Multiple Sclerosis – You say it’s all in my head?
A few months ago we ran a very successful discussion blog on the subject of multiple sclerosis relapses (or MS flare ups as they are sometimes called). You can check the post out here.
The reason for revisiting the area of MS replaces is that the technical specification of a relapse lasting longer than 24 hours and taking place over 30days since the previous relapse strikes me as unrealistic.
So I thought it would be very useful to run a short poll to find out how long do peoples MS flare-ups , typically, last. It would be great if you could take the poll below. Please feel free to add any information you think might be of use to our readers in the comments section below.
Many thanks in advance.
| JoAnne Brockett | I am a 67 year old Grandmother, with multiple sclerosis. When I was finally diagnosed 21 years ago, it was a relief to be told that I had relapsing remitting M.S. I say relief because when I was 15 yrs. old, I had my first M.S. flare-up. I Loss the vision in my left eye, my speech was affected and my balance was off. I was sent to Stanford Medical Center where I spent 3 weeks being tested, poked, and prodded. In 1965, there wasn’t really all that much known about M.S. and the results of all the testing was inconclusive . The next 30 years I had several flare-ups. I was misdiagnosed every time. From panic attacks to Lyme disease. I was referred to mental health, as it was thought to be all in my head. In 1995 I experienced the worst exacerbation and it lasted 2 and 1/2 months. It was my physician, who after every test he had run on me; sent me to the best Neurologist in Bakersfield. I was finally diagnosed with Relapsing Remitting M.S. I Have had 4 relapses that required steroid treatments and I was having once a week injections of Avonex. 6 years ago, I made the choice to discontinue the injections. The last severe flare-up was 2 years ago and it lasted almost a month. I opted not to have the 3 day steroid drip; as the side affects were so hard on me. I have the M.S. hugs, tingling of feet and sometimes hands. Muscle spasms, fatigue and what I call M.S. fog. My word for when my thinking is off and I feel like I have lost my centerpoint. I seem to have small M.S. symptoms almost daily, they come and they go. Like a box of chocolate….I never know what I am going to get! 6 years ago I made the choice to use cannabis to treat these symptoms. With a lot of research and trial and error, I have found different strains that help me with fatigue, being more focused , and other symptoms of M.S. There are strains that help with sleeping, and strains that work for depression. I wouldn’t recommend this form of treatment for everyone, but for me, it has vastly helped my quality of life. |
| patienttalk patienttalk.org |
MachilleSack Thanks it would be great if you could share abit more here https://patienttalk.org/what-were-your-earliest-symptoms-of-multiple-sclerosis/ |
| MachilleSack | Symptoms can change within hours or last weeks. A flare can last a few hours or a few weeks into months. I have secondary progressive MS. I have a cane and at times I have slurred speech and look like I am falling. I have had complete strangers run up to me trying to catch me because they thought I was falling. This is so embarrassing. My son tried to catch me one day and then asked if I was all right. I thought I was fine. I asked him if I really walked that bad and look like I’m falling. He said yes and it scared him. Other times I walk fine. My hands and feet go numb and feel like pins and needles. I have trouble writing and holding a pen, and my penmanship totally changes. I have trouble sleeping and other times I feel like I can’t wake up. These are just a few symptoms that can come and go and other times they last a long time. |
| MDobson83 | I was just Diagnosed last December and started a Severe Relapse in January but have had a few other Medical issues that dragged out the relapse into March. That’s when the Fog finally lifted in my head. |
| BillyRiser | depends, my right hand has been numbed feeling since 2 years ago. lost vision last ed month. couldnt eat lasted 5 months. |
| dena rudd | I never fully recovered from my relapse I’ve been hospitalized 4 times within 6 months and still going to therapy , and memory therapy . I haven’t came back to normal and the doctors told me that I wouldn’t be fully back to normal. SO my relapse hasn’t stopped |
| fedupandconfused | Depends as some symptoms last hours, some days and some weeks and some months. It varies with the symptoms and doesn’t seem to have a rhyme nor reason. |
I am a 67 year old Grandmother, with multiple sclerosis. When I was finally diagnosed 21 years ago, it was a relief to be told that I had relapsing remitting M.S. I say relief because when I was 15 yrs. old, I had my first M.S. flare-up. I Loss the vision in my left eye, my speech was affected and my balance was off. I was sent to Stanford Medical Center where I spent 3 weeks being tested, poked, and prodded. In 1965, there wasn’t really all that much known about M.S. and the results of all the testing was inconclusive . The next 30 years I had several flare-ups. I was misdiagnosed every time. From panic attacks to Lyme disease. I was referred to mental health, as it was thought to be all in my head. In 1995 I experienced the worst exacerbation and it lasted 2 and 1/2 months. It was my physician, who after every test he had run on me; sent me to the best Neurologist in Bakersfield. I was finally diagnosed with Relapsing Remitting M.S. I Have had 4 relapses that required steroid treatments and I was having once a week injections of Avonex. 6 years ago, I made the choice to discontinue the injections. The last severe flare-up was 2 years ago and it lasted almost a month. I opted not to have the 3 day steroid drip; as the side affects were so hard on me. I have the M.S. hugs, tingling of feet and sometimes hands. Muscle spasms, fatigue and what I call M.S. fog. My word for when my thinking is off and I feel like I have lost my centerpoint. I seem to have small M.S. symptoms almost daily, they come and they go. Like a box of chocolate….I never know what I am going to get! 6 years ago I made the choice to use cannabis to treat these symptoms. With a lot of research and trial and error, I have found different strains that help me with fatigue, being more focused , and other symptoms of M.S. There are strains that help with sleeping, and strains that work for depression. I wouldn’t recommend this form of treatment for everyone, but for me, it has vastly helped my quality of life.
MachilleSack Thanks it would be great if you could share abit more here https://patienttalk.org/what-were-your-earliest-symptoms-of-multiple-sclerosis/
Symptoms can change within hours or last weeks. A flare can last a few hours or a few weeks into months. I have secondary progressive MS. I have a cane and at times I have slurred speech and look like I am falling. I have had complete strangers run up to me trying to catch me because they thought I was falling. This is so embarrassing. My son tried to catch me one day and then asked if I was all right. I thought I was fine. I asked him if I really walked that bad and look like I’m falling. He said yes and it scared him.
Other times I walk fine. My hands and feet go numb and feel like pins and needles. I have trouble writing and holding a pen, and my penmanship totally changes.
I have trouble sleeping and other times I feel like I can’t wake up.
These are just a few symptoms that can come and go and other times they last a long time.
I was just Diagnosed last December and started a Severe Relapse in January but have had a few other Medical issues that dragged out the relapse into March. That’s when the Fog finally lifted in my head.
depends, my right hand has been numbed feeling since 2 years ago. lost vision last ed month. couldnt eat lasted 5 months.
I never fully recovered from my relapse I’ve been hospitalized 4 times within 6 months and still going to therapy , and memory therapy . I haven’t came back to normal and the doctors told me that I wouldn’t be fully back to normal. SO my relapse hasn’t stopped
Depends as some symptoms last hours, some days and some weeks and some months. It varies with the symptoms and doesn’t seem to have a rhyme nor reason.