1226-full
DDK
Sex: F
Data Quality: 0 stars
MS: 9 yrs
Sensation: Moderate
Overall: None
Cognition: none
Vision: none
Speech: none
Swallowing: none
Upper limb: none
Walking: moderate
DDK
Female, 39 years
Houston, TX
Primary Condition
MS
First symptom
Diagnosis

About DDK

For me year 1 was getting use to the fact I had MS and the shots. I passed out the first few times I gave myself a shot! Then I had to ice an area for 30 min, made a big production of it-now I can be walking down the hall, swab and shot without a thought. I will say this last year had been the worse- bladder/bowel issues were horrible, embarrassing, stressful. I had gained 20 lbs since diagnosis - and being only 5'3 there aren't a lot of places to put it. But with getting the right medications in place, counseling, pilates, and most of all support of friends, family things are so much better!

Profile Activity
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Member since: Jul 05, 2007 Last Login Feb 17, 2010

More About DDK

For anyone out there who feels like their story is close to mine, or newly diagnosed - here are the tips I have learned I would like to share.

Weight gain/balance
 - I did started pilates which helped with core strenght and balance
 - With core and balance in place I increased cardio
 - I switched to Bupropion - I was on Lexapro which I think made me gain some of the weight.  I made the switch and much of the weight came off.
 - In two months I went from 140 lbs to 119 lbs

Bladder/Bowel
 - This was the lowest point for me
 - Went to counselor - she talked me thru the stress (which was also adding to my weight gain) and ways to work thru
 - I tried hypnosis, but working with a urologist - I got the medications I needed into place
 - While working thru medications/counseling/etc I bought two of every pant/skirt I wore to work.  This way if I had an accident, I could go to the bathroom clean up and put on the same bottoms and not have to explain the outfit change in the middle of the day.  Before I came up with the buy two of everything - I found the closest Target and would just go there to purchase new underwear, pants - clean up and go on with the day like nothing happened.

Like I said in the shorter paragraph - this hasn't been easy.  I have hit some of the lowest lows in my life.  But if anyone is going thru what I have been thru - I just wanted to say... It gets better, take control and just take steps.  Anything to move forward - new medication, new workout plan, etc  You can't let it defeat you.