Why It’s Important to Promptly Address Changes in MS Symptoms

Tingling fluttered down my spine and into my butt.Ā
āWhat on earth was that?ā I thought.
I bent my head forward again, andĀ the same thing happened.Ā
āOK, thatās weird.ā
I sat on our spare bed, confused. I was sure Iād experienced this before, years ago.Ā
āIs this a relapse?ā The question buzzed in my mind.Ā
Those of us with multiple sclerosis may often wonder this. Any new, strange feeling, and we automatically think, āOh no!āĀ
Iāll admit that I was a little scared to call my nurse. I didnāt want her to say, āYes, youāre having a relapse.ā Iād felt so exhausted lately, and it was beginning to drive me crazy. āThe cold weather is the likely culprit,ā I kept telling myself.Ā
Seven days passed, and I didn’t take any action. Desperate for a distraction, I threw myself into work. One morning, I casually mentioned to my husband that this weird symptom was still happening intermittently. He passed me my phone and said, āCall your MS nurse, just in case.ā
āIāll do it later,ā I said, still scared my nurse would tell me it was a relapse and Iād need to start injections again. I could not begin injections again. There was no way. Iām not strong enough to go through that again.Ā
āJess, stop putting this off and call her. Youāre creating a story in your mind thatās not true, and itās affecting you. I can tell,ā he said. I hate it when heās right.Ā
I called my MS nurse. Expecting the usual answering machine, I was surprised when she picked up straight away.
After explaining everything that had happened, we concluded it wasnāt a relapse. I took the deepest breath. I was so relieved. It’s a symptom I’d experienced before, it’s intermittent, and everything pointed to it being a one-off instead of a relapse. My nurse thanked me for letting her know and said these things always need to be reported to have a clear idea about how to respond in the future.
Always call your MS nurse if something changes.Ā
So often we tell ourselves stories that arenāt true. It leaves us questioning everything. We may spend days, weeks, or even years going around in the same circles, not sorting out the problem until we have no choice. We stop ourselves from moving on by not dealing with the problem in front of us.
Today, itās your mission to be brave. Reply to the message that made you feel uneasy. Have that awkward conversation you know you need to have. Call your nurse. Do whatever you need to do. Stop putting it off and take a stand. Do it. Get it done and out of your head. Youāll feel lighter.
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Note: Multiple Sclerosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Multiple Sclerosis News Today or its parent company, BioNews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to multiple sclerosis.
Comments
Kathy Allen
The content os this article did not come thru?
Jessie Ace
Hi Kathy, I'm not quite sure what you mean. This was a real-life situation that happened a couple of weeks ago. I did not have a relapse - yay! :) hope you are well. #StayENabled ā Jess
SMCO
Excellent article ; thank you to the author.
Jessie Ace
Thanks so much, Simon :) hope you are well. #StayENabled - Jess