My docs and resources for you

Good morning fellow MS'ers;

I was fortunate enough to get into the University of Colorado Neurosciences team of doctors after my initial diagnosis. These folks really know their stuff, and head up all research, travel around the country and are professors (it is a teaching hospital). If you get with any Neurosciences team, find a teaching hospital in your area. You will not regret it. 

http://mscenter.org/resources/informs/

This is a handy site for you to read up and coming everything related to MS. Both my doctor  (John R. Corboy) and Vollmer established this center. It has resources such as attorneys to help patients with paperwork and tests to get SSDI for clients, social worker Pat Daly for counseling or referrals, newsletters, and long term and life insurance professionals who work with MS patients only. All at no charge. 

Click on the article by Pat Daly, LCSW, Summer 2009 (PDF) "It's Just the Tip of the Iceberg: A New Paradigm for MS" where she interviews one of my doctors. It gives you the latest up to date studies on MS by my team of doctors. Dr. Vollmer explains that remission is not really remission; your disease just becomes invisible again. 

As for my symptoms, which are quite invisible if you look at my pictures, I have the following: Lassiter fatigue (I fall asleep anywhere as if I have not slept in days, worst type); Bowel dysfunction (I cannot have a movement without a laxative but I take fiber daily as well as acidophilus); Bladder dysfunction (urgency and unable to empty bladder); severe anxiety; severe nerve pain headaches and backaches; left leg weakness (sometimes I trip); upper arm fatigue in both arms; and before I knew I had MS I had a symptom called emotional lability, which you can read about here: 

http://www.patientslikeme.com/forum/show/27638?post_id=355077#355077

Which by the way is another great tool for MSer's. You fill out all the information and print a doctor visit sheet with all medications, symptoms, questions and it shows your progression so you can follow it. I love it. 

I feel blessed to have these doctors as my own. I now see all my doctors there; from cardiologists to mammography to my general practitioner. My GP did an internship with MS patients and know exactly what I need and can understand where I am coming from. They truly are amazing. 

I will stop here as I know we have difficulties sitting and reading long diatribes. I will do my next posting on fatigue, management and drugs that can help. 

Cristen