, if anyone could give us some insight it would be great. He will be doing his own profile soon, only Im quicker at typing for the mo!  Thanks all.

[sammie292]

Thanks guys for all your comments and words, we will be in touch after all examinations are through
Sammie

[michael1028]

I am sorry to hear about your husbands situation. I will keep you both in my prayers. I have had the LP and it too was very uneventful. Please let him know that I can appreciate all of his symptoms. I am getting an MRI wednesday am to see about the Double vision that I have been suffering from since january. I look forward to keeping up with how he is doing. keep us all posted. You will find tremendous support for both of you here with this group. Take Care and my thoughts and prayers are with you both.

God Bless,
Mike

[doublevision1]

Like your husband, I too was worried about giving myself injections.  I chose Rebif, which requires injections 3 times per week.  The shots were easy to do, right from day one.  They did not hurt and left only some mild redness and occasional bruising.  Unfortunately I was recently taken off this med as it caused my liver enzymes to elevate.  This is a rare side effect of the interferons.  I never experienced the other, more common side effects, but I was only on the half dose when I was taken off.

I may be able to go back on Rebif in another month or so, or I may need to switch to Copaxone, or possibly even one of the more aggressive treatments.  However as far as the injections themselves, they were easy to do and I worried a lot over that for nothing.

My experience with LP was really uneventful.  I had no time to worry about it as it was scheduled immediately after consulting an on-call neurologist.  All I felt was the needle to numb the area, which was not bothersome.  Then just some pressure.  I did not experience pain during the procedure, nor afterwards.  I did not get up several hours following the procedure, and also drank coffee and diet coke, which probably helped me to avoid the headache.  I know not everyone has such an easy time of it, but just wanted to reassure you that it doesn't necessarily have to be a terrible experience; in fact there are many here who did not have problems with their LP.

Please keep us posted as to your husband's situation.  I'm sure you'll find that there is a lot of support here for both you and your husband.


Peace.

db

[Amyloo]

Hi and welcome.

I think your question is about disease modifying medications?  If so, there are three or four (as you probably know) and there are some known side effects.  I personally take Copaxone and chose it specifically because it had extremly low possiblity of side effects.  And for me this has been true.  Site reactions mainly, but no depression, worsening of fatigue or flu like symptoms.  This is a daily injection, however, and some of the others are more like once to three times a week.  Shots don't bother me (wierd, I know) so this was an easy choice for me.

God bless you and your husband; you can do this.  Hope this helps.  Love, Amy

[wyfrog]

hello.  i am so sorry for all your troubles.  hang in there.....together!  ms is a very long road, and having a supportive loved one by your side is so important!  the only advice i can offer re: the spinal tap is to drink lots of water and lay low after.  those spinal headaches can be very bad.  take care of yourself while you care for your hubby.  
God bless