New here (but not new to MS!) and saying hello to all 👋

Welcome and introductions
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Hi everyone, my name is Mike and I am 43 years old from the UK.

I was diagnosed with RRMS in August 2012, so 10 years ago this August. Not an anniversary I will celebrate!

For the first 9 years since I was diagnosed, I have been relatively ok symptoms wise (albeit a bout of Optic Neuritis in 2014 that knocked me for six) and I was quite active going into the office 5 days a week (I work full time in IT) and keeping fit at the local gym.

2021 was a game changer for me as I started to experience neuropathy symptoms (pins and needles) in different parts of my body. An MRI showed further lesions, and therefore proving that my current DMT Aubagio wasn’t working for me.

My MS team suggested moving to a level 2 DMT and I chose Mavenclad. It was really difficult getting switched from Aubagio to my new DMT I am currently on. Between coming off Aubagio in June 2021 and constant chasing, I finally started Mavenclad in November 2021. During that 5 month gap with no DMT in my system it felt like my MS had a free for all.

I now have balance issues and use a walking stick to help, have neuropathy in hands, legs and feet and have intermittent periods where my vision is blurred. Since lockdown lifted I now work from home 4 days a week and go into the office 1 day a week.

So life now has change for me in this past year, where I am now based from home a lot, have a lot of persistent symptoms and am slightly impaired mobility wise. I find acceptance really tough, as it’s only the last year things have really hit me.

Sorry for the long post, but that’s my situation in a nutshell. I have joined the forum as I am at a point now that I would really love to reach out and connect with others who have MS too, as I find life a bit isolating at the moment.

Thanks all :slight_smile:

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Hi Mike it can be such a rollercoaster, one minute you are adapting and coping then there are game changers. It is not easy to work out the best approach. I really hope you can adapt to your new normal and that things are ok ish for you. All the best mick

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I think we underestimate how much people deteriorated because of staying at home. Only being diagnosed post retirement I found I deteriorated greatly in the first part of lockdown when those of us considered vulnerable were nearly under house arrest. Finding ways of doing things rather than mourning what you can’t. I firmly believe that embracing aids and using them as tools to allow you achieve what you want today.

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I do think it is a pity that we wait until the horse has bolted before shutting the stable door with a stronger DMD. In my own case, switching to Tysabri earlier might have spared me the disabling relapses that caused much of my permanent damage, when the Avonex was no longer strong enough. But them’s the rules and nothing to be done about it, alas. Well, I hope that things calm down for you now anyway.

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Hiya , my name is Mel , I also have RRMS , and have joined this online group to meet and chat with others that have M.S . It can indeed be quite isolating dealing with it . I really have to work on my inner strength to deal with it . It makes me sad when my body isn’t working properly… it’s just such hard work. I’m suffering a relapse atm , and it’s quite overwhelming.

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