MS, or multiple sclerosis, is a disease in which your own immune system starts to break down the communication between the central nervous system, the brain and the body. Stories from people who have been diagnosed with MS can help pinpoint some of the symptoms of the disease.
Features
Multiple sclerosis can occur at any age, but it is most common between the ages of 20 and 40. More women get MS than men. Symptoms of the disease come and go, making MS difficult to diagnose in the beginning.
Symptoms
Some of the symptoms appear to be numbness, pinched and tingly nerves, blurred vision, weakness, electric shock sensations, clumsiness and falling, dizziness, and the legs falling asleep.
Sarah's Story
In one story of MS symptomology, Sarah says, "My foot had fallen asleep (or so I thought), but it wouldn't wake up . . . the tingling moved up my leg. I finally went to my doctor and was surprised when she said it could be MS." Sarah's symptoms went away for a while and then came back; she was diagnosed with MS more than one year later.
Kira's Story
Kira, age 23, was in her first year of college and fell down the stairs after class when her left leg gave out. She was fine for a couple of years until she began to experience severe pain in her right eye. She was diagnosed with MS soon thereafter.
Jim's Story
In 1983, Jim's vision suddenly became very blurry, it lasted about five weeks. The blurred vision went away and he was symptom-free for a couple of years when his legs started getting wobbly. He was finally diagnosed with MS in 1988.
Tags: diagnosed with, blurred vision, couple years, went away