Hey i just thought id put a word out to say hello to everyone. Im a 32 year old photographer from wales who lives in london. I got diagnosed last thursday, in UCH, and am just recovering from an attack. All VERY new to me right now, loads of things I would like to know about and understand, ive done a fair old amount of research already but of course speaking to and getting to know other MS people would be really good, as I currently dont know anyone else with it!
yea the only stories i seem to get is “ahh yes my mothers friend has got that” or something like that!
Anyways, get in touch im friendy and am interested in getting involved with the society.
Hope you are o.k, sounds like you are coping. I was dx a month ago, so kinda in the same boat, mind u i suppose everyone on here is!! This site has really helped me over the last week…some really lovely people on here…Where in Wales u from…i’m currently in Cardiff!
Hello Rowan, A big warm welcome I’m sorry about your diagnosis Your name made me smile and remember a very good friend of mine from school. There is fantastic support on here (which I hope I can add to at some point). Sam x
Hello and Welcome Rowan to our jolly band. Unfortunately we all know someone who knows someone with ms, we hear it so many times. Ask any questions you like and somebody will be able to answer it for you. We are a friendly crowd of people who understand, no I really do mean understand what you are feeling. Remember life goes on with ms, don’t let it rule you, you rule it. So sorry for your dx and sending ((((I(HUGS)))))
Sorry to hear about the diagnosis. This is such a friendly forum with so many friendly people and helpful advice. I’ve learnt so much and realised that ms is not the end of a normal life, or as bad as I’d imagined.
Welcome to the gang! I was diagnosed last June and started treatment a month ago (Copaxone). If you’ve got any questions about anything, just ask - everyone is really helpful and friendly. I’ve had such good advice from this forum and you really feel like you’re not alone.
My husband was diagnosed february 2013 with having ms he had been seeing an opthalmologist for 13yrs with uveitis also autoimmune related he had mri scan back then but they did not pick up anything .He continued going hospital for many years with his eyes getting worse they were scratching their heads and could not understand why the steriods were not making eyes any better.In approx february2011 my husband was very ill was extremely tierd had alot of stomach pains and his eye sight took at turn for the worse he lost central vision in both eyes and got registered as partially sighted he lost lots of weight he is 6ft 4 inches and only weighted 9 stone.He went doctors they did tests blood mainly thyroid ect said they couldnt find anything wrong with him.The opthalmology dept sent him for mri he had not had one since 2000 they injected dye and found lesion on brain in febuary 2013 he was diagnosed with ms by neurologist.Waiting at present to see a specalist at another hospital and ms nurses. Its been a long time but at least we know now whats wrong with him,and we can find best treatment avalible. x jue
Hi Rowan And welcome to the club! A few things you need to do now that you are officially dx. You must inform the Dvla if you drive. They will contact your neuro and probably issue you with a 3 year licence. It takes a while to process but its a very straight forward thing, just a matter of a phone call or filling in the form yourself. Secondly if you have a mortgage and have critical illness cover then it is a payable condition. Again just phone your insurers who will take it from there. It certainly makes life easier if you don’t have to worry about the mortgage. Also, I didn’t tell people about my dx and its up to you who you tell, but a few trusted friends who can help out no questions asked is really helpful. Finally, be kind to yourself! Take your time to get to know your ms. It’s a very personal desease and no two people are affected in the same way, some of us show no outward signs of illness at all. Best of luck with it all, Chis
Sorry, and welcome. It’s not a very exclusive club I’m afraid
It’s my 4th anniversary this month of my diagnosis and I just want to reassure you that things will probably settle down and you will find a ‘new normal’. I didn’t believe that at first when I was getting over a nasty relapse but looking back I wish I had found this forum at that time. The best people who understand are the people who live with MS. Eventually I joined my local MS branch and found that talking to people who had been in the same situation was the most cathartic process ever. Up to that point I had been Mrs Angry!
Don’t listen to everyone who ‘knows someone with MS’. Lots of them will tell you worst case scenarios - I don’t know why they do that to someone who is scared and confused and new to all this, they think they are being helpful but they are not. Just ignore all of it. Every person’s MS is different, it is your MS and it will not be the same as anyone else’s, there will be similarities and differences, of course, but it will be as unique as you are.
I was relapse free from October 2009 until this week and I have been fairly well in all that time. I still work 30 hours pw in the day and work from home p/t in the evenings at a typing job which is ad hoc and my second employer has MS himself so is very understanding if it doesn’t get done very quickly! Sometimes I just need to sleep and he understands that. As he says at least we will not die of heart attacks as we cannot rush around enough for that !!
Life goes on, make adjustments when you need to, be kind to yourself, rest when you need to, listen to your body and let others help when they want to.
I’m sorry about your diagnosis 
Your name made me smile and remember a very good friend of mine from school. There is fantastic support on here (which I hope I can add to at some point). Sam x