How Was I Diagnosed?

As people I work with find out I have MS, I am very often asked how I got diagnosed. I've been told that it really was very typical........My list of circumstances for diagnosis. I had three "episodes", the third is what lead to the MRI's/Neurologist/Diagnosis. In September of 2007, shortly after Labor Day, I woke up with an acute vision change. The only way to describe it was a distortion of my vision of only my right eye. At the time I was suffering with the typical fall hay fever I usually get, so at first I blew it off and by the time I realized it wasn't really going away it was the weekend and I had to work. So the following Tuesday, I called my Doc and described what was going on. She immediately made arrangements for me to see an Optho as I have been Diabetic for 11 years and as a naughty person had not gotten my eyes checked in 7 years. It's expensive and insurance doesn't cover eye exams and husband and daughter come first. So I went and she saw 2 retinal bleeds, decided to give it a week, constantly checking in with me to see if it had resolved. I went back and they had resolved but there was a new bleed and edema on my optic nerve..........Optic Neuritis and she ordered an MRI. And my several little active holes lit up. Next step Neurologist/MS specialty.........The Optho Doc would not commit to any possibilities as I layed them all out, after all I am a nurse and by then had done a fair amount of research. I had pretty much come to a conclusion after viewing my MRI and reading the report. Funny enough, my money was on MS. I would rather have that than a metastatic lesion! Saw the neurologist and he was pretty convinced it was MS after taking my history, but ordered another MRI to check my C-spine. Hind sight is always 20/20. In January of 2007, I had woken up with the classic MS symptom of bending your head forward with the electric shock feeling down both arms and numbness and tingling in my arms, especially my left. I saw my Doc at that time and I had a crunchy neck and we decided that it may be a little arthritis as she knows well my history of injury from horses. She put me on Naproxin, which seemed to work, but little did I know that it takes about a month for episodes to resolve on their own and that's how long I was on the Nap. I also had a weird bout of horizontal vertigo in November of 2006 lasting about a month and saw a Doc, thought it was viral. When I look back on the past, I've had balance issues for about 2-3 years at that time and was no longer able to pull myself up onto the horse without my trusty mounting bucket. I noticed the balance especially while riding horses. Couldn't figure it out, just thought I had lost my skills or I was light headed from working night shift or something. All the little ailments that encompass MS that you blow off as aging or for me Diabetic neuropathies and night shift work for a decade. So there it is..........With the diagnosing episode I also have had and still do have a stiff left side of my neck and a slight foot drop on the left. At the time I thought it was due to a full week at the county fair of walking and hauling a 35 pound saddle around. I've had small to moderate muscle spasms for a few years and thought that I drank too much Diet Coke and needed calcium supplements. So here I sit with what I deem as mild disability with a permanently stiff left neck and left foot. Periodic whole body stiffness, but only when not well rested. Little annoying muscle spasms 80% of the time at my estimation, forgetfulness, word fishing-often, sometimes inability to concentrate. Alot of things I had chalked up to Diabetes & Nocs even though for 10 years it has been very well controlled. My husband was initially very taken back with the Dx, but has adjusted well as I think I have. My first labs since the start of Avonex will be this week. So here's hopin' my liver is good. I think we'll pass as I haven't turned yellow and I haven't bruised any easier than I ever have. Thought I'd just share and compare.