How do doctors what type of MS you have?

[ge97511]

I got dx'd with MS at the end of September.  Obviously at the time I didn't know that there was different types of MS so I didn't ask anymore questions.  They discharged me and didn't give me an appt for Neuro till Dec.12.  While I was in the hospital I was given steroids for three days to help with the flare up.  When I got home I did research and figured out that there was more than one type.  

In the month that followed I noticed I started to get worse.  When I went into the hospital my main complaint was numbness/pins and needles in my legs, arms and head.  My head also hurt a little. After my first hospital stay I started with sever back, leg pain and headaches.  I'm beginning to stutter and have hand tremors too.  So I went into the emergency room and this great ER doc that actually listens to me gave me pain meds and sent me on my way.

Well, a month after that it got to the point I couldn't stand the pain and I went back into the ER again.  I was admitted and well to be truthful I saw it as waste of time.  I went in asking for better pain meds to get me to the Neuro appt but I ended up with muscle relaxers and other stuff.  Now I understand that muscle relaxers should work but I read up on them (Baclofen) and they they take a month or two to get the full effect.  What about the mean time?

Any ways, when I was discharged the second time my discharge papers said I had RRMS.  How can they know that?  My relapse hasn't gone away.  Hell, it's getting worse not better after getting the steroids.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[Lulu54]

The concept of RELAPSE is strange when it comes to MS.  From what I understand you may have relapses but you rarely return to the point you were at when all this started.  Its like your body is constantly reinventing a new normal for you.  And each relapse returns you probably to that new point and not the old one.  Does this make any sense at all?  The progressive forms of MS are more a continuous path of symptoms usually increasing in intensity,  and new symptoms appearing without having relapses.

This would be a good discussion to have with your neuro on the 12th.  Please put it on your list along with everything else you want to know and be sure to have the doctor spend time reviewing your questions.  The diagnosis of MS is a lot to comprehend and take in at first.  

My best to you, Lulu  

[doni54]

Hi ge, Shell gave you a great answer.  I don't know exactly how they make there dx of the different stages.

I, too, know Elaine will have a good explanation, as she has been through all this with her husband, Craig.

I hope your symptoms will ease off and give you some peace to get you through to your neuro appt.

Take care,
doni

[sllowe]

bump

[sllowe]

Hi there,

I can't say for certain how they dx it, but I was dx'd with RRMS too.  I think had they dx'd you with SPMS the Dr. would have mentioned it for sure. The criteria changes up bigtime for you to be dx'd with SP or PP MS.  Elaine's Craig was dx'd with PPMS and if Elaine is up to it, she'll be able to describe why.  I think it will make it more clear.

Many of us can relate to the lack of "remitting" with our MS.  Some people remit and go back to their normal selves, while others symptoms linger or worsen.  Though we still have RRMS.  

We tried to play a game once and come up with a new name for us, one that comes between RRMS and SPMS.  We had some doosey's.  

Seriously, I hope you do see some improvement in the months to come.  Are you still on the steroids? Oh, and yes, it does take months to see the full affect of the baclofen, and I hope that is the case for your spasms.

ttys,
shell