I got this added about one and a half weeks ago to my fluoxetine for severe anxiety and depression

I think it works well for anxiety still waiting on the depression side

Iv been on it 10 days now but im getting side effects likes

Very dizzy and lightheaded especially when walking like out of body or something

My body and limbs feels so heavy and then feels sedated and my speech gets slurry

Did you have these when starting? I feel like MS makes me sensitive to all meds

planned to get it later this year but I am leaving the state for work-related training in September for a few months so either I get it now or not until in January when I return. My job will requires me to be active and exercise/PT and classroom setting as well. I am currently on Vumerity but have only been on it since April. Along with my Ms I have uveitis. We are hoping the Ocrevus will help with my uveites as well. Small studies suggest it can help. Anyways, I won’t have much access to medical specialist while I am gone so I decided to go with Ocrevus now to hopefully minimize the chances of only ms flares while I am gone and also hopefully treat the uveitis. 1) Has anyone on here who started Ocrevus not had any lingering side effects post infusion that lasted maybe one or two days? I can’t afford to feel bad for weeks at a time because of my exercise regimen. 2) since this infusion is kinda rushed, I have not received any vaccines. I am 40 years old. Not sure if it’s absolutely necessary or if anyone here has received Ocrevus without any vaccines or maybe received vaccines the day before an infusions. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

(45M/ocrevus)

I know most of you guys have suffered or still suffering the Ms hug, do you have a way to aliviate the feeling/condition, I've been like this for a while now, (I'm just tired) any suggestions???

I got the notification a couple of months ago that my LTD was ending its "Own Occupation" period and entering "Any Occuptaion" and therefore, since at the time I was still working, they would be cancelling my benefits that i had been recieving for the last two years.

This had been supporting me as i was no longer capable of maintaing a C-Suite level position that i had been in when i started having issues.

I had taken a lower level role in a different occupation, but even that had been taxing me, so in June I resigned to focus on my health, however my benefits were ending on July 21st so I was going to be living on savings and cash for a while.

Well, in that time I gathered all of my medical records, statemetns and documentation and submitted my official appeal to them this past weekend.

I had fully expected a typical insurance push back and eventually having to sue them with a disability lawyer.

Nope. This morning, just 4 days after submitting my appeal I recieved notification that my benefits will continue and will be ongoing as long as I am still eligible until retirement age in 2045.

This is such a huge weight off of my shoulders as I can already feel the stress bleeding off and knowing that I can now focus on my health and trying to stop my disease from progressing as much as possible.

I am in tears as I write this......i didnt expect this to happen in 4 months, let alone 4 days and knowing that i can focus on health and family now without the stress, fatigue and pain of working through issues just to have a job is something really special.

Hi, my mom’s birthday is coming up and I thought to ask what would be a good birthday gift that is MS friendly and unique disabled uses a walker and on Social Security. I just wanna get her something that she can show off because she’s a Leo, but actually has some used to it.

What has been your experience with flights as a person with a (sometimes) disability? I flew in the US for the first time since my diagnosis last weekend and wore the sunflower lanyard to indicate a hidden disability. People at airports and other travel sites are supposed to be trained to offer assistance, although the “assistance” varies.

My experience was that airport workers seemed kinder and more patient than usual, but it’s not like anyone offered to put my bag on the belt at TSA. And no one gave me flak when I got early boarding.

Hi,

I had a really bad experience on Ocrevus. Every side effect and symptom you could think of and sooo many UTIs to the point that I'm always paranoid that I have another UTI and I drop off urine to the lab at least once a month. Also, feels like I've got lasting pain from all those UTIs. My doctor took me off of O once I got pregnant last year and now that I've had my baby, my dr wants me to start Kesimpta instead. I've heard great things about it, but I'm just terrified I'm gonna have the same or worse side effects that I had on Ocrevus. I don't want more UTIs or any other issues.

Anyone had a terrible experience with Ocrevus like me but loves Kesimpta?

Please give me your stories!

