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Closer to the Word

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By tnewbill

2 min read

I was diagnosed in 2016 but had symptoms in 2015. I thought I was just gaining weight and needed to exercise more. My left leg kept going numb. Finally, the whole left side of my body went numb. I could feel the tingling with my right hand. Two weeks later both hands went numb. I'm talking sleep numb. It stayed that way for 2 years. Doctors pretty much figure out what it was not. MRIs showed lesions on brain and then on spinal cord. Symptoms that I have were because of locations of the lesions. MS was the diagnosis. Therapy with injections started. While still working full time plus being a mom.

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My treatment experience

I was sick and exhausted all the time from side effects. After 3 different therapies later I now am on Aubagio. I control the chronic pain in my neck and hands with Gabapentin. I literally take 300 MG 3x daily. It took 3 years just to figure out that it has to build up in your system to even work. Eventually you get over the drowsiness bc you just don't want to feel any more pain.

I read God's Word daily

I take vitamins and I eat a plant-based diet. I have other meds for bladder and depression. I work part-time now. I read God's Word everyday. I pray that He keeps falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches; but give me only my daily bread. Proverbs 30:8

Learning to be my own advocate

I've learned that I have to be my own advocate. I've had to learn by asking my primary doctor, the pharmacists, the nurses, and my neurologist just to get answers. As well as the MS Society website. I am thankful that I am still walking and breathing. That is a whole other conversation about not looking sick. 🙄 MS is invisible for some and I learned that everyone is facing some kind of battle so be kind. Not that I have that problem but definitely don't ever want to judge a book by its cover. I look forward to being a part of this community. It's hard bc everyone's symptoms are different. Oh, and did I mention I am a 40 yr old African American woman. I was diagnosed when I was 36.

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