Physical Therapy was the only thing I've struggled with academically. I did well with High School and Pharmacy School and PT school until I was diagnosed with MS. My first symptom for MS was optic neuritis. A had a fuzzy spot right in the middle of my sight and couldn't read well. With that as my only symptom, I actually did just fine. I had family members or friends read me my notes before tests and I'd retain it and do well on the tests…printed in big font for me. It was fine. The problem started a month later with the IV steroids, which take symptoms away for some. For me, it cleared up my vision, but I lost 15 lbs and became increasingly fatigued during the steroids (1000mg/day with a taper for 2 weeks). When the steroids stopped, I became very very fatigued, only getting out of bed to eat or maybe 1 or 2 more things. I began to have weakness developing in my forearms and lower legs which seemed to get worse every few days. I also had headaches, was depressed and couldn't think very clearly. I had symptoms of sensory overload, not wanting to make eye contact with people and not able to hold conversations with people or be around people too long. It was very scary. I thought it was progressive MS, the kind that comes on gradually without relapses and doesn't respond to steroids or other MS meds and doesn't improve. I had thoughts pop into my head of being in a wheelchair. I had a knee injury and hadn't been exercising but I thought to myself 'who cares about a knee injury if u can't feel your legs'. I began exercising at times when I had a bit of energy and stopped my other medication I was on: Interferon Beta because that was making me more fatigued and I'd get symptoms when i used it. I was finally able to read again and wasn't impressed by the research behind it.
The exercise and stopping the med stopped the decline. Also some great advice and inspiration from Direct-MS. Use of probiotics and their other recommendations helped me put back on the 15 lbs in 3 weeks and I was inspired by Matt Embry who was diagnosed with MS in 1995 and is now symptom free. Terry Wahls' diet recommendations and her inspiration helped me also She was in a power wheelchair for 4 years with MS and now rides her bike and is in good health.
As I began exercising, I'd get a buildup of pressure in my neck and then my head. I was able only to run for a few minutes before having to rest or stop due to head pressure. Things turned around as I got strength back and even gained muscle to where I was 15 lbs heavier than before the diagnosis. However, the headaches were getting worse. I was only able to study for about 15 minutes at a time and was failing many of my classes. I missed many classes or left in the middle of class because I felt bad and had to lie in bed. I failed a few competencies. On one competency, I was the only one to fail it twice. Many of my professors were upset with me for my poor performance.
I diagnosed myself with CCSVI, something many with MS are reported to have, poor bloodflow from the brain due to inadequate jugular veins. I scheduled a surgical procedure, a venous angioplasty which had showed success for people with MS. I scheduled it twice and cancelled it both times.
I had never really had a headache before in my life. I thought to myself, this too started with the steroids. Also, I kept coming across information about vitamin K2 on Mercola.com. Vitamin K2 moves calcium from soft tissues (like veins) to bones and teeth. Then I heard it mentioned that it may be helpful for MS due to its role in building myelin. Whoa, I had to look further into it. I found that the higher your vitamin D intake, the higher your need for vitamin K2. I hypothesized that maybe the steroids calcified the jugular vein valves causing the issue and that all the vitamin D and tanning I was doing without vitamin K2 was actually adding to the problem. I stopped vitamin D for a few weeks and began vitamin K2 and did a lot of walking outside barefoot. I feel like both helped. In late April, the situation resolved itself without surgery. "Pop!" along the left side of my neck. Just like that, my 4 month long headache was gone…on the left side of my brain. The right side of my neck and brain followed suit the next day. That night I studied with a small group for the upcoming final. I studied for 2 hours! without needing a break. My brain was working again :) Just in time. I did well on all my finals and practicals and passed all of my classes. That "pop" was one of the most relieving moments of my life up to that point and very encouraging that I was doing the right things. I struggled with the rotation following this semester also with my brain still 'calibrating' itself after the months of decreased flow and the missed information from school.
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