My story

My story isn't that great, but what the heck.

When my sister was diagnosed with MS I remember my whole family freaking out and getting worried. A few years later when I was diagnosed with it, it seemed like everyone was just ok with it, that kinda sucked.

I got my diagnosis in 2012, the same time as Jack Osbourne, 4 years ago this month, but I had the symptoms for 3 years prior to that. I actually remember the first symptom, numbness in both feet that I noticed after standing on a heater vent to warm them up. It lasted a couple weeks then went away so I didn't think too much about it. Next year about the same time the numbness came back and went up my legs almost to my hips, then disappeared after 3 weeks. The third year really sucked, the numbness covered everything below my armpits with a strip down each arm and all my fingertips. I told my family what was going on, there was no help there. After 5 weeks it was gone, then I got that nagging dull pain in my eye with color wash vision. Optic Neuritis. All shades of red looked pink through my right eye, a dull nagging pain all the time, and a sharp stabbing pain when I turned my eyes. (Interesting note, Coke bottles and cans look pretty cool in pink.)

After a doctor visit that was no help, an ophthalmologist visit that had 2 suspects and finally a neurologist visit with MRI it was confirmed, I had the funk. I never received any kind of steroids or treatment for the optic neuritis, just had to suffer through it until it went away on its own. Sunglasses helped a lot, as light caused more pain.

Since then I was on Copaxone every day for a year and that really didn't help me, I had 4 minor bouts with numbness and one major one, from the armpit down but only on the right side. MS and the drugs for it really do affect everyone different, Copaxone works great for my sister but not me. Then I got on Tecfidera and have only had one minor bout with numbness in the three years since.

I've been pretty much on my own as far as dealing with MS, my sister went with me to the neurologist the first time to ask some questions I didn't think of, but that's about it. Every now and then someone remembers that I have it, but I think that they believe that I use MS as an excuse for being lazy when I say I'm too tired to do anything other than work and sleep.

As far as symptoms I've been pretty lucky so far, just the unholy amount of fatigue and trouble remembering things. But as of 7 years ago, I don't care how cold my feet are, I wont stand on a heater vent ever again.