Active MSer? Introduce Yourself Here!

[Sparky10]

Welcome, Whitney! 3000 degrees - wow! It is very concentrated, right? And not aimed at you? Maybe a cooling vest would help. There are threads here about how to get them for free.

[Whitney]

Hi all! I'm Whitney and was diagnosed the end of January 2013 (and a happy new year to you too!), although my doc and I are pretty sure my first flare was in January 2012. I'm 45, have a quirky and somewhat sarcastic sense of humor, and live in Indianapolis. I started Gilenya April 2 and so far so good - no flares and no noticeable side effects.

I was SO glad to find ActiveMSers (thank you, Dave!). I'm still trying to wrap my head around the diagnosis and am so grateful to find a group of people who are active, vibrant and full of life, but also happen to have MS. You still deal with the same challenges, but don't let it define or defeat you. Guitar_grrrl, you are my hero!!

I love to ski with my DH (he's really good; I started up again in 2011 after a 30 year break), am a big reader, and am a lampworker (I work on a torch and make glass beads). The lampworking is my current challenge; my torch is oxy-propane and burns at 3000F. For someone who now has big problems with heat, I have some figuring out to do 'cause I am NOT giving it up!!

It's very nice to meet you all!

[Sparky10]

Welcome, Lisa! Good to see you here.

[Guitar_grrrl]

Guitar_grrrl Checking in...

Hi, all, I'm Lisa, aka Guitar_grrrl. I was diagnosed in 2009 after some 25+years of symptoms on and off.

I just got off from a 4 day whitewater kayaking trip down the Rogue River in OR. DH and I use a Tomcat Tandem inflatable kayak, and we're good in class III water. Class IV is just getting too big any more! We still do class IV in rafts.

I'm a self professed adrenaline junkie. I used to surf. I still ride my bike, kayak, practice Yoga (since age 12 - I'm 55, now ), hike, and travel.

I've been on Tysabri since Feb. 2010. Biggest nuisances are spasticity and powerful spasms, and fatigue. When my fatigue sets in in the afternoon, my cog fx goes to hell, as well.

I'm a singer/songwriter, but I no longer perform. I don't have stage fright, per se, but I do get a charge from my audience. Couple that with arm spasticity, and well, things misfire all over the place. So now, I just work on writing. Who knows? Maybe I'll sell a song one day! A girl can dream...

Looking forward to meeting you all.

[Daremoon]

I'm close, live in Windsor Heights, surrounded by Des Moines.

[Sparky10]

Welcome, Daremoon! Iowa? You live in Iowa?! Me too. Just west of Cedar Rapids. There is a live support group in CR. If you're near there I can give you their website. They meet once a month.

[Daremoon]

Live in Iowa.

Was diagnosed with MS end of June 2012.

Appreciate the site and forum. Trying to get back into being more active and all the resources and information from everyone is great.

[ActiveMSers]

Sharon, howdy from Dave! I grew up in Virginia so I'm all about the Appalachians! And yeah, the folks here have a pretty good 'tude.

[Sparky10]

Happy to meet you, Sharon, welcome!

[JourneyFree]

Hi, I'm Sharon and I received an official diagnosis February of this year. I've been dealing with MS since at least 2008. I'm located in the Appalachian mountains and I enjoy hiking and easy kayaking. I've got two dogs that keep me busy. I love the attitude around here!

[ActiveMSers]

Bree, you are not going crazy. Your initial post was in the Member's Only area. I copied and pasted most of it below and removed the other posting from that category. So great to meet you! Well, except for the circumstances (getting diagnosed and all).... The neuros at UNM are great--tell them I said hi. Dave

Just posting for the first time. I have been going the motions for MS testing since October 31. On January 30th, dr said he is ready to dx MS, as many other things I have tested for have all come back negative. So, really a process of elimination. I told the dr. I definitely wanted the spinal tap to try to better confirm. I go Thursday for spinal results and then to Albuquerque NM for a second opinion. I am female...age 47. My first symptom was likely 11 years ago, but never had it checked out.

As with another poster, my symptoms are not terrible, so I have felt that maybe I should not join a "group", but then why not? All information I can gather is knowledge and knowledge is power.

Lots of thoughts, questions, ideas, etc... go through your head I have found. This site has been a great resource. Thank you.

I hope to get on my bicycle some more and get more active, lose some extra weight I am carrying and get to battling. I have had quite the range of emotions, but I have found through my research that this is okay and normal. Staying positive is going to be key.

I know many ppl with MS. I think it is strange that I do. "They" say .. likely everyone will meet at least 1 person with MS in their lifetime. My grandfather had it, and I cared for a teenager years ago that had MS. I also worked with another and had 2 customers with it as well, back when I sold Avon. And lastly, my BFF in high school, her mother had it.

[Bree Solis]

New around here...

I don't see the post I tried doing yesterday, so I will try again.

Thanks for the information that everyone so willingly shares regarding their MS.

I am a 47 yr old female. I live in Las Cruces, NM and was just diagnosed January 30th, 2013, though I believe my symptoms began in 2001. Of course, I am just beginning my journey so therefore I have a "nice" range of emotions. Knowledge is power though, right?

I found a site - msfocus.org, they have a cooling program that folks may be interested in. The application process just opened on the 1st. These are free services...cooling vests, cooling hats, neckties, wristbands, etc... I know heat is a major factor for those with MS. Wanted to share that tidbit. It is a first-come/first-serve process.

Anyway, thanks for sharing and caring. I am happy to find this forum. I will be around...

Bree Solis

[Cvfactor]

Hi Dave, this is a great site. As far as the Copaxone, my doctor sent the prescription directly to the pharmacy and no autoinjector was included. So I called Shared Solutions to have them send me one, but in the meantime I am manually injecting.

It has been pretty painless and I think I will forgo the autoinjector altogether. Im just glad to start treatment at this point.

[ActiveMSers]

Nice to meet you, Mark. I recognize your handle. FYI, Copaxone might burn for the first month or two, but that sensation goes away. Welcome to ActiveMSers and the forum!

[Cvfactor]

Hi

Hi, Im Mark and I was diagnosed with MS in January. In 09 I was attacked with a disease called Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelits or ADEM which is very similar to MS but much more aggresive. About 30% of people with ADEM are eventually diagnosed with MS so it looks like I am one of these people.

When I was struck with ADEM I was completely paralized from them waist down but have since regained my mobility but have permanent disability (EDSS of 4). When I was dxed with MS I wasted no time getting on a DMD. I just started copaxane last week and Im hoping this puts a stop to my immune system attacking me.

Anyway, glad to join them forum and have enjoyed reading the different posts and blogs and look forward to reading more.