Hi Melissa,

How do we deal with it? Well, the way I look at it, is what other choice do I have but to deal with it? After all, it's here to stay. There's nothing that I can do to change my diagnosis and situation, so I have to keep on trying to muddle through. Is it easy? No, but it is, what it is.

Eventually I think that we all come to a place of acceptance---and that makes it much easier to cope with the day to day struggle that comes along with neurological disease.

Go easy on yourself, and don't expect to do more than you *can* on any given day. Here's hoping that the side effects subside for you soon.

Gracie

As far as the meds go, i think you always have to be aware of the fact that you don't have to do the. It's always your choice. I think you have to play with your mind a little, because the meds don't make a person 'feel good' like a heron user trains themselves to give shots, because it makes them feel good.

The MS meds don't do that, so you have to keep a picyure in yor mind what they do do.
They may prevent a future you absolutely don't want. Before or while giving yourself the shot imagine the future you don't want. your stuck in a w/c, your freinds have forgottren you & have long since stopped dropping by to visit you, you are unable top work so your living at poverty level with what the gov is willing to give you.
But you have a CHOICE of whether to do that shot. You aren't able to prevent that future when it starts happening, you can only prevent it now!
But you have a choice....

As far as side affects, I take it you use Avonex because your side affects last days. It sounds like avonex. I've only used Betaseron. But I do understand that the side affects for Avonex wear off too in a while. That first year my MS was pretty active & I was afraid it would be permenant. I needed to set a time/ date before I would draw a conclusion, because it was too early for me to make a decision at first.

I think that approach would work with side affects for you. Set a time thayt you believe the side affects should be done....may 6-9 months & then make a decision about them, knowing that there are 4 stamdard MS drugs to try. No one is forcing you, you have a choice. You have a choice to do meds & you have a choice to refuse & request a different one.

Copaxone is every day but it's suppose to have no side affects, which might be better for your lifestyle after you have given the Avonex enough time for you to make a reasonable decision on it...

And are you selecting your shot day as the day best for your schedule?
I'm sure you did, I just had to ask....

Good Luck imagining the future you don't want and remember you have a choice! MS doesn't kill, you have a choice whether to treat it or not!

Well said Grace53a. Hi melissa. Ups and downs and there will be plenty. Just be strong and be prepared. One day at a time. Theres no doubt in my mind that u will learn how to live with MS.

Hello Melissa,
There are different options for MS treatment besides steriods with needles. Low dose naltrexone is one of them & it is quite inexpensive to use. Online check ldn.org for info. The other thing that I have done for years is get a B12 injection each week.

thanks for all the responses guys!

and i know it's a fact now. i'm living with MS. period. most of the time i'm ok, but i guess it's just a bad couple of weeks.

as for when i take my shot, i do take it when i know i have no plans the next day after work. that way, i can work and go home and rest. the first three needles gave me flu symptoms and kept me up at night. now, i've moved on to really had headaches, but i'm hoping those go away like the flu symptoms.

again, thanks! i'll stop feeling sorry for myself! but, work + MS + wedding planning = STRESS!

the more stress in my life the harder it is to deal with my m.s.
i have melt downs emotionally now from time to time. i never used to do that. i was too tuff LOL. now i need to sometimes just allow myself to breakdown, to cry, to yell, whatever. then i pick myself up and get on with living life the best that i can.
when my life is not stressed and all i have to do is raise my kids, it's alot easier for me to deal with my m.s. because i can take better care of my symptoms,(my kids are very understanding).
everything is easier when i give myself permission to take care of myself

I vote for trying LDN. My nuero had me stop to try another oral med being studied, but ask about it, and see if there is a study you may be able to try. There ar many oral meds being studied. Sis

What are you taking? I am on Copaxone and feel fine. You have to do it daily, but it sure beats being sick all of the time. No side-effects...GREAT!!!

first stress and the job and ms don't go together...stress makes ms worse...should look into yoga classes to combat the stress...never feel sorry for yoruself as you are NOT alone...DS is a great place for support and venting....ask away....this is what we are all here for...to help and understand and provide the "imaginerary" internet shoulder to cry on. : )

I'm assuming you are taking Avonex..??..I used to use Avonex too, then Tysabri, and now, Copaxone. I dreaded the Avonex hangover. The only thing that seemed to lessen it was to drink TONS of water hours before my shot.

As far as "dealing" with all of this..I'm only a year and a half into my dx, and I'm still freaking out from time to time.

This place is usually a good place to find support. You'll find most people have been down the same road, so its nice to know you're not alone.

Hang in there.

Take care,
Ang

Sometimes it really sucks to have to deal with MS, especially during and exacerbation when it slaps you upside the head. I try to give it all to God, which is hard to do. I do try to look at the positve and sometimes I just cry or scream! We are all going to have different ways we deal with it, you will find the best way for you. If the shot side effects are causing problems you might want to talk to your doc about swithching. I was on Avonex for a year and hated it!! I went a few years without any MS medicine. About 2 years ago I started the Copaxone, no side effects and it is really helping me, I mean I get tired of a shot everyday but you do what you gotta do. My family tries to make me laugh or make light of something I'm going through, like for example, my daughter took me to the MS doc today and she knew how nervous I was about the test results. We walked out in hall where my MRI films were hanging up and she looked at me and she said okay Mom, she pointed to one picture and said this is your brain and pointed to another and said this is your brain on MS! She had the docs and nurses laughing their butts off! And me too, of course. It's not always easy, but there is always someone that has it worse than you do. If you ever want to talk or vent, I'm here. God BLess Kel

You can vent any time you need to do so. We all have to do that and if you are as lucky as I am with having a family that cares and helps, it is easier to deal with stuff everyday. I am now on Tysabri, really scary stuff but all else failed for me. We can hope that this med will slow the disease now but if not.... I will keep on trying to live as best I can.
If you can still work, even going in late, do so. It can help you feel more 'human'. I cannot work any longer and there are days that I think..hummmm .. can I do anything?? So go with what you can do and try to not concentrate on what you cannot do or how hard it is to do all those shots and feel like crap for 2 days. Enjoy the other 5 days as much as you can and try to laugh more. That works wonders !!

When I was on Avonex I took my shot on Friday night so I felt semi good on Monday, and semi is a stretch. Then I realized my husband and I had no quality time anymore, I became severely depressed, etc. After 6 mon. I was off the Avonex.

IT IS OK TO VENT YOUR FEELINGS ,YOU WILL COME TO HAVE SOME GOOD DAYS AND THEN SOME BAD ONES,IT IS ALL IN THE WORLD OF MS (smile)YOU HAVE PEOPLE HERE THAT KNOWS WHAT YOU ARE FEELING,JUST REACH OUT TO THEM (smile)

The secret for me is this: I can only live one day at a time. So, so far I have woken up and thats a blessing. The day is whatever I make it-its really all a matter of how you view it, can't change the past, future is tomorrow, I will deal with it when i wake up-I know it sounds corny but its the only thing i found that works for me