New member here, just saying hello after reading through many of the forum discussions. I was directed here after Googling around for tips/advice regarding MS and motivation; feeling particularly low on motivation today! Anyway, this looked like a (mostly) friendly place to seek/offer support.
My MS journey started in 2010, and I was finally diagnosed with RRMS in 2013. Since then, relapses fortunately have been few and far between, but with slow partial recoveries. Parasthesia and optic neuritis are probably my “main” physical symptoms, but it’s chronic insomnia and general lethargy that are the hardest to deal with daily.
Anyway, that’s more than I intended to write in an introductory post!
Welcome to the forum. You’ll find that we are generally a friendly community; offering and receiving understanding, information and help when needed.
Remission is a weird concept. It does sound when first diagnosed that you’ll have relapses and then total recovery. When what really occurs (to many of us), is that relapses cause damage that we get some remission from very quickly, but then a slow drawn out process of compensation plus achingly slow recovery. With of course, some symptoms that just never remit. Plus the never ending fatigue, cognitive problems and other invisible symptoms that loiter, like uninvited guests who just never go home.
with the name Doc, I feel sure you will be getting loads of questions. In my RRMS days I usually got back between 90 & 95% of my pre relapse state. Some remissions took longer than others. Good luck with developing your strategies, you should find some good info on this site.
Thank you for the kind welcome. But I now realise an error in my username…it’s the name I’ve used for years on the internet for various groups and forums, even gaming profiles, I didn’t even think about it, as I am a Doctor…but a Doctor of Engineering!!! Maybe not the smartest idea for a username joining a forum for a medical condition! So if anyone here needs advice on aircraft certification, I’m your man! I’m trying to change it, may have to leave and rejoin with a new username… What a great start…gotta laugh!
No, don’t change your name, some of us didn’t think you were a medical doctor. I thought you were either a rabbit disguised as an MSer, or someone with buck teeth having grown up with the name
We’ll get used to a non medical ‘doc’ on the forum!
Not an error at all I was in no way suggesting that you change you name, I understood that you might be a doctor of philosophy or philately or anything really, I just thought you might get some odd questions, which might be a blast.
I for one would be far more interested in aviation engineering rather than dull medical stuff.
A doctor of philately? Is it possible to get a doctorate in stamp collecting? Have you got one Mick? Or maybe your doctorate is in googling whatever nonsense anyone says? Obviously finding a suitable image to illustrate said nonsense.
hi doc you can see from the replies by Sue and Anthony that silliness is a vital tool. on the serious side (because i’m not silly all the time) i picked up on your insomnia. i have found Nytol a godsend. give it a try. carole x
Nytol is already on my list of tried and failed insomnia beaters. It doesn’t help that I’m a classic night owl. I’m pretty sure I’ve tried most things out there over the years, from various drugs, to sleep hygiene, and recently even a 9kg weighted blanket.
The best remedies for me seem to be Piriton (every night) and red wine (when I’m desperate for a decent sleep)!
Have you tried Zopiclone for your insomnia? I take it on and off all the time (you’re not meant to take it every night, so I probably take it about 3 or 4 nights a week).
I find it works for me.
Insomnia is horrible. Just laying in bed, trying not to read too much as that can make it harder to sleep. So total wakefulness coupled with discomfort is rubbish.
will have to do