Is that MS I feel?
When you have MS, it can be hard to distinguish between normal aches and pains that everyone feels and symptoms related to the multiple sclerosis. Whenever I feel anything, the first thing that pops into my head is the MS. It's not the right approach, but it's often what I do. The longer I've had the disease, the more I've been able to resist that. It's important to learn how to do that - otherwise, you can go crazy.
I have asked my doctor about various aches or pains, and he is able to tell me if it's probably related to the MS or not. I've even searched the internet to see what could cause aches and pains - bad idea. I recommend NEVER going out on the internet to try to diagnose yourself. I'm no doctor but I've read a lot about MS, so I know just enough to be dangerous on the internet .
While I've been fortunate that MS has had little physical impact, it has had a profound impact on me mentally. Since it's a chronic illness, knowing it will be there for the rest of my life is troubling. Of course, there's always the hope that a cure will appear. Fortunately, there are very good treatments available in the meantime, and I'm sure we will see even better treatments over time. But, the most troubling thing about MS for me is that sometimes I feel like if I got this, I could get anything. It made me realize, at a relatively young age, that health is not a guarantee and that anything can happen. Of course, maybe that's something everyone should try to keep in mind - might make us all appreciate life a little more.
I'm still learning how to deal with the mental side of MS, but over the past eight years I've made good progress.