Hi, just over a week ago i went to see the doc as I had a fog over my left eye, I kept wanting to clean my lense on my glasses. Hubby thought I should get it checked so popped in on way to gym. I live in Gibraltar (hubby serving over there) ended up a and e eye place, opthomologist diagnosed Optical Neuritis. Next thing I know the Station medical Officer is arranging flights back to the UK as a few months back I had numbness in left arm and have been ridiculosly clumsy since arriving in GIB. Saw a consultant last mon who confirmed diagnosis. Had an MRI scan yesterday. Iget the results on monday. My husband and 8 year son have stayed in gib on my request, normality is good, right? I am staying wiht my parents! but feel a bit isolated and scared at the mo I realise after research that I am luckier than most and this is all happening a lot faster than is the norm! but the weekend is feeling very long! This is because Gib doesnt have a great secondary care system in place for military and spouses so I guess they need to know what going on. If it is MS can somebody tell me what is next? I am a runner and consider my self healthy! sorry for rambling but feel better already for getting it off my chest.
Hi Suz
I am sorry you are having these problems and that you have been given this diagnosis. You need to stay positive and keep stress at bay (hard to do I know).
It is a difficult position to be but please know that you can rant on this site and noone will judge you or think you are mad. They are a great bunch of people here.
Paula xx
I am sorry you have these worries to deal with, and it must be particularly hard being away from your husband and son at a time when their presence could be such a comfort and source of strength. Or maybe you are a person who actually quite likes an opportunity to deal with things on her own first, before sharing with loved ones? I’m a bit like that myself. Either way, I hope you are not feeling too isolated. Parents love you dearly, and all that, but being in their company at a time when you have some very adult issues to deal with is not always the easiest! Do you have friends locally whom you can spend some time with over the weekend, have a bit of fun and blow the parental cobwebs away a bit? You have enough on your plate without having to deal with their worries full-on too.
You are right that getting the bottom of your problems quickly is a good thing, and I hope they do. But suddenness brings its own challenges, and going from a very fit person to facing potentially serious health issues is a heck of a blow. I am assuming here that the neurologist confirmed the optic neuritis dx, and is now trying to find out what’s behind it?
Whatever is causing your problems, I hope you get some answers soon. If MS has been mentioned as one of the possibles, and you want to find out a bit more about it, the main part of this MS Society site is a great source of reliable, clear information about treatments, symptom management etc, and it a really good place to start. And this forum is always here, of course, and there’s always someone who has at least an inkling of how things are for you.
Good luck with it all. I hope things go OK next week.
Alison
x
Hi, I’m so sorry to hear what you’re going through. It’s good that you are being investigated so quickly, many people wait years for diagnosis. There are many things that mimic ms. I hope you get some answers soon so that you can deal with whatever it is and get some treatment if necessary. I’m newly diagnosed and am also a runner. I was chuffed to bits to run for 6 miles this morning - in fact, I found out I’ve had ms for 10 years and during that time I’ve lead a perfectly normal and active life - so don’t write yourself off just yet. Rest well and take care of yourself, I’m sure you’ll be pounding the pavements again once you’re feeling stronger. Good luck Hx
Hi Suz, and welcome to the site 
I’m not sure what the next steps are in your particular situation, but assuming MS is confirmed, the norm in the UK is to be under the care of a neurologist (preferably an MS specialist) who you see once or teice a year and to be assigned an MS nurse who is our first port of call for advice in between times as needed. Disease modifying drugs (DMDs) are prescribed for people who have had at least two ‘clinically significant’ relapses in two years (basically they have to have been disabling/debilitating). It sounds like your attacks have been quite mild in which case you may not be eligible, but that’s something you can discuss with your neuro. After diagnosis, life basically goes on much as it did before except that you have to deal with relapses and symptoms as they appear. There are some brilliant meds these days so a relatively normal life is achievable for most MSers. For example, I was diagnosed in 1998, but was still doing ballet and doing martial arts 12 years later. I don’t do these any more (I now use a walking stick), but I had a pretty good run so I’m not bitter about having to find new things to do instead, after all, change is a normal part of life. (I do still go to the gym though :-)) One thing to hold onto through the next few weeks / months : MS is NOT the end of the world. Life may be different than you’d expected and it may be difficult at times, but it can still be GOOD; really good. It will be OK. Karen x
Thank you for lovely messages of support, it is hard being without my husband over here but I do have the advantage of being a bit selfish and just thinking about me until some kind of results monday. Was feeling a bit down earlier - just all happened a bit quick! But I am back to being me now, what ever happens it is not the end of the world and we will deal with it! For now just need to get thro weekend without throttling my very supportive but worried parents! x
suz,
I’m so sorry that you are in this situation but just wanted to say that I am a previous army wife myself the one thing you can count on is that if you do get an MS diagnosis you will get excellent support through the army system and SSAFA.
I don’t blame you for having some time out with your parents and keep your little one in normality and it will give you a bit of space to be able to be upset if you need to be which is hard for the kids to see I think personally.
So make sure you tap into those resources…there are lots of things like physio that is fairly rationed here…and I would expect the Army to be far more generous than the NHS in my own experience of healthcare though predominantly our time was in Germany.
Rest and try and enjoy being a “child” again… (letting your parents pamper you for a little while) and keep us posted.
All the very best Gillian x
Aw Suz, I sometimes think parents get the worst deal! So glad you are feeling better in yourself hun. Will keep my fingers crossed for you come Monday. Let us know how it goes, we are here to support you in good times and bad.
Mags xx
Hmmm…not sure how I am feeling tonight.Cross? Angry maybe? results tomorow so maybe the stress has all been for nothing! Does stress aggravate Neuritis? COs I am feeling bit dizzy as I cannot focus with my left eye! Could be a sleepless night! Still, no point dwelling, chins up, eh? On the plus side my mother in law arrives in Gib today for a visit which I have now got out of - drastic but effective I feel!
I hope everyone is feeling well tonight x (this is a fantastic site!) dont feel so alone!
Hi Suz,
You are most defo’ not on your own, bit of a sneaky way of avoiding mother in law as you say rather drastic, is she that bad?
Wishing you the very, very best of good luck for tomorrow.
Janet
x
hope everything has gone well today
did you get any answers?
xxx
hope everything has gone well today
did you get any answers?
xxx
hope everything has gone well today
did you get any answers?
xxx
How has it gone?
Pip
Hl i all so had the appt today and was good news of sorts. No MS just a little brain tumour! kind of a shock as you can imagine but they can and will operate, it is slow growing so no rush, see a neurologist specialist in about 4 weeks and hopefully they can operate in the new year. Am looking on the positive side, they caught it early and can do something about it! Thank you all for your supprt over the weekend it has helped enormously, suz x
Oh Suz it’s hard to find the words to say to you.
I am so very sorry the news must have been a shock indeed.
Your positivity is a testament to the determination that you must have as a runner, and I am sure that it will be a great help that you are fit and have looked after your health.
I can only say that you are welcome to keep in touch by PM…I always think its a bit sad to just “lose” new friends as the diagnosis is not MS. We still have an understanding of what it is like to go through serious illness and recovery…and I am a great believer that you can offload when required…so please do that !
So, I will be thinking of you and sending you psoitive vibes,
Lots of love Gillian
Ooph! I bet that was difficult to hear 
Thank heavens it’s operable - I’m sure you’ll be back to normal in no time afterwards!
Karen x
Good Luck Suz - hope the operation goes well and that you recover quickly. Teresa xx
Good luck & wishing you a very speedy recovery from your op
Tracy xx