What’s more important to you? Looking like you do or don’t have ms or feeling like you do?
Sorry anon, my brain must be on go slow. I don’t understand the question? 
I think mine has as well! What I’m trying to say us would you rather feel symptoms than look like you have ms? E.g Would you rather have tingling and numbness than be limping or using a stick or a wheelchair.
I’ve never given it much thought anon. Why do you ask?
I don’t really find tingling and numbness a big deal, so naturally I’d rather have those than need a wheelchair - but it’s nothing at all to do with how it looks! I just think physical disability is much harder to deal with than sensory symptoms, so if I was given a choice, naturally I’d take the sensory stuff. I must admit, I’d like to get rid of the pain, but if the pain fairy came along, and said: “I can get rid of it for you, but the price is, you’ll need a stick”, I’d probably say: “No deal”. Again, it’s not vanity. I’d rather be mobile, even if it hurts, than be told: “You won’t have pain any more, but you won’t be able to go out without a stick”.
Luckily, we’re never presented with that choice - and the reality is I’ll probably end up with pain AND the stick. But I care much more about what I can do than how it looks.
Tina
Well I limped, leg gave away and fractured coccyx and used a stick.
I no longer use a stick and leg is stronger. I have tinging and constant numbness in toes and tips of left hand fingers but I got use too and sometimes handy for picking things out of the oven.
Not everyone with MS ends up straight away in a wheelchair. I might get floored years down the line and left leg could packs up.
But for now I keep fighting taking my DMD and working on keeping everything working and watching sixpack shortcuts
I’m RRMS (Highly active) Diag 2008
So I rather have numbness as the rest I use to have I believe working on them you can fixed it, it might take a few years.
My leg can still get tired if I push it and goes like a rubber band but hey its a start.
Anon 2.0
I was diagnosed last year with primary progressive. I use a stick for gait/balance problems. I’ve had psoriatic arthritis since 2006…I always have some degree of pain. It bothered me big time using a stick at first…now I don’t care
Difficult call but I’ve a high pain threshold yes the pain gets me down but if I could have my muscles back and I could carry my children and chase them there would be no comparison My right side has had loss of sensation and sunburn since Christmas it’s really not pleasant but I can cope with it x
I think this thread just demonstrates how you cope with what you know!
My answer would be that I’d rather be in a wheelchair than in pain but hey ho - my luck I’ll probably get both!
Jane
Unless im having a relapse you wouldnt know i have ms it only shows during a relapse but saying that this is my second relapse ao who knows if ill recover fully again once i go into remission so both really i just want to ne a normal healthy person what ive done to deserve this disease i dont know
Unfortunately I suffer with both can I choose never?? Lol
Neither**
I think we would all rather not have any of it. I know I certainly didn’t plan or even thought about the choice. We are all so different, we all develop our own ways to cope or probably adapt to what is thrown our way. Yes I do have a noticeable disability now that I didn’t 12 months ago and have loads of symptoms no one can see. They all make me frustrated and at times really angry, because now every time leave the house I have to plan so much, that spur of the moment can’t just happen. I suppose I can’t answer your question, apologises for me rambling. Barney
I know exactly what Barney is saying and agree wholeheartedly.
I’m still able to spell ‘spontaneity’ but MS doesn’t allow me to be spontaneous anymore !!
Dom
[quote=“Anitra”]
I don’t really find tingling and numbness a big deal, so naturally I’d rather have those than need a wheelchair - but it’s nothing at all to do with how it looks! I just think physical disability is much harder to deal with than sensory symptoms, so if I was given a choice, naturally I’d take the sensory stuff. I must admit, I’d like to get rid of the pain, but if the pain fairy came along, and said: “I can get rid of it for you, but the price is, you’ll need a stick”, I’d probably say: “No deal”. Again, it’s not vanity. I’d rather be mobile, even if it hurts, than be told: “You won’t have pain any more, but you won’t be able to go out without a stick”.
Luckily, we’re never presented with that choice - and the reality is I’ll probably end up with pain AND the stick. But I care much more about what I can do than how it looks.
Tina
[/quote] Hi Tina, sensory disturbance is not the same as pain. ( perspective is key here). In the past when I was RR if I had a sensory type relapse lcore numbness or fingers, buzzing or tingling, I would only note and register it was maybe a minor relapse as opposed to more severe motor function one. It wasn’t a big issue and now all the ‘noise’ is a permanent feature, it’s not that important. But having had severe neuropathic pain unresponsive to meds since 2001 (13 years - so horrendous) AND since 2006 a wheelchair user, I would say the opposite. Severe pain blights your life, it sucks the joy out of it. It makes you depressed and hopeless. I can cope with physical disability - it’s relatively easy peasy compared to the level of pain I suffer from. Wheelchair, frames, stair lift etc etc all manageable but severe pain round the clock? No. One of my good MS friends is probably even more disabled than me but she says my MS is worse and I agree with her. So if you see that pesky pain fairy? Point her in my direction! Susi
That’s horrible Susi, that your in such chronic severe pain. Are there any fentanyl patches or something similar? what about syringe drivers? I hate to think, nothing can be done for you.
Take care xx