Thursday 12 November 2015

Symptom #2 Weakness

It's hard to say when this period of weakness started because I was suffering from the side effects of a bipolar medication until this spring. But it's likely that it's been at least six months.

I first noticed something was wrong when my left leg kept going from under me.  I'm not a delicate girl, never have been, but I've never suffered from knees and ankles just giving way.  Then my wrist just had no power and then my shoulder couldn't lift my arm and my neck couldn't move properly to the left and so it continued.

When I eventually spoke to my GP the best I could describe was that my left side felt heavy and weak and altogether useless.  I could rely on my left arm or leg to do anything and I started using a walking stick in case it gave way.

This has been one of the most annoying symptoms of MS because it's not painful and it's not obvious, it's just like I suddenly became 80 years old. 

When I saw the neurologist he got me thinking about whether this had happened before and asked if I'd ever been diagnosed with glandular fever or ME or CFS in the past.  Twice before that I could remember I'd had exhaustion and weakness and strangely my left eye vision drops were at the same time as these.

A penny was dropping.
Now I just had to find out how to stop dropping things in my left hand.

I've attached this zentangle I drew because it depicts the myriad of MS symptoms I experience.

No comments: