Is this typical RRMS or a more progressed form?
| Q | I was diagnosed in June 2002. In January 2001, I had numbness in my arm. My doctor thought it was a pinched nerve and when it got better in couple of months, he seemed to be right. In January 2002 the numbness returned but this time in both arms, mainly in the hands but with motor control of the left hand being impaired also. By February, I also had numb patches on my chest, back, head and legs. After an MRI, I was diagnosed in June and given a large dose of prednisone to try and kick start a remission. After about a month the numbness went away except in the hands where there has been no improvement. Since late August I have been experiencing blurred vision, dizziness, loss of balance, fatigue and a general spaced out feeling. In a month I will be seeing the neurologist again and starting on Betaseron. I am wondering if this sounds like a typical RRMS or if it sounds like a more progressive form of the disease. I have never been told exactly what type of MS I have. I don´t want to go through the expense and side effects of the drug when it may not do any good. |
| A |
Your description sounds more like relapsing-remitting MS. We designate MS as progressive only when there has been gradual progression without any superimposed acute attacks. I am presuming that the symptoms that you describe since August are stable and not increasing. A lack of recovery from an attack doesn’t imply progressive disease. It does mean that persisting damage has occurred in an area that causes symptoms and hence your decision to start Betaseron, or one of the alternatives, makes sense. Dr. J. E. Paulseth |