Hi All,

I have had what started as benign MS when I was at secondary school.  Now I am almost 37 and fair enough my life has changed eg I no longer work, I don't have much energy and theres always a niggling at the back of my mind when my leg happens to drag a bit more than the previous day, constant numbness and tingling in both my hands.(which is helpful when doing my injection. not)

I am lucky as far as MS treatment goes as I am on a beta interferon injection Avonex to be exact which I self inject weekly.

What helped me make the decision to go on the treatment?

My doctor whom is my fav doc now spoke to me as if I had been bad as he explained about his father suffering from MS etc This opportunity was not available for him as he was too old when the medicine became available.

This honesty from my doc was quite startling as what started off as benign MS had progressed into Relapsing-remitting MS and nothing is written in stone each MS case is as individual as personality.

I always thought my MS would remain as benign however 7 years after a catastrophic beginning to the MS I had another relapse....It effected my right arm during my 3rd year at university (I am right handed) which led to having to do my exams at the resits........ I had so much going on in my head etc so I never got the score needed to gain entry into 4th year at chosen University.

I was never a quitter so took it on the chin and applied to another university for 4th year......... this went well and I graduated with a 2nd class BSC.

After graduating I managed to get my dream job in a public aquarium which I retained for many years then I dislocated my right knee so was absent for many many weeks.  When I returned to work I noticed my left leg was dragging a little which led to my 2nd relapse this could have been down to going back to work so soon, recovery period for my dislocated knee etc..... During this time I was in a wheel chair...however I went to physio and managed to get back to using both my legs.

To cap the story off I had such dreams like every body but this is the card I've been delt and I say you can lie down and let the MS, depression etc win or you can carry on with your life as best you can.