Question by Larisa The Loyal: How is life after a Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis?
I will find out tomorrow for sure if I have MS. Or not, and I was just wondering from anyone who has experienced this is life better or worse after a diagnosis. How did it make you feel? Happy, shocked, relieved, or in denial?
Best answer:
Answer by SciFi
Larisa,
I was diagnosed with MS in February 2001.
I felt happy that they were able to figure out what was wrong. Some people may go years without a definite diagnosis. I was a little shocked because outside of the MS, I’m never sick. I was relieved because I wasn’t about to be passed around to different doctors while they kept telling me they didn’t know what was wrong. I don’t recall denial showing up, I mean I’m sick, it happens. I didn’t sit there and just stay upset, I went to the internet and started learning everything I could possibly learn about MS, current treatments, trials of newer medications. I also started to communicate with other MS patients, to hear about their experiences, their symptoms, how they manage their MS.
Multiple Sclerosis is NOT fatal. It will not kill you. Life does not end, it continues. It might now be the life we thought that we were going to have, but it’s life, that happens sometimes. The big thing to remember is that you may find it difficult to something you normally do everyday, but what you need to do, is not not let this discourage you. What you need to do is to learn to do it in another way. You may have to learn how to accomplish some tasks in a different way, but you will get used to it.
MS is 100% different for every patient, so you’ll find many patients may have experienced a similar symptom that you have but chances are, the rest of their symptoms are different.
It’s also important that you get involved with a support group for MS. If you find any in your local area that are in person, that is good, however make sure you check out the internet for support groups too. You’ll be able to ask these patients so many questions about MS and get some really good answers too.
There is no known cause for Multiple Sclerosis. There is no cure. Please be careful that there are no quick fixes for MS, and be aware that there are people on the internet that are looking to prey on people with diseases and their goal is only to take your money. ALWAYS check with your doctor about some new treatment/drug.
Good Luck to you.
God Bless.
Ian
Give your answer to this question below!
At first I was shocked, mainly because MS or anything serious for that matter had not been mentioned until the second I got my diagnosis, so I was completely blindsided.
I spent a few days feeling quite numb, getting my head round my diagnosis and reading as much as I could find about MS, and then life went on more or less as usual. I never went into the whole denial, anger or depression, although I tend to have a good self-pitying cry about once a year, after which I immediately feel much better.
Today, more than 7 years later, my life is pretty much the same as before my diagnosis, except that I have to plan my activities a bit more.
I know of many with MS who had problems for a long time before finally getting their diagnosis and for them it was a relief, and their quality of life became better because they were confirmed that it “wasn’t just in their head” and that they were not hypochondriacs. Also, with a diagnosis, you can start to be proactive about treatment or going about modifying your life and daily routines to suit you better. Some from this group also used the diagnosis to change their lives, divorcing abusive husbands, quitting unfulfilling jobs to set up their own business etc.
On the other hand, some do fall into a pit of despair. I know of a girl, who right after getting her diagnosis, quit her education, part time job, apartment, moved back to her parents’ place and applied for disability – and all because of a “drop-foot” that has lasted just a few weeks.
So while there is the standard 5-stages of processing a diagnosis (you should be able to look it online), I believe everyone reacts differently. What probably should be avoided is to make huge, life-changing decisions right after the diagnosis, because although you think you’re thinking clearly and being rational, then you might actually not be.
All the best to you.
Sad at first. The hardest part is that nobody can tell you how exactly the disease will progress. let m tell you though, I was diagnosed 13 years a go at age 22. I am now married with two beautiful kids and doing just fine. I do live life at a slower pace than I might have otherwise, but MS did not stop me form finishing college, starting a career, and having a wonderful family. All is as good as I ever could have hoped for.
im 15 so … when i got told i was shocked and scared but when i looked it up i realized if i went everyday upset about it i wouldnt live my life its something iv got for life just when ya get told if u have got it look it up read stuff so u know wat to expect u can live a normal life with ms but u will have a mixture of feeling thats to be expected it helps if u got support hope all goes well good luckx