in november 2001 i had a dizzy spell while at work.after about 5 minutes rest i was able to continue my work.after a day or 2 i noticed that my eye sight was not quite right.when this happened i was 53 years old and i am now aged 60.i am a male 187 cms tall and weight 110 kilos.
after many visits to doctors and 2 weeks in hospital where many tests done including mri and eye tests,spinal needle and electrical stimulation my neurosurgeon said i probably had ms.mri showed numerous white lesions in brain,loss of sight in both eyes(2/3 in right eye and 1/3 in left eye for periphial vision),spine ok no trace of ms.this of course was a shock to me and very sad news as i had been healthy up till then.
in the last 4 years i have been diagnosed as a gout sufferer which i am trying treatment for with some complications.
i am unemployed and live by myself in a small villa and have little human contact.
my family relations live about 40 minutes drive away who i visit twice a month.
i have not had another ms attack in over 7 years.does this mean i am clear of ms as the neurosurgeon said some people only have 1 attack.or could another attack hit me in 10 or 15 years this is my worry and source of depressive thoughts.
i try to stay positive about things but it sure is not easy.
any comments from people would be appreciated.
regards arthur
Hi Arthur,
The unknowns are so very frustrating and sometimes depressing. Some people have one isolated attack and do not go on to develop MS - this is called Clinically Isolated Syndrome. Then just as your neurosurgeon said, some people who have developed MS, as determined by MRI and other tests, may have one attack and then no others....ever. Then there are people who have Primary Progressive MS who do not have attacks but a slow progression of disability.
It is possible that you could experience another MS exacerbation down the line, but it is also possible that you may not. MS is very much unpredictable and that it why we can't focus on what 'might' happen. Of course, I know that is easier to say than to do.
You've made an excellent choice to reach out and talk to folks who know exactly what you are going through. This community is great for that with supportive individuals.
Now, I'm curious about the diagnosis of Gout. From what I've read, people who have MS almost never have gout and people with gout almost never have MS. Here is a published study which discussed Uric Acid....and Multiple Sclerosis and that was the researchers conclusion. Gout and MS are almost mutually exclusive.
That would be something interesting to discuss with your physicians. Here is some information I found on our site regarding Gout and its Treatments.
Please let us know your doing.
I was diagnosed with MS in 1999 and so far it has been somewhat moderate. Two years ago I was diagnosed with gout according to a blood test. I have swelling and redness in my finger joints and very painful at times. Occasional pain in my knee, elbows and shoulders. I also thought you couldn't get gout if you had MS. Am I just one of the rare fortunate ones or what?
Brenda