Well dang Dave, The fatigue bug hit you hard since you were so full of life and doing so much. I would love to see no attacks for years like that. This is new to me so I'm just going with the flow and learning as I go. I haven't had the numbness since I started the meds and thats a plus. I periodocally get the fatigueness though. Hopefully for you the steroids next week will take that away and you can get back to having energy. Good Luck!

My buddy, Betaseron, and I have gone 18 years without a relapse. I have had, maybe a couple times, a tad of extra fatigue with the change of seasons. Going from summer to fall is when it has happened to me. It never lasts long, and goes away as quick as it came. Will keep fingers crossed it's something as simple as that for you too.

Sorry to pick on you, but your profile says you're 49 & you state you had more exercise than you'd had in a long time . . . Well guy, we can't blame everything on MS. Sorry! I just couldn't resist!

I do hope you're on the mend real soon!

hi! yes i have went awhile doing good- well ok- then its like a truck ran over me! its a chore to breath! but the steroids really help so hang in there - dont overdue! - i am a grand-ma! lol sound like one huh?? lol take care

Dave,
I think you are doing excellent for having MS and doing all that you do. I get exhausted and fatigued just thinking about what you have done this week! MS sure does affect everyone differently.

I'm sorry you are experiencing these attacks you describe since April. It seems that your therapy should be reviewed by your neuro if you are all of a sudden having problems. Also, it seems a MRI is in order if you haven't had one lately. It is just not right to be symptom free for 14 years, and then all of a sudden, boom, 3 attacks in 6/7 months. Something definately seems amiss...

In a word NO. This has not been my experience. Here is my story: First MS attack at age 28. Resolved after 3 mths of PT. Dx as fibromyalgia but MS vwas mentioned. 2nd opinion at Mayo clinic: bursitis and somatoform disorder (all in your head). They give you psych test - MMPI - thats asks several times if you have numbbnessand tingling which I said yes to - for obvious reasons,

So labelled for 10 yrs with wrong disease and wrong info, Was in remission. When it returned (1998) I went slowly downhill from rrms to 2ndary progressive over ten yrs. 3 attacks in 22 yrs. Fairly mild attacks but accumulated disability. Weelchair bound now. No solumedrol ever used for 3 attacks. Did avonex for 10 yrs- didn't stop progression. No MRIs showed significant lesions

1998 2nd attack. Began as 'ascending" numbness from right big two up to waist. MRI, spinal tap and evoked potentials all said MS.

2005 3rd attack a few months after mother died. Lost feeling in left hand .

Now left hand very impaired

So Dave this is my example of how everyone is different. I think all any of us can do is eat healthy, try to stay as mobile and stress free as possible but acknowlege that we have a large monkey on our back that we need to pay attention to at all times.

Melanie

Hi Dave,
My MS diagnosis came in 2003 but I experienced classic symptoms over the past 20 years. I lived in a remote area and the "country" docs didn't pick up on it. I moved in 2003 and was diagnosed right away when I experienced my first bout with walking like a drunken penguin and fatigue that knocked me out. Things with M.S. have progressed and I have the symptoms like what you describe more often and the fatigue phantom is always there now.
I hope this is just an episode for you and that the steriods help. (They turn me into a crying super bitch!!! )Lyn is always so right on in her replies and I agree with her sage advice. See your neurologist. I know that they can't really do anything but if your disease is starting to progress you will need good documentation of what's going on. I hope you have a good plan for what might happen if you don't snap out of this.
I myself did not have a plan in place. I went from being a very active single mom, volunteer in the comunity, full time employed professional with a full social life to - well- none of the above. My point for you is to offer understanding and empathy and to stress the importance of having a back up plan if you are unable to work. My reality is that my daughter and I would have been homeless if I had not recieved some money from my dad's estate while waiting for social security to do it's thing.
Best of luck to you for being on the mend quickly. Remember, when the body is fatigued, sometimes it is a signal for us to take it a little easy and allow some repair and healing ;)

Dave, you say you've been feeling better during the past few weeks than you have for a long time. How much of this do you think could be due to your quitting the ciggies?

Dave,

During those 14yrs, what kind of flare ups did you have if any?

Other than the normal numbness, headaches and double vision, no other flares other than the fatigue that would come and go but nothing like this year where I can sleep for 16 hours and still need to lay down when I'm up..
I was hoping the quitting smoking was I why I had been feeling so good but guess not but I'm sure it is helping.
I had 5 cups of coffee and a provigil and still went back to sleep and tonight my son is coming from Memphis to see me and I did'nt plan on it to see me sleep, I hope something kicks in and works

Dave,

Somehow I think when I drink Coffee, my symptoms act up, maybe I am wrong but I never drink coffee and a few times that I have it looks my symptoms got worse.

I hope you will be able to get some energy back so you can enjoy your son's visit better.

I had a bout of fatigue almost all summer. I think it had a lot to do with stress but still. I got on B-12 shots and that help tremendously. Hope it stops for ya soon.

for my fatigue they have me on Nuvigil which has been working a lot better then Provigil ever did. Might be something to look into.

You might try to get some Nuvigil (I too gave up on Provigil - it worked for awhile and then it simply stopped and nothing after this).
Fatigue is one of my greatest enemy with this disease.
I seemed to get definite attacks up until about 10 years ago and then they stopped best I can tell.
That said, I'm left with a lot of permanent damage from old attacks.
When I try to do too much, I pay the price always.
As another person here wrote, we've got a monkey on our back always and don't forget it.
I think you over did it and tried to do too much would make anyone feel bad, much less a person w/MS.
I hope you feel better soon! :)

My first major attack occurred in 08, however in reflection I had optic neurtis 5 yrs previous,other than fatigue no other symptoms. I am not taking any drugs either. I am diabetic also I sometimes wonder if its helping me in regards to keeping MS complications at bay. IDK