And it goes around and around and around -

Well, I have an MRI scheduled for Saturday morning, bright and early.

My neurologist was very kind and immediately got the ball rolling to get it scheduled, which I really appreciate considering the fact that he has only met me one time and he wasn't my diagnosing physician.

That being said, I am still hopeful that I am somehow very wrong and this is due to my pregnancy - but according to him, that usually happens because of weight gain and water retention, and neither of those things have really happened to me yet.

I am not gaining enough weight for my pregnancy.  I know I am very stressed out, and I am worried about what that might do to the baby.  I read that it can cause behavioral abnormalities and even possibly autism - it's just terrifying to think that even without smoking or drinking I could mess my kid up before they even get here.

Le sigh.  But a doppler is coming tomorrow in the mail, so when I get to bug my squishy and hear the heartbeat, I will try to upload a quick mp3 file!

I did a lot of reading today on what drugs might be viable during pregnancy.  I know Copaxone is, but I am not at all wanting something I have to inject if I don't absolutely have to.  I know Solumedrol is a viable treatment for relapses during pregnancy, but it makes me feel so damned lousy; my neurologist said that many pregnant women decide not to be treated if they have a relapse.  I don't know what that might mean, considering the last time I was treated during a relapse, my lesions still tripled in size, I had terrible issues with word finding, optic neuritis, dizziness, and L'Hermitte's Sign.

For kicks, I read about Acthar, as that seemed to do the trick last time, but read that it is known to be "Embryocidal."  WOW.  What a freakin' word.  Definitely not doing that one while I'm pregnant.

I will give another update if I get my doppler tomorrow, otherwise probably not until after my MRI on Saturday.  Keep your fingers crossed that I'm wrong and the MS is still sleeping!

MSloan

Lhermitte's Sign

Cool!  Being a scientist can make some of the more interesting parts of MS exciting, despite how disconcerting it can feel.

Today, I had my first experience with Lhermitte's sign, a shock-like sensation from the back of the neck through the extremities, brought on by a particular flex of the neck.  I had honestly been keeping my eyes out, or senses out rather, since I first read about it after my diagnosis.  I wasn't sure I would ever feel it, as many MS patients never do.  So it was surprising today to say the least!

I was at the infusion center for my last dose of Solumedrol.  The tapering drugs they gave me for this upcoming week are like a bad math problem, but at least they are packaged in such a way that is easy to understand for the most part.  But that's irrelevant to this post, back to the sign!

I was leaning forward to grab something on my iPad while at the infusion center, when I noticed that my legs became much more numb when I leaned my neck in.  Just bending forward didn't do it, it had to be both the back and the neck, like tucking my chin to my chest.  It isn't painful, at least not what I've got not, just strange to manipulate the dizziness I was feeling by moving my neck.  When I stand, if I tuck my neck downward, I feel nothing - I can only make it happen while I'm already sitting down.  I don't know what my last MRI report said, but this is usually indicative of a lesion in the cervical spinal region.  SO I must have one of those too, seeing as the nerves freak out when I move my neck - but still interesting nonetheless.

Have you ever had an interesting experience with a 'typical' ms symptom?  Did you know what it was the first time you felt it? 
- Margo