Primary Progressive MS - NEW LESIONS
I was diagnosed after a long road in 2016 February. The neurologist had been working with me since 2007 to get a diagnosis.
I have been muddling along nicely with it, and a few weeks ago ended up in hospital with a suspected stroke. After tests then an MRI, i was shocked to find i had NEW LESIONS on my spine. My world kind of caved in.
I have been loosing mobility a bit lately but just put it down to stress and some UTI which seem to hit me regularly.
i am now LOST. i have suffered so much pain all the time and it has got worse, i am 73 on my own. i need to buck up and deal with it, but the pain is really getting to me. i was told there was little they could do except the usual psych drugs which i oppose. They make me feel awful. Anyone got any tips on dealing with the nerve pain. its bad in my left leg. especially worse at night.
if it wasn't for my little dog i swear i would give up. I know it all started in 2000, so been ongoing for a long time. xxxxxxx
That's a pretty big change to be dealing with,
, and I think you are doing just fine managing the emotional fallout. I think it's okayy to take a beat or two to feel bad for yourself. Then, you can take a deep breath, square your shoulders, and figure out the gameplan to go with.
I understand your hesitation to go with the standard psych drugs and I hope your doctors have been open to discussing other options with you. I know sometimes doctors get stumped when they run out of medications to throw at a problem.
As for managing nerve pain, it can be especially tricky. It's a challenge to convince those nerves that no, our bodies are not on fire. Have you tried gabapentin? It's usually one of the first medications suggested for uncontrolled nerve pain. Lyrica and Cymbalta are also possible options, but I know you may have your reservations about these, too. I wanted to share this article on MS pain, as it suggests a variety of medications to manage different pains and you might get some ideas for medications to mention to your doctor -- https://multiplesclerosis.net/living-with-ms/types-pain-symptoms. Again, nerve pain is, well, a real pain and it can be really hard to manage. But it's worth trying. After all, you are only 73 and you shouldn't have to live (or try to sleep) with high levels of pain.
And, your cute little roommate needs you to stay as healthy as possible, too.
I hope other community members chime in with their suggestions as well.
Please keep us posted on how you are doing, if you feel comfortable doing so.
Best, Erin, Team Member.
