I have been diagnosed with RRMS since Feb 07. But I am sure I have had it for over 5 years. The changes I have gone threw has been more numbness in back and hands. Double vision and problems with left leg. To tell you the truth I really am not sure they have gotten worse within the last year and half. I still work and have a great life. I have been on copaxone for over a year now.

I was diagnosed seven years ago, and I am still doing really well...in fact almost nobody knows that I even have MS. I have gone through a few relapses/symptoms honestly I cant' tell the difference.

My symptoms/relapses occur usually when I am stressed out, and I put effort into eating really healthy foods, staying positive and working out when I can (I'm really busy so often don't have the time).

It's different for everyone, but please don't worry too much...just take each day as it comes and try to stay positive...I find that most people in the world have 'some' problem or another...and we aren't as freakish as it feels when we first get diagnosed.

Hugs,

Kristin

I'm older then you are, I was told I might have MS 19 years before I was diagnosed when I had ON. The opthamologist told me this could be MS. Back then MRI & med's didn't exist. So I went on my merry way never thinking about it.

Then 19 years later I was actually diagnosed, with a severe episode that couldn't be ignore.

I look up somewhere what "severe MS attack" meant somewhere because the doc told me not to ignore it, it was a "severe" attack.

I found "severe" MS attack means 3 or more functional areas are affected. For me, balance, speaking, continence, right side of my body not working right.

I had read a mayo article recommending 5 years of observation be done after diagnosis before starting meds, so I didn't want to start meds 'til 5 years had elapsed. The doc & DMV convinced me to start sooner....

But I too was really interested in these first 5 years. I'm at 4 years now.

1st year- was terrible, the year from Hell.

2nd Year better thasn 1st not better than before MS diagnosis.

3rd Year - better than 2nd year, but terribly unconfident that it will stay better. Stable now.

4th year I start in a few months, I expect it to be a repeat of 3rd year with more trust that it will stay better and stable.

5th Year - I have asked long time MS people how their 5th year was. One person who has had this about 20 years said she remembered her 5th year as the best year. Another said it was the worst year she had??

I'll have to wait and see what it is like.

1st attack 1998
2nd attack 2005 (7 yrs)

Dx'd 2007 (9 yrs)

Permanent limp, but not severe.

Use a cane in some circumstances but not all---for balance, not the limp.

Some cognitive issues, not debilitating, comes and goes and is just a worry right now.

Work full-time, plan to continue.

Hope this helps, xaviermom :)

DX 7/31/2002, wow, 6 years ago

started LDN 4/17/2003

Doing?

AWESOME

All MRIs show no progression at all since on LDN

wow...great question...since the disease is more progressive in african americans i have been worried about alot of things...had my second relapse second year in row so looks like it's a summertime once a year thing with me *knock on wood*...how am i doing?...well b4 iv steroids i had substantial tremors, couldn't really talk also and vertigo, dizziness, you name it i had it....after iv steroids...cognitive function is still crap...fatigue is worse but still have tremors but much less forceful then they were b4....was on ldn for 7 months and still had a relapse so don't know if this really works...still on fence...you may want to read my previous journals to see what the doctor said about ldn...otherwise i just live with this mess until they find a cure! be blessed!