Newly diagnosed - considering what is a symptom...

Hello, yesterday I had confirmation that I have MS RR. So I had never linked various symptoms until the Neurologist did… In fact in my head I blamed 2 pregnancies and spinal blocks. Now I’m thinking about other things or small aliments I have and wondering how do you tell the difference? For example - a random sharp pain in right shoulder blade? Sometimes my left leg completely gives way on stairs (I thought this was just because I’m still post baby huge ) a headache nearly every morning - previously put down to dehydration… I think the list is potentially endless…and is this because its natural to be newly diagnosed and newly a hypercondric?

I am overly pragmatic and absolutely fine… everyone else is worried about me (especially my poor dad). I’m 34 with a 6 month old baby, a 3 year old and I work 4 days a week in a senior management role. I’m bloody exhausted anyway!!!

No point to this thread… just needed to type and spill out some feelings.

L x

Dear L, I too am newly diagnosed and now align all of my symptoms to MS! I am certain that I am being ‘over sensitive’, but to stay in control, I write any symptoms down with dates. I will then let my neurologist decide which are MS led and which are not. Warmest kindness and very good luck on this new roller coaster. When you can, take plenty of rest x

I think there is point to it ! If your body is doing something Anoying you need to either know it’s a ms symptom and ‘manage it’. Or if it’s not find the cause so it can be delt with. It must be especially worrying having a leg giving way on the stairs when you have a 6month old to be moving from a to b. I am only a couple of months past Dignoses and not an expert on what I discribe as the ‘new me’. But what seems clear is that when I am really tired my symptoms are ‘more’.

A 6 month old and a three year old is exhausting for anyone, add in a responsible job, very exhausting, add in MS hope you are being kind to yourself. !! Really hope you are delegating the unnessessary to do yourself home tasks. I.e cleaning !

As you work 4 not 5 days I really hope you use day 5 to enjoy your littles & chill, not to do all the domestic stuff.

Hi, I have not had a diagnosis, but am also trying to work out whether certain things are normal or possible symptoms of something.

i also put every pain, wobble and all my exhaustion down to having a 9 month old and it being my post natal body which still is heavier than before pregnancy. Plus on the verge of stopping breastfeeding so guessing hormones are playing a big part too.

I am waiting for my appointment to come through with the neurologist after a referral from my dr, so I am just noting down anytime I am feeling anything and that way the neurologist can go through these ‘symptoms’ and link anything to them. I think it’s good to do that so that you can work out how to manage each thing

I hope you have some help and are able to rest up when you are not working. My symptoms seem to be worse when I have had a bad night or I have been rushing around at work all day.

Hi L I’m 33 and just been diagnosed a week ago and have 2 kids. One 2 year old who is disabled and one 9 month old. I’m scared to say the least. Got my second scan next week which I’m trying not to panic. Don’t really day this out loud as i. Trying to deal with it myself but my family and friends are happy to help since being diagnosed

I’m quite certain that along with a diagnosis of MS (or suspected MS) comes a degree of hypochondria. Anything and everything could be a symptom. Equally some things might not be. So it’s really hard to tell what’s a symptom and what’s not.

A relapse is the start of new symptom(s) which last at least 24 hours and have come at least a month since you last experienced that symptom.

Ongoing symptoms will be things that generally will have begun with a relapse and not completely remitted. So for example, my first relapse included numb feet. That symptom never completely remitted so I’ve not fully felt my feet since then. But you forget what it’s like to be without the symptoms as well, so it doesn’t feel like an ongoing symptom any more.

A relapse can take months to completely or partially remit. So often you’ll become so used to living with (e.g.) pins and needles that you’ll only notice they’ve stopped days or even weeks after they stopped tingling.

Then there are the things like fatigue, which is often an ongoing symptom whether or not you are relapsing. And of course, add this to having small children plus a job and you’ll have a job sorting out MS fatigue from the sheer exhaustion of life.

Have a look at What's causing my symptoms? | MS Trust Of course a list this long is going to worry the life out of you, but by no means would everyone suffer everything. And if you did, you’d be probably incapable of living a life. But at least if you get something new, you can at least look and see, could it be MS related?

And if all else fails, pop in here and ask whether anyone else has experienced X or Y.

Sue