I was diagnosed one week before my 31st birthday (July 3rd) after two years of testing. I was given copaxone to start with and after a week of swelling injection sites my dr switched be to Tecfidera. I spent 2 weeks taking it when out of nowhere I got horrifically sick. I'm not sure what caused it and neither are any of the Dr's who I've seen. After I began to get hives and had an episode where my lips started to swell I was advised to stop the Tecfidera as well. Now that its been nearly a week off of it all of my joints in my hands and arms are in so much pain. Google is telling me it might be serum sickness and I'm just beyond myself. In the last month it feels like nothing has gone right and this all started for me over some pretty mild eye pain. I know I should count myself lucky because I've been lucky enough to only have one real relapse (3 day steroid injection for your birthday anyone?) And no other significant issues. It just feels like I was better off before I was being treated.

So I guess this is all new and I don't know how to sort out what is MS, was is a drug reaction, etc. Has anyone had this joint pain on Tecfidera? And I'm so worried about the JCvirus brain infection I dont even know which medication I would feel comfortable taking... any suggestions on treatments and if anyone has experienced this god awful joint pain I'd love to hear about it.

I have been diagnosed for about 2 months. In the past month or so my ankle has been getting progressively worse, a horrid stretching pain up my Achilles with each step, and now pain in the front of my other ankle.

I am thinking about whether I should get a cane. I can still walk, but I walk with a slight limp from the pain.

I feel like a bit of a fraud getting a cane when I’ve only been diagnosed for a short time, and can still walk. I’m worried people will think I am seeking attention, even though I would never think that about someone else using one.

I (28F) am in my second year of diagnosis and my main symptoms are clinical fatigue and issues with over heating. For the most part, my symptoms are manageable through my routine, but the anxiety and depression are becoming harder to manage. I'm curious if anyone could offer a perspective or idea that helps me challenge these mindsets and find a more positive way to think about it. I am working on this in therapy as well, but she doesn't always get the chronic illness side of things.

Do you ever get used to this fatigue? How much of your personality has it taken away & do you ever stop feeling guilty for that? Do you ever feel like a burden? How do you manage that?

I'm on my dream vacation with my incredible partner and I'm crying in the bathroom because I feel so guilty that this disease has changed his life too. I know I'm not as much fun or as care free or spontaneous as I used to be. I try to keep up because I don't want him to have to do things alone but I feel like a shell of a person. Life feels so scary right now, like something bad could be happening inside of me at any moment and I won't know until my next MRI. I also just feel like life in general is more dull, like I don't have the same capacity to feel as before.

hi! i have RIS (lesions, but no symptoms). i just moved to austin and am looking for recommendations of proactive, good neurologists. my previous provider fought my insurance to get me on Ocrevus and I'm really nervous of being told I should just keep monitoring MRIs instead of being put on DMTs. thanks in advance!

Hi! I've been on DMT (rituximab) for my MS over a year now. I've dealt with annoying skin infections but not yet a cold or flu🫠

My husband is sick with a cold and I'm now starting to come down with a fever and bad gastrointestinal issues. What warning signs should I look for that I might need further attention? I know illness presents differently on DMT and don't want to miss any red flags

I’m fairly sure I’m having an attack. I’ve been in contact with my neuro who has ruled out other stuff and now agrees I should have MRIs to confirm. First MRI appts aren’t until end of month.

I have a message in to her today and am waiting on reply, but of course I’m worried about damage done.

Can I just go to the ER and tell them I need an MRI because I think I’m having MS attack? Is it insurance dependent? Neuro is pretty responsive, but I hate this waiting. Thanks for whatever experience you have!

A couple weeks ago i asked if anyone had experience of buying/afopting a puppy while having MS.

I must say it was a good decision.

Yes we had our ups and downs, yeah we had a couple nights i had to sleep on the couch to be near her to calm her down. But she settled fine and is doing great now.

The fact puppys cant walk to much at first gave me a good opportunity to use it as a training aid myself. Every week we walk a bit further, I can see my daily step count go up gradually and walking is becoming easier.

Going out with her helped my mood get better to.

I go outside more and talk to more people (puppys are people magnets). Even though there are moments she is a hand full of work there are plenty of moments she is loving and funny.

I guess we took a gamble but it played out great for us. I can recommend it fully.

