Peri-menopause and ms.. How can you tell..

[Andipw3]

Hello.. I'm very newly diagnosed and have had a few thoughts/questions before. I'm still not treating yet, but I believe my next visit w/ my neurologist will lead to the start of copaxone. It's taken me some time to even admit I have it. And some may remember I'm scared of the mess and the side effects. I was hoping diet and excersise would control the triggers.. But I'm realizing it can't controll progression. I think

[Andipw3]

Thank you Alex. Your kind to reply. I was trying to distinguish possible ms symptoms versus maybe hoo all changes. From what I've read, they can be simular, weakness/ numbness/fatigue.. So ill get my panels done and go from there.
Also I'm having trouble distinguishing relapses from symptoms. How can you tell the difference? If I'm relapsing.. So far.. It's been very mild. Does that mean, because it's mild, it's not a true relapse? Just aggravated symptoms? Seems I'm week on week off then on again. Am I having relapses every other week?? Can't be can it??

[HVAC]

It takes awhile to accept MS it is a big change. It took me a year at least.  I even went for a second opinion and he said yep MS. Diet and exercise are good but because MS is neurological they can't stop it. That said I do both. I started exercise and a balanced diet after diagnosis because it was something I could do.

With MS you can have other conditions such as perimenopause.  Exercise and diet help that some what.

I had no side effects on Copaxone. Remember with any medicine they have to tell you every side effect. Even Tylenol can have problems. I am allergic to it. Most side effects go away. Copaxone has very few. No flu like symptoms, etc.

Be kind to yourself your liife has just been turned upside down. People do not think about MS. Unless someone has a close relative with it you do not think about getting MS. It comes out of left field. The first year is a roller coaster of emotions. The hard thing is it is unpredictable. No to cases are exactly the same. I waited for the other shoe to drop at first. My symptoms are invisible to others. I have double vision, left side weakness, lots of cognitive problems, and pain. I have gone to pain clinic for muscle spasms and pain. I went to a counselor to help adjust to MS. I go to PT now to walk better.

Being adaptable is the key to MS. Adapting to changes. Many symptoms come and go. With the drugs like Copaxone many people do not progress as fast as they did before the drugs.

We are here for you.

Alex