I am new and wanted to introduce myself

[MSKITTY70]

I like many others can trace my MS symptoms back years before I was diagnosed.  On symptom I know for sure was the MS was the Optic Neuritis  and Paresthesia which I first experienced when I was 18 in 1988.  I was just moving into my first very own apartment and the A/C was broken,  the magager said he was working on it but to go ahead and move in.  Well I had no reason not to so I started moving my stuff.  This was all happening in Aug of 88 and here in Virginia Aug is a very hot and humid month.  It started with my lips feeling numb then the left side of my face and scalp and then the eye pain.  When I went to the emergency room for this the ER Dr said I was experiencing a form of migraine.  

I was diagnosed with MS in April of 1997.  Soon after My diagnosis, I read everything I could find on the internet and at the library.  I was devastated and relieved at the same time about my diagnosis, finally I had an answer to many problems I have had in the past.  There are many times when you feel like you might be crazy and others might think the same.  It is an emotional rollercoaster because with MS, most of our symptoms are what is called invisible symptoms which means, that most people can't see anything wrong with you but you feel them all too well.  Many people who have been diagnosed with MS tell stories in which a common theme is someone saying to them "But you look so good" or "You don't look sick".  But we are sick and we don't always feel so good.  

I was doing OK for many years with my MS and got along fine with only a few problems here and there until april of 2004 when I started having problems with the MS again.  By September I knew it was time to quit my job and apply for disability even though I didn't want to.  Over time my disease progressed to the point where I had a difficult time with my balance and I was afraid to bend over and pick things up, I couldn't go out anywhere alone for fear that I would fall and couldn't get help.  I was vertually stuck at home.  

My dad's friend who is like an uncle to me had a female golden retriever and decided to breed her and when she had 10 puppies my dad bought me one so that I could have him trained as a service dog.  Well that was exactly what I did.  When he was 1 y/o I took him to Roanoke VA to a lady that trains service dogs and had her train him.  He was in her words "The smartest dog she has ever had the pleasure to train" and completed his training in half the time she usually requires.  In September of 2007 he passed his certification with flying colors and officially became a service dog.  With help from the National MS Society I received his mobility harness and I use him to help me walk and provide stability so I don't have to use a crutch when I am out in public.  He gets all kinds of attention (of course).  People don't ignore you when you have a beautiful dog by your side.  

I use my service dog "Levi" for stability by using a mobility harness, he picks things up for me if I drop them, and he alerts by barking if I fall and hurt myself and can't get up, or braces so that I can use him to help me up if I can get up on my own.

I was recently diagnosed also with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis.  This is just a fancy way of saying I have a hypothyroid (it doesn't produce the hormone thyroxine) and that it is an autoimmune form of it.  Though the majority of cases of hypothyroidism is because of an autoimmune disease not all cases are caused by this.  My mother has thyroid probmes too but hers is graves disease, which is hyperthyoidism and also caused by autoimmune disease.  She couldn't take the medication to help bring her down to normal levels so they had to kill her thyroid and now she has hypothyroidism.  

So now I take even more medication, like I need more, I take enough for the MS.  I am currently on Betaseron after trying Avonex (which I was too sensitive to), Copaxone (I was allergic to this), Rebif (Still too strong for me) and then was placed on Betaseron which I can tolerate though I still have side effects if I don't take lots of ibuprofen.  I take baclofen for my spasms, trazodone for sleeping and myoclonic jerks, ultram for pain, and lyrica for nerve pain i.e. TN, shooting pains, and burning sensations in my feet.    

Well there you have it my life in a nut shell.

[MSKITTY70]

I will be glad to help out in any way I can.  Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.  If I don't know the answer I can certainly look it up for you.  For those of you without insurance and need help finding somewhere to go to get some medical assistance please contact me and I will do all I can to help you with that as well.  I do a lot of internet research and I have found places before for people without insurance to go for free or low cost medical services.  Thanks for all your warm welcomes to the site.

Hugs from Terri and Levi

[sllowe]

Thank you so very much for joining us.

I've only been dx'd w/MS since last year.  Has been an up and down year for me.

I know you will be able to help us out on so many topics and issues.

Thrilled to have you!

-SL

[essdipity]

Hi Kitty, and welcome!  Lots of people here can relate to your story. I don't think, though, that anyone else has a service dog. Does anyone? How nice, and what a great solutiion. We're a group of animal lovers in general, and most of us have dearly-loved pets, but I think that's as far as it's gone.

Lots of us too, have hypothyroid stuff. I know that's usually autoimmune, and also very common, but it seems even more common with MS folks. Fortunately for me, mine has been easily controlled by Synthroid for many years. I hope yours works out this well.

You certainly have run the gamut in terms of MS meds. Could you explain a bit more about why several didn't work out? Specifically, what was your allergy to Copaxone like, and in what ways were Avonex and Rebif too strong?

I'm glad you're here. You'll like this group, I'm sure. They are so helpful, and each contributes according to circumstances. So we're a real support group too, with lots of laughs on the side.

ess

[Heather3418]

First of all welcome to the MS Forum.  We are so glad that you found us and posted your very interesting story.  You have been at this for a very long time.  Bless you.

With all your knowledge about MS and it's symptoms, there will be much that you can offer those here.  I took a poll a couple of months ago of our group and found that a little over 20 people have a positive diagnosis of MS, while over 50 of our members are still in limbo-land.  It's unbelieveable.

We are grateful that we have someone so knowledgeable about MS, among our group.  We need more people like you.  We will not only be here for YOU, but I am sure that you will be posting to help others who suffer with symptoms and have no answers.

I was diagnosed with MS 13 years ago and even though some call me, "Earth Mother" on the Forum, I generally go by Heather.  Welcome....

Best Wishes,
Heather