Upset .. Iritis, again

[Deludel]

I started a new thread, primarily because I just need support more than anything this time around ... I had Iritis 3 yrs ago, and when I got Optic Neuritis last year and was ultimately dx w/ MS ... my MS doc didn't think the Iritis was related.

I have Iritis again this week .. and I'm scared. And upset. And confused. And pissed. Thoughts in my head: Do I have something else? Lupus? RA? Lyme? .... and .. do I *really* have MS? Was it a mis-diagnosis? (I doubt it based on the T-Spine lesions) And .. am I going to lose my vision eventually?

I have my '6-mo since DX' appt with my MS doc, 2 weeks from today. Repeat brain MRI (which will become baseline bc Copaxone takes 6 mo to work) and all ... so I will grill her with these questions then.

For now, I am just upset by all this.

Oh -- and I am wondering, should I go to a neuro-opthamologist?? Or is a regular opthamologist good enough??



I did previously post this thread:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Multiple-Sclerosis/Lets-talk-Iritis/show/2026284?personal_page_id=3264176

And, Pat imbedded this awesome thread:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Multiple-Sclerosis/Uvietis-Iritis/show/1701228#post_7779678

[supermum_ms]

Definitely an interesting finding and must be confusing the heck out of you! [hugs] I would be more surprised if you weren't  wondering, if this dx of anterior scleritis is something unrelated to your other visual dx's and additional  and or possibly the red flag that there could be something more going on than you actually know.

There is definitely a scary aspect to the available information but try to keep in you minds eye, that the scary outcomes mentioned are actually quite 'rare' and more than likely not going to be your reality.

"Patients with scleritis are at risk for ocular complications and systemic disease association.

Ocular complications of scleritis, which cause vision loss and eye destruction, appear as a result of the extending scleral inflammation. Peripheral ulcerative keratitis (13-14%), uveitis (about 42%), glaucoma (12-13%), cataract (6-17%), and fundus abnormalities (about 6.4%). These complications are most common in necrotizing scleritis, the most destructive type of scleritis.

Disease association may be found in about 57% of patients with scleritis. Up to 48% of patients with scleritis present with a known connective-tissue or vasculitic disease."

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1228324-clinical

Take this one step at a time, first i'd think would be to inform your neuro of this development, so further testing can get under way to double check, if there is something else going on too.

Hugs..........JJ
  

[HVAC]

Just because we have MS does not mean we can't get other conditions. I had diaphragm spasms and was throwing up and losing tons of weight. My Doctors all blamed it on MS turns out it was another illness all together.

I have only met one person who had the Doctor take away a MS diagnosis it is rare.

Alex

[Deludel]

Interesting .. just got back from Opthamologist. I assumed I had iritis because the symptoms are the same .. Red eye and acute pain/sensitivity to light.

He didn't see any inflammation for iritis and instead diagnosed anterior scleritis (also tied to autoimmune)

My ms doc did do tons of bloodwork up front at diagnosis to rule out "ms mimickers" .. i don't remember the details but will ask her to go o'er them again in 2 weeks when I see her.

[Sunnshiney19]

Did your doctor ever do any blood panels to cross check MS by some of the other mimics? If not, I'd request that.