I'm just wondering when you knew something was wrong? What symptoms did you have? What were your experiences during diagnosis? What's involved in diagnosis?

Frankly I don't know if my problems are real or something everyone on occasion experiences.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by justafriend306

I'm just wondering when you knew something was wrong? What symptoms did you have? What were your experiences during diagnosis? What's involved in diagnosis?

Frankly I don't know if my problems are real or something everyone on occasion experiences.

MS is a physical health disorder where its very obvious something is wrong. short version if you have been to the doctor for any physical health problem your doctor would immediately know something wrong.

Im guessing if your treatment providers havent sent you for tests like an MRI, CAT Scan, spinal tap, nerve conductivity tests, EEG and many other tests you can relax.

MS is an extremely painful disease where the covering of a persons nerve cells deteriorate to the point where your nerves no longer have their protective covering.

lets put it this way in its painful non medicated episode you would not be typing \ posting on line because just the act of putting your finger tips on a keyboard is pass out painful. you would not be able to even see the letters on the key board and would would not be able to move your fingers or wrists to type.

that said sometimes MS does go undiagnosed for a while and the person only finds out after they have passed out and hospitalized and tested to find out why they suddenly lost control of their muscles so they could no longer stand, see, hear and the pain caused them to pass out.

my suggestion to anyone who feels they may have this life threatening disease is to contact their medical doctor. there is no cure, the symptoms can be treated through medications that keep the problems under control for a limited time but eventually the person ends up dying due to having nerve cells with no covering and all their muscles and nerves including those that control their internal organs no longer work.

[Travelinglady]

I don't agree with amandalouise. I suggest you read about MS on the Internet and see your primary care doc. If he/she thinks you might have a MS, then you will be referred to a neurologist.

The process of being diagnosed can be a long one, and I have never heard that just looking at someone will seal the diagnosis.

In addition, MS could be affecting one part of the body, but not another. If the hands are not affected, then you can type.

Also, MS patients generally live a normal life expectancy, so don't worry on that account.

I hope you don't have it!

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by Travelinglady

I don't agree with amandalouise. I suggest you read about MS on the Internet and see your primary care doc. If he/she thinks you might have a MS, then you will be referred to a neurologist.

The process of being diagnosed can be a long one, and I have never heard that just looking at someone will seal the diagnosis.

In addition, MS could be affecting one part of the body, but not another. If the hands are not affected, then you can type.

Also, MS patients generally live a normal life expectancy, so don't worry on that account.

I hope you don't have it!

thanks for the suggestion. my information on Multiple Sclerosis doesnt come from the internet. it comes directly from my treatment providers, you see I have MS...

one thing about the internet... dont believe everything you find on the internet. for one thing it doesnt take into consideration when the various countries / nations and such go through changes in things like what they define as a disease/ disorder. for example america recently went through what is called health care reform/ obama care and changes in the mental health system, mental health definitions/ diagnostics...

what that means is much of what you find ....on the internet... in relation to american standards for many mental and physical health problems is going to be inaccurate, misleading and out dated. to get the accurate and up to date information now its best to go through a persons own treatment providers, which I do.

but again thanks for the suggestion.

[amandalouise]

Originally Posted by Travelinglady

I don't agree with amandalouise. I suggest you read about MS on the Internet and see your primary care doc. If he/she thinks you might have a MS, then you will be referred to a neurologist.

The process of being diagnosed can be a long one, and I have never heard that just looking at someone will seal the diagnosis.

In addition, MS could be affecting one part of the body, but not another. If the hands are not affected, then you can type.

Also, MS patients generally live a normal life expectancy, so don't worry on that account.

I hope you don't have it!

Also wanted to add I did not say a treatment provider would just look at the person during a normal routine physical ms is evident. example when they look at the nerves inside your eyes with their light that medical doctors do they will see that the optic nerves are deteriorating, they can see hemorrhage spots, when a treatment provider asks you to hold something for them they can see your hand shaking, they can notice one hand is stronger than the other, when they ask or watched you to walk across the room they notice your unsteady/ non uniform gait. here in american human beings go through normal routine physicals at various points in their lives and sometimes as part of work, extra curricular activities, school requirements and many other times in their lives like when they go to the doctor with a cold, flu or infections.

my point I was making in my first post was that at any point during these routine physicals in a persons life the doctor will notice tell tale signs that a persons nerves\ reflexes\ automatic reactions that happen during a routine exam that are part of having a neuro muscular disease like MS and others is happening and refer the person on for more tests like the tests mentioned above in my first post.

if anyone feels they may have this life debilitating disease the best thing to do is to contact their medical doctor and their medical doctor will do a routine physical exam to see if any of the symptoms and problems that is now called MS is there, then they will refer you on for other exams like stated above.

[Lilwren]

I was diagnosed with MS 17 years ago and still can't get treatment. When I didn't have insurance no one would see me. Now that I have an HMO they want to do every unnecessary test possible and won't listen to what I want so I don't expect to ever get treatment.

MS is a horrific disease to have in a money grubbing society. My dogs get amazing medical care compared to me.

Amanda you are incredibly lucky you have knowledgeable doctors. I went to, supposedly, the best neurologist in my county. He tested my reflexes and declared I was making myself sick.

Good luck finding a doctor that believes in MS.