Cora,
Yes, at this point my weight is no longer an issue in itself :( as I'm
past the point of trying to look good....just feeling good is my
prayer. But my spinal stenosis, unstable spine, and arachnoiditis
unfortunately are greatly efected by weight gain.

My husband was given a probable dx many yrs ago after repeated MRIs
showing increase of the spots in his brain. His spinal tap at the time
did not show anything. He went without insurance all these yrs until
last summer and when we went back to the clinic who dx'd him (Cleve.
Clinic MS Clinic). At that time they told him that he definately had
MS and that the spots were showing worse in his spinal cord than in
his brain now. They dx'd his progressive type by the course his has
taken over the years. So I gues mainly by his history??
He did pretty good for about 8 years except for severe fatigue. It
wasn't until the past 5 years that he got worse with his entire right
side not wanting to work. We suspect that over time he will be in a
wheelchair. They said with the chronic progressive type that he has it
is a slow progression but nonetheless does keep progressing. I have
seen many who have remitting/relapsing which they can have very good
days and even may feel almost normal (sometimes can be like this for
months and even years). But then they also have bad periods that can
put them in a wheelchair and can cause severe problems. I have also
met a woman that led her life almost normal except for her very
elderly years that caused he to go into a wheelchair. She was very
upbeat about how little it effected her. That is the thing with MS. It
can effect people so differently. A wonderful thing about MS (If one
can say such a thing)is that it is a well-known, with many famous
poeople helping to get awarness, disease and therefore well-funded. I
do believe with all of the awarness and funding for this awful
disease, that one day they will find a cure or at least better and
better medications to treat. There is a lot of hope with all that is
being done in research for this disease! Go to the MS society website
and get your local chapter and they will send you lots of info and a
free and informative magazine which talks alot on current research,
treatments, etc.
I hope

--- In Peripheral_Neuropathy@yahoogroups.com, closordo@... wrote:
>
> Hi Turbe:
>
> Yes, the Lyrica does cause weight gain but at this point
pain/numbness management
> supercedes vanity.
>
> As far as the MS, I was discharged from the hospital last Friday,
because my numbness
> spread to my thighs and I couldn't walk, and my arms and hands were
very shaky. The MRI
> of the Brain showed white spots on the left side, the spinal tap
showed diminished
> gammaglobbulins, elevated protien, but the "bands" are not back yet.
Waiting is so hard.
> All the symptoms and tests so far point to it, but it's not
definite. I'm 43 with 2 kids, and my
> husband is out of work.
>
> How was your husband diagnosed, and how did they determine that it
is the progressive
> type? How is he doing now?
>
> Thanks,
> Cora
>
>
>
> Cora P. Losordo RNC,BSN
> 521 Garden Street
> Hoboken, NJ 07030
>