Classed as relapse?

I know to be classed as a relapse symptoms have to be at least 30 days later. But is that 30 since the last relapse started or ended?

i would say ā€˜ended’, seeing as relapses can exceed over 30 days in duration

I don’t necessarily see that it’s as clear cut as 30 days since beginning or end. How do we ever know that a relapse has ended? And if you have symptom one beginning a relapse on 1st January say, and that relapse continues into mid February, couldn’t you actually start a new relapse with a completely different symptom at some time during February and call that a separate relapse? Especially if for example relapse one was characterised by affecting motor functions, say your left leg or both legs, and relapse two was optic neuritis. I would have thought that inflammation of myelin was occurring in two separate places and at two separate times irrespective of there being a certain length of time between symptom one and symptom two.

Clearly I’m no scientist or doctor, but I can’t see these two separate events as being part of the same relapse.

Put me right (please!) if I’ve got it totally wrong.

Sue

Hi, I think Sue is correct. I had my first relapse on 1/1/2015 then Feb 2016 I had a visual problem that I’ve been told is optic neuritis. I am I hope remitting still from first relapse, walking/standing has improved greatly & the M.S nurse said the optic problem is another relapse. I am hoping the Tecfidera will stop me having another, fingers crossed! Helly.

I had to reread sues response a few times to take it in haha

Thank you for your replies. I think I may have had a relapse lasting 3 days. I feel brill today :slight_smile:

Sorry, sometimes I tie myself up in knots trying to organise what I’m thinking into plain language.

I hope you carry on feeling brill.

Sue

No need to apologise! I know how difficult it is.

Ive had a busy day and been left exhausted so I fell asleep just after 9. The joys hey

Clinicians do use 30 days as a minimum period between relapses but just to simplify things. I think what Sue wrote is essentially correct but since, as Sue wrote, ā€œHow do we know when a relapse has ended?ā€ So they designated a time limit that seems to be true. I’m no medic either!

When i was dx i had optic neuritis then when that subsided (less than 30 days) I had major probs with my right arm…that was classed as another relapse …hence 2 relapses…MRI and dx…all within 3 weeks of each other! Such Joy!! :slight_smile:

So from what I understand is…its roughly around 30 days but can happen before or after that. I do find it strange that it has a time on it. Like the MS is saying ā€˜oh it’s been 30 days, time to make our poor person suffer again’ hahaha the bugger!!

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