Confused about MS diagnosis
I am going through the process of "being diagnosed" at the moment and all indications are that it is MS, but the whole process has sparked a question amoungst hundreds of other questions that I am unable to rationalise. Maybe someone can help me answer one question. Today I am not diagnosed, tomorrow I might be, what actually changes. I'm sorry if I sound flippant and I do because I don't understand the significance of being diagnosed. I have my third Neuro appointment to go over lumber puncture results and do evoked potentials in a few weeks, but I am getting a little confused and uptight as the label of being diagnosed seems to be a major milestone and I don't get it.
This site is a wonderful place for support and the empathy that is shown is wonderful. I am one of those "older" young people, but I keep being drawn back to shift.ms.
I was 'officially diagnosed' around 15 years ago (I'm now 38). After the initial shock, soul searching, convinced that that would be the end of me............I can honestly say nothing has changed. OK, I have a 'label' and it causes confusion sometimes for example, do I disclose at job interviews or keep quiet, do I tell new people (I don't usually), but all in all I've found it is a label that is there which I sometimes think about if I'm having a bad day. My day to day life hasn't changed, I haven't seen a doctor about it in over 10 years, I don't have an MS nurse or a neuro etc. I had an MRI scan etc over 15 years ago, it happened, I got a label, I now just get on with things. I appreciate I've been lucky but that's my experience. I do sometimes wonder whether being 'labelled' is actually helpful myself. x
I too an in the process of being dx. To me an official Dx would mean that I am not going mad, not a hypocondriact. I should get access to an MS nurse, who would be my first port of call, if I suspected anything nuerologicaly wrong. I might be able to access LDN or DMD's, which could mean a better brighter future for me and my family.