girlsayearapart, riven, and anyone else with MS. come and give me a kick up the bum

[hatwoman]

After several years symptom free I've developed horrible pins and needles, numbess and just general all round weirdness over the last week.

my hands feel as is if they're stiff - but they're not. my torso and legs feel as if they are wrapped up in something really tight. my back feels numb and wet. and I've got p & n everwhere

and I'm sitting on the computer not doing any work and feeling sorry for myself. none of the above are a big deal. if someone could say to me that I was going to feel like this forever I'd be a bit pissed off but i'd get over it and on with life. but they can't and, if the truth be known, I'm scared. just like I was 10 years ago when I was diagnosed. and I'm lonely. I don't want to scare dh so am erring on the side of playing it down.

what really annoys me - is that I'm fitter than ever. ran the marathon last April, been running 3-4 times a week ever since. am training for an awesome 22 mile fell race. ran 14 miles a week ago ffs. and now i feel like it's all going tits up. like I won't be able to do the race. and I'll have to think of what to say to my friend that I'm doing it with.(I hate telling people I have ms).

to coin a phrase of dh's: arsebuckets.

ok I feel a bit better having put that down. but any friendly pats on the back followed be kicks up the bum would be gratefully received.

hope you are doing ok - I know, in the scheme of things I have v. little indeed to whinge about.

hatwoman, don't think I can help but this will bump for you.

(are you sure you haven't just overdone the training?) - probably a stupid question as I know nothing about either MS or Marathons.

Good luck.

sorry you're feeling rubbish - but don't bury your head in the sand - get onto your MS nurse and see what they say - if you are having a relapse and they want to give you steroids then the earlier it is done the better. The MS nurse may be able to give you some other advice to ease your symptoms

hi Hat.

Sorry you're feeling crap. agree you need to take it easy for a while. try not to get too hot/stressed/tired.

I doubt they would give you steroids but a call to ms nurse is worth a go.

(very happy to have an MN 'shout out' btw )

am available if you need and can give you my e mail if you want it?

on the plus side we could start a 'frustrated runners thread'

also hate telling people i have ms.

oh forgot. pat pat kick kick

Oh, I really feel for you. I found the funny feelings in my body one of the hardest things to cope with. I also had pins and needles and a band round my middle (quite common, called the "MS hug" ) and a feeling in my legs and skin that i can only describe as like toothache in my skin (you have to get a bit surreal to describe these feelings, i think)

It does sound like you're in a relapse. You need support to take it easier for a bit so please consider telling your partner and perhaps think of some time off work and call in all favours owed in terms of the kids being collected from school/playing at others houses after school/going to rellies overnightetc

on the plus side
-you are inherently fit
-rest can help you recover quicker
-relaxation excercises can help relieve these symptoms...try some deep breathing excercises?
-medication like Gabapentin can help these funny pains/pins and needles(has a mega list of poss side effects but i had no problems adapting to it after a few days tiredness)
-sensory symptoms are usually associated with a relatively good prognosis in MS

are you on any relapse prevention medication?If not it would be worth at least discussing these with a specialist nurse or consultant...if you haven't got one( i didn't have one until many years after diagnosis...they didn't even keep you on the clinic books way back then [i was diagnosed in 92])it's probably worth getting your gp to refer you, treatments have come on in leaps and bounds over the last decade

have you been on the ms society website for up to date info...they also have a chat board and links to other forums like joolys joint...have lurked but never been active on them

hth

oh, i forgothave a big it's a known antidote to the MS one {wink]

thanks both. I'm seeing gp tomorrow (hopefully - have to call at 8 am). i moved a year ago so am no longer under a consultant or nurse. I'm not feelng well enough to drive, which is starting to annoy me. and feeling really quite numb all over - walking is weird - i feel all floaty. I knnnow what you mean about describing symptoms pollywollydoodle - it all sounds so ridiculous that I start to wonder if I'd believe me if I heard myself iyswim. bloody disease.

I know hat it is a ridiculous disease!

and very annoying when it stops you from doing what you want. my last relapse was enough to stop me driving (even fell over whilst running) but the eyesight wasn't bad enough to qualify for steroids..

let us know how you get on. which hospital are you under?

hi again. saw the gp and I've got an appointment at the hospital - sheffield hallamshire - in 2 weeks. not sure they'll say much but best to be in the system again.

girls - do you run with these sorts of symtoms? I went the other day and it was quite unpleasant when I started but I kind of got used to it. I've been feeling a bit worse since but no idea if its connected or not. I'm in 2 minds. part of me doesn't want to "give in" - and i'll be gutted if this carries on so as to make my march race un-do-able. part of me thinks I should rest. another part of me suspets rest does nothing more than make me psychologically feel ill.

can't omment on running but i used to go mountain climbing when i developed ms...after a while ( unlike you i had regular relapses)i developed symptoms of relapse after climbing/long walks (sensory like you, but foot drop and visual probs as well) after a weekend i found i recovered more quickly if i did rest (i had to do less because of the footdrop symptoms) properly rather than trying to do lots of things around the house/at work...it then didn't develop into a proper relapse, more an early warning of one

i think you have to decide what symptoms you are prepared to tolerate in order to do what you really enjoy (so i used to book time off to rest before and after climbing and cut down to 1 climb a weekend)and still manage what you have to do eg with work/kids/dp

i also think you have to think about what is safe for you and others...i stopped mountain climbing when my symptoms in my feet meant i wasn't (couldn't feel the ground properly/adjust my foot position properly)

btw i'm not suggesting that this will be your ms pattern...i have had different symptoms/relapse pattern to you...just using my illness to help me think about it

good luck at your appt

Good luck with the doc hat.

At the mo I'm banned from running cos of the bleeding I had in this pregnancy.

But, if I feel ok I do run as it is generally my right hand that is affected. I did fall over when I had optic neuritis recently as misjudged kerb and had to admit defeat for a while.

Just take it easier than normal & listen to your body (sorry sound like an American)

ps where were those fantastic pics on your profile taken?

kinder downfall - a waterfall coming down off kinder scout near edale. amazing isn't it? dh climbed it. I wouldn't fancy the climbing but was hugely of him walking there. the race I want to do in March is near there.

on the 3rd pic you can just about make out a climber, at the bottom r of the pic (bottom r if it were the rignt way up iyswim)

no advice just some sympathy

this all sucks big time dude

take care of yourself

would never have guessed it was in this country! I love it around edale but have never been in the winter....v fond memories of the cheshire cheese