What a whirlwind day I've had - feel a bit blown away :-(

New diagnosis and before diagnosis
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I just want to put my feelings in writing more than anything else(but any advice/comments are much appreciated as i am still very new to all of this) - good therapy I think.

I was dx on 22 August 2012 (a day will NEVER forget) and i apparently have had MS since year 2000. Over the last couple of years things took a downturn hence the diagnosis - won’t bore you with the details).

Anyway, the last couple of weeks have been bad for me - for once in my life, when people have asked are you ok, I have actually said ‘you know what, NO’. Went to see my MS nurse today for a routine appointment and told her what had been happening over the last couple weeks - fall at work through tripping over nothing, numbness in left arm and leg, not being able to do ‘starjumps’ at my martial arts training cos I couldn’t literally pick my feet off the floor, an overwhelming need to wee (not able to ‘hold on’ for a bit like normal) and th most HORRENDOUS back spasm on Sunday which left me ringing for emergency GP and being given diazapam (mopping a floor and obviously took it too far after feeling an initial ‘twinge’ - I’m still learning when to stop lol)

After explaining all of this, I was told to rest immediately and within four hours I have a prescription for pregablin and an urgent appoint with neuro at his ‘private’ (unoffcial) clinic on Sunday at 8.30am as she fears I am teetering on the edge of another relapse. I am really still new to all this so it’s been somewhat overwhelming :frowning:

I love my martial arts training and am due to take my blackbelt test in December, and am worried that I won’t be able to do it, even though they know all about my dx and have adapted my training :frowning:

I am also pi**ed off that I cannot do things like I used to like doing my ironing in one go with feeling like cr@p for the next week :frowning:

Just totally in a bad place. Anyway, the good thing is that my 7 year son is entering his first mrtial arts competition tomorrow so I will hopefully be a proud mummy :slight_smile:

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Hi Amanda,

Its good to get your thoughts/feelings out in the open. Your diagnosis is pretty new so you will have very mixed emotions at the moment.

If you are in relapse then take it easy and don’t push yourself too far. Be kind to yourself and listen to what your body is telling you.

Teresa.x

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Learning to ask for help (and not trying to be too brave!) is one of the big hurdles that we have to overcome. It is worth it though - because with the right meds and support we can keep going with things like martial arts. It doesn’t make it easy, but it sure as hell helps!

(The following advice comes from a fellow martial artist, who happened to get her black belt only a few weeks after a four month relapse.)

I know your black belt is approaching, but if you don’t know it now, then you aren’t ready anyway so TAKE SOME TIME OFF! Pushing yourself to keep training right now is only going to be counterproductive. Have a break and then take it easy when you go back - cut back the training to only the absolute essentials and do not push it, take lots of breaks. Hopefully this will mean that you are able to build your fitness back up sufficiently to do your grading, but also remember that you don’t need to get 100%, you just need to pass. And even if you aren’t ready when the date comes, you can still go for the next one.

Karen x