My MS journey...

Just a small town girl,
Living in a crazy world,
Got on the MS train,
That's not going anywhere...

This is how it feels sometimes.

I was diagnosed in 2003, but had physical symptoms since 2002.  My diagnosis came while I was pregnant with my youngest son.  I did not start treatment until August that year.  This blog is about my journey with MS and its medications.  I have been through three so far, and I am going to start on number four here soon.

The first med I tried was Avonex, which isn't a bad drug.  It is a once a week, intramuscular injection.  For almost six years, I did just that.  In 2007, my legs started to be weird, weirder than normal.  I would get foot drop or drop foot for a week or more.  (There was much that happened from 2003 to 2005, but I will explain that later on.) Th numbness, tingling, and the weakness in 2007 jump started the WHOLE ordeal that I am in at the present time.

Top (my husband) was deployed to Iraq in 2007.  During that time, I was thinking maybe it is stress causing my symptoms like it did during the previous two deployments.  But then, my mother-in-law had some really scary health issues. Uterine cancer, which sucked and still does suck.  She made it through that. My MS symptoms worsened.

By November 2008, Top returned from a fifteen month long deployment.  I had issues walking even then.  In May 2009, my neurologist's PA switched my medication from Avonex to Copaxone.  I was fine with that the first month, but the stinging started to drive me a little bonkers.  I stayed on the Copaxone for a good six months.

We moved or PCS'ed to GA.  I ended up being paralyzed from the waist down in June 2009.  I was hospitalized for a month and a half.  My new neurologist put me on Rebif in December 2009.  I have been using Rebif since.  The struggle to walk has been a one step forward and then two steps backwards.  This entire ordeal, (I must add) was all due to an EVIL underlying infection that went untreated properly by the folks at a hospital in TN.  Urinary tract infection.  Ladies and Gentlemen with MS, please look out for the signs. If you are using the restroom more than normal, get to a doctor, have them do a culture, and prescribe the CORRECT antibiotic.  I cannot stress how important it is to get this small infection in the beginning.

After months of physical therapy and almost a year of Rebif, I am able to walk for short distances while holding on for dear life.  My legs still wear out easily.  I cook and do what I can with my children. Sometimes, I get weepy and depressed with the large dose of interferon three times a week.  Rebif has done wonders with me, but I have plateaued.  So, my neurologist, Top, and I are all in agreement to move on to the bigger guns to help get me out of this wheelchair.

Next up is Tysabri.  I know a couple of people have died during the trials.  They were also taking Avonex while getting the Tysabri.  Their immune systems could not handle being suppressed that far.  It was a double-whammy, you see.  I am well aware of the risks involved, but if it kicks my MS's a$$, then it is a risk I am more than willing to take.  I am keeping positive thoughts and positive energy around me as much as I can.  Being optimistic about changing meds is what will help make it work, along with prayer.

Here's a video of how my first doctor's opinion went. (Note-he was an ophthalmologist.)