I have been diagnosed with MS today, will symptoms get worse, and will I have another episode occurring?

Answer 1

My mother was diagnosed with MS in her mid thirties. She had quite a number of attacks during this period including paralysis, however for the last 20 years it has been in remission and she has had no other attacks. I think it is quite a random illness as she knows other people like herself through support groups who have had no further problems from the initial diagnosis, but others who have unfortunately become wheel chair bound. I wish you the best of luck in dealing with this illness and hope it goes in to remission and stays there - You can then continue a 'normal' life

Answer 2

The only certainties about MS are that there are no certainties!

You almost certainly will have another episode at some point. It could be weeks, months or if you are really lucky years. and the symptoms may get a lot worse or they may hardly seem to move forward at all for the longest time.

The best way forward is for you to place the MS where it deserves to be- in a small tightly controlled part of your mind. I know this will sound corny but it works for me in another sphere and you have nothing to lose.

Every morning from now on,when you get up, look yourself in the mirror and state your intentions.
No negatives allowed. It is harder than you think but it focuses the mind so brilliantly that the mind starts obeying.
For you , you could start with " I intend being strong in mind body and spirit. I intend living each moment with my sense of wonder engaged.I intend being healthy and healing myself."

Good luck and stay strong. Wishing you strength, hope , peace and light.

Answer 3

sorry to hear you have a worry on your shoulders
Learn as much as you can about it.
Think: most people dont take care of themselves this will casue you to take extra good care of yourself and to learn a lot about your body Start attending a support group of like people so you can have that when you need it I understand the illness varies so much. Just remember a lot of people will get illnesses over their lifetime and deal with it as it comes- you just happen to have a warning that it will come first so you can prepare a bit. We are not all that different whether diagnosed or not our health is not guaranteed and is dependant so much on our being proactive and few are willing to do that You will have that opportunity now Dont let "healthy"others make you feel sorry for yourself or feel sorry for you as they may have heart disease or other illness that is developing but they have no clue .
So they do not have guaranteed health We are all the same in that sense whether diagnosed or not. Take car eof yourself and dont be a victim, take charge and change what you can of how you take care of yourself and how you mentally approach things.Take a holistic view including stress relief. Best of luck

Answer 4

MS is one of those tricky autoimmune diseases. There is no telling if you will have another flare, or live with many.

I do agree with a previous answer in your needing to get the facts from an expert. It is necessary so you don't fall to false hope or crazy remedy stories. I know the beginning is hard, its like walking into a dark tunnel, hoping and hoping to see that light on the other side. You have your good days and your bad. You will have days maybe that all you can do is sleep. Do it. One thing that all experts will tell you is pushing yourself does not work in autoimmune disease. On the flip side, sitting around sedentary does not help either. I know, its hard to know where the happy medium lies. But, you will find it, especially if you listen to your body. One of the biggest obstacles I find is when the fatigue and what not are heavy, well meaning people like to say "But you look fine"; hence some will not necessarily believe you are 'truly' sick. (You will want to throttle these people after a while, but alas it is illegal to do that still.) Ignore them! Their ignorance is not your problem.

Also if you work, remember this is a chronic illness and you are covered under the family medical leave act (FMLA), so when absent due to issues of MS you can not be fired. (Provided you have been with employer for 12 mos)

Read all you can, know your body well, and never hesitate to ask any Q's with your Dr. They work for you, you hired them. So if they don't have the answers or just don't seem to have time to, seek out another Dr. Make sure all you read is from credible sources, and stay far away from sites that claim a 'cure' - remember the old addage, if it seems too good to be true, then it most likely is. Believe me, if there were a cure for MS out there, then it would be all over the airwaves not just some (one) website. Because MS is autoimmune, and last I heard there are 142 autoimmune diseases, the cure for one would be amazing and all over the world, as the trigger for one autoimmune disease is often the trigger to many others. The Dr. would be up for a Nobel prize and it would be allover the medical journals, such as the Lancet, JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association), New England Journal of Medicine, etc. Beware of those who claim herbal remedies too, as some herbals that are perfectly harmless for most can set one with MS into a nasty flare.

Just make sure you have a good Dr. who is abreast of all going on in MS. Some one who takes the time to answer your questions, and that is truly there for you when you need him. Its great to get opinions from big famous doc's who travel all around the world (had a rhumy that was 'world reknowned'), but it can be hard to reach them in a pinch. You want your GP to be up on MS too as he is the one you will probably deal with the most.

Good luck. Oh! Almost forgot. Here on Yahoo there is support groups for MS. They are amazing help, especially when you are having a bad day. (Again, watch out for the 'snake oil' salesmen that get on from time to time) Being able to talk with others suffering the same as you are at the time is very helpful. It wasn't until I joined one that I could see that light at the end of that tunnel. They become like family to you. Good luck! Keep positive. My mantra is "As long as I am dancing on this side of the dirt, it's all good." Keep dancing.

Answer 5

Sorry to hear that!
It's difficult to say what will happen as everyone has different problems, depending on which nerves are affected! Time between episodes or lengths of episodes vary greatly too.For the best advice try going on to the MS Society web-site! Try and stay as positive in your outlook as you can and learn to take each day as it comes! Good luck to you in the future!

Answer 6

Drink a lot of water and give in to the fatigue when it happens. Do also avoid getting overheated.
There are some good medications you can take that will slow the process down. Eat a healthy diet.
You must not worry about having another attack, just live a normal life .
Good luck and God bless.

Answer 7

Yeah, I 'm very sorry also. Everyone's case progresses at their own rate. Educate, educate yourself! I work with a woman that's had it for 9 years. She periodically has active periods where she needs high dose steroids, and she has some trouble walking. She works full time, and is a true fighter. She doesn't want to take alot of meds, so takes only what's necessary. She doesn't get 'down' because she believes it'll make her worse. I'm hoping for a cure soon, I'm sure you are too!

Answer 8

I hope I am able to help. This a concept not widely accepted, but its true. I was diagnosed with lupus, ms, rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic illnesses. I was completely crippled for years. Three years ago, I discovered I was allergic to wheat, soy, eggs, commercial dairy, and other foods. When I eliminated them from my diet, I healed completely, and am now perfectly healthy, enjoying an active lifestyle. I have cheated on the diet 6 times in three years, and all 6 times ended up with crippling pain. I am convinced that many of these "new" illnesses have come about since the food industry decided that eating chemicals, preservatives, artificial colors, etc. was ok. These illnesses developed as the food industry boomed with processed, convenience foods. I am perfectly healthy as long as I follow a good vegetarian diet, free from additives and my allergens. Email if you need more info. Good luck

Answer 9

i'm really sorry to hear this......

my nan has MS... it started coming on her in her 30's with aching knees and now she's 67 and can barely move, well she can move but it is a VERY slow process... she cant go out without a wheel chair and my grandad is her main carer... its a shame her ankles and feet are swollen she cant really feel pain because all her nerve ending are knackered...but shes completly with it mentally.......it must (in my opinion) be one of the most frustrating illnesses to have...

but there is different kinds of MS so you may be better talking to a counsellor and getting proper advice..

Answer 10

Nobody knows - every case is different. Don't ask questions like this on here. Get the information from the experts - you do not need misinformation to deal with in addition to your diagnosis.