I was diagnosed with Relapsing-Remmitting Multiple Sclerosis on December 13, 1995.

I was diagnosed on December 13, 1995. It was NOT easy getting to that point though! It took me nearly 6+ months to get that diagnosis! And they weren't fun months either! In retrospect, I guess I should have kept a journal of some type, just for my own knowledge. It would have made life and doing this now much easier!

     What I recall is this (of course David says there is like a lot more to it, but I am writing what I remember at the moment!)... David was away for the week on a business trip. My older son, Matthew, was in Kindergarten at the time. I was laid up on the couch with dehydration, total numbness of my left arm and leg and right side of my face, and dizziness. Matthew did his best to keep the house up while I was out of commission, and he did his best! Anyway...It began about a week beforehand with a massive stabbing pain behind my right eye...a pain that sort of went right through my head as if someone were to poke you straight through the back of your head and through your eye with a knitting needle. I let that go for a while, thinking it to only be a migraine.

     After David returned from his business trip and saw me laying on the couch and the house an utter shambles, he took me straight to the hospital emergency room! Of course, I was treated for the dehydration (I hadn't eaten or drank anything in a week, because I could not keep anything down period!), then they released me, not thinking anything of the numbness etc. They referred me to an internal medicine doctor, who at that time, off the record told me that he honestly felt that it was MS. I was scared but somewhat relieved! I left his office feeling a little better and more consoled! He also treated me for the dehydration and told me that I was NOT insane, just not diagnosed :) I went home and got online and did research on MS... What little I found online helped me immensely! I KNEW I had MS, it was just a matter of proving it. I kept my mouth shut to the doctors and waited. I got well of the dehydration, but the numbness was still there, and my ability to walk was nil! David returned me to the ER about a week after the first visit. They did a CAT scan, which showed nothing! Laying on the ER bed, I recall the ER Doctor speaking with the ER nurse saying something along the lines of, "She's insane, there isn't anything wrong with her! It's all in her head!" (YEAH, JERK, MS IS in the HEAD, literally!) Needless to say, I got up off the bed with a dizzying motion, got clothed, looked at David and told him that I wanted to leave NOW! The ER had given the advice to go see a neuro after this visit! I went to see him, but I didn't return because things were so up in the air. At least not till this all acted up again! Yep, another trip to the ER, where they finally sent me to my neuro again. This time, my neuro ordered an MRI, spinal tap, and blood tests to be done!

     After the long months of hearing everything from "It's in your head!" to "I think you have Multiple Sclerosis" to "It's nothing dear!"...I was finally satisfied with the MRI, spinal tap, and blood test results. BUT...I had to wait for another exacerbation to occur before my neuro could diagnose it properly as Relapsing/Remitting. MORE waiting...but my body didn't let me down! Less than a month later, the numbness, dragging leg, vision problems, and dizziness all came back! I was thrown onto steroids (IV Solu-Medrol). I was lucky enough to have insurance that covered an in home nurse to come do the IVs 3 times a day! After 5 days treatment of the Solu-Medrol, I was put onto Prednisone and tapered off of that after about 5 more days. Around Feb. 13, 1996, I was placed into Betaseron® training and began Betaseron® therapy! David and I learned how to give the injections and how to care for the equipment etc. Let me tell you, it was a god-send, at the time! I must admit though, that after that first shot with the RN present, it took me about a month or two to give myself another shot! David was doing it, but I was determined to do it...and I made myself do it! David had to go out of town again for his work and it was a shot night...I *had* to do it this time! I did it...finally finding a way that I was comfortable with...I was then poking myself every other night, and it was quite easy! For 3 years I was on Betaseron® until the shots started eating away my flesh at the shot sites. I had not had a really bad exacerbation since I was put on the Betaseron® back in 1996, until February through April of 2002.

     I was also prescribed Amantadine (back when I was first diagnosed) for my fatigue, which I battle on a daily basis. I no longer use the Amantadine! I don't like the idea of being dependant upon a drug for energy! The less medications in my body, the quicker it heals itself! I do try to keep up on my vitamins! And as an extra precaution, around menstruation time I take iron tablets as an extra umph! It's not much, but it does help!

     My father, being a Chiropractor, has gone out of his way to help me with my MS! He went out and ordered me some Flax Seed Oil, which was NASTY, but I took it because daddy gave it to me :) *GiGgLe* I must admit, it did help some! The fatigue was not there all the time like it was before the Flax Seed Oil! The only problem with the Flax Seed Oil is 1) it tastes horrible, 2) is hard to find, and 3) smells as nasty as it tastes! So my dad gave me Barlean's Omega Twin Capsules (1000 mg) instead. I also take Nature's Resource® Standardized Cranberry Juice Concentrate, 405 mg to help with the recurrent UTIs. I also take, as a daily multi-vitamin Walgreens Gold Seal Woman's Way Multiple Vitamins Caplets. My father also has me on Vitaminerals, Inc.® C-Max de/cel No. 63 tablets and their Neurotex No.119.

     As for what I recommend...I recommend you do as you feel is right for you! Bee sting therapy doesn't appeal to me, seeing as I am allergic to bee stings :) But what might not work for me, might work for you! Who is to say what is right/wrong/indifferent! All I know is that I have heard of ALL types of therapies for MS...and the only way I have actually seen any results is with a natural approach. Granted the Betaseron® was not all that natural, but it helped *ME* at that time! I suggest getting to know your body's limitations and then not trying to fight them, as I do most of the time! It only gets you into more trouble than it's worth! Learn what is the best time during the day for you to do certain activities, and then do them...rest in the evenings before going to bed...or if you are like me, you will end up cramping in the middle of the night! But above all else...realize that you have the MS, and it doesn't have you! Control it and maintain it as best you can! Also recognize the fact that depression IS a part of MS and most of it's therapies, so don't be afraid to tell your doctor about any warning signs of depression!