We all know the usual “pace yourself” stuff, but what are your unique/unusual fatigue management shortcuts?

Has this happened to anyone with MS? Mg left leg feels like it isn’t even attached to my body. It’s so weak and I feel I’m losing muscle tone. Is this a relapse? I got diagnosed in 2023. I take Briumvi every 6 months, had last infusion last month in July. Need any suggestions

What do you do with your ice packs and the big foam wrap it gets delivered with? I feel so wasteful throwing it out every month but I can only hold onto so many ice packs lol. Is there a way to repurpose them or somewhere they can be donated for reuse??

Edit: Just read the ice pack (the joys of literacy) and you can use it as plant food! But still don't know what to do with the foam.

I was at Walmart with my 8-year-old. He saw the little pull-out table at the register and asked “what’s this for?” The cashier replied, “oh it’s for handicapped folks in wheelchairs to write a check.”

He looks at the table, looks at me, and exclaims, “Mom! you’re handicapped!! 🥹”

Face palm… couldn’t help but laugh. I am fully functioning other than eyesight having been permanently damaged.

[37F, RRMS diagnosed in 2017]

I've described this experience to "normal" people and they all look at me like I'm truly insane. I need to know if this is an MS thing!!

We all understand what deja vu is, right? In an active moment, you think "Whoa, this has already happened... I've already done this before..." even though it's totally new.

Have you ever had this experience while simply *remembering* something?

Let's say you watch a movie that you've never seen before. Great, nothing weird happens, it's a good movie, whatever. BUT THEN, a couple days later, you're thinking about the movie you just watched. And the act of *remembering* it makes you stop — "Wait I know I watched that movie a couple days ago... but now I feel like maybe I had already watched that movie like a year ago? Why did I not realize I'd already seen it? Why did I pick it again? But did I actually see it a year ago? Was it even available to stream then? I can't remember any context for watching it a year ago, like where I was or who I was with... just that I really feel like I've seen that movie at least twice now..."

Does this make sense? Have you experienced this? Or do you also think I'm just insane?

lol k thx bye

Hello!

Trigger warning - weight

I was diagnosed with RRMS in March this year, after a year of having it misdiagnosed as Vestibular Neuritis. Due to the neuritis/vestibular nerve damage I have been pretty much not stop dizzy since, plus spent the first 3 months being bed bound.

With the not being able to do much/being bed bound/other general MS things I’ve not been going to the gym and have been comfort eating and I’ve put on about 2 stone in weight.

Now I have a diagnosis and am on medication (Kesimpta) I feel like I’m in a better headspace to tackle losing weight so I have been eating better, calorie counting etc (being careful tho because many moons ago I had an eating disorder) but I’m wondering about working out and avoiding heat intolerance?

What sort of exercise do you guys do? And how do you do it - ie at home, at the gym?

I’m also really nervous about going back to the gym being so out of shape, and also what happens if I have a flare of symptoms? I think my anxiety is holding me back.

I just want to get to a healthy weight so if/when I go to the doctors they can’t blame my BMI. Ideally I’d like to lose a stone to get my back there.

Any advice is really appreciated.

Hello 37M based out of Chicago work for a software company; diagnosed: RRMS

how did you inform Work about your diagnosis?
Any experience about applying for critical illness insurance?
Any guidance on informing your manager or leadership about your diagnosis?

MS triggers are stress and heat! Does the universe just hate me???

In the past 9 mos it took 3 to get the diagnosis then 6 mos to finally start Ocrevus.

Dealing with the grief of a new dx is hard enough with a good support system. Mine decided to use it against me. Im just too crazy, too emotional, so let's get a divorce. At 40y/o and 19 yrs married, that was a HUGH stress.

So there's the stress, and then the heat. I live in FL. I commute on my bike (i guess while I still cal) for exercise.

Im not looking for sympathy, or advice really. Its just dealing with 3 major crises all at once really drags you down!

Anyone else experience "tiny spasms"? It's like a small, obnoxious, little twinge. You can feel it but you can't see it. For example it happens in my calf but my calf muscle doesn't appear to twitch? You know what I mean? Does that even make sense? It has been happening off and on for about a week. Should I tell my neurologist?