I didn't doubt the doctors for a second when they told me I had multiple sclerosis (MS), a long-term autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. I had been suffering from muscle weakness, extreme fatigue that no amount of sleep could improve, dizziness and headaches, all of which can be early signs of MS. The symptoms began in February 2025.
One morning, I woke up and everything was spinning. I felt like I needed to vomit, but as I ran to the bathroom, my vision started fading until suddenly everything went black. When I came around, I was vomiting.
An ambulance took me to the emergency room, where doctors ordered a brain MRI because they were concerned I may have hit my head when I collapsed. The scan found lesions, which can be associated with MS and may cause symptoms including dizziness, balance problems, numbness and tingling. Over the following year, I underwent all kinds of testing, including a spinal tap, a procedure in which a doctor uses a needle to remove a small sample of cerebrospinal fluid, the liquid that surrounds and protects the brain and spinal cord.
The fluid is then tested for signs of disease. My results didn't show any abnormalities, but another MRI found the lesions were still there. They weren't growing or multiplying, they were just there.
At that point, I was on board with my neurologist's assessment. Then, in February this year, he confirmed I was in the early stages of MS and suggested starting disease-modifying therapy. Suddenly, the diagnosis felt very serious.
While the treatments can be highly effective, they can also be life-changing and come with significant side effects, so I wanted time to think. Research has found that while most MS treatments are linked to fewer infection-related hospitalizations, some medications may carry an increased risk of other health problems, including thyroid disorders, liver disease, high blood pressure, heart disease and, in some cases, acute liver injury. I decided to get a second opinion and that's when everything changed.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
