Story about Transverse myelitis .

My diagnosis

Feb 22, 2016


I developed TM at the beginning of 2015. The first thing I noticed was my decrease in appetite. It didn't take much to fill me up. The next symptom was blurriness in the vision of one eye. While this didn't last long, it was a red flag for me. When things started to get worse I had tingling in my legs, feet, banding around my abdomen. I finally went to my family doctor and she couldn't pinpoint the cause but ordered an MRI for that Friday ( I went in on a Monday). I decided not to go back to work since it was extremely difficult to work how I felt physically. The banding made it hard to bend over or get up from sitting. I worked retail so I was on my feet constantly. The banding also affected my bowel and bladder. I never lost full control, but it was difficult to go. I felt like my bladder was spasming. 

The doctor had told me at my appt. that if I got worse to go to the E.R. I never made it to the MRI appt because I was unable to walk on my own by that Friday. My husband took me to the E.R. After being there a few hours with no answers they admitted me. Saturday I got several MRIs and a spinal tap. The neurologist diagnosed me with TM. No known causes about how I contracted it. I was given 7 or 8 high doses of I.V steroids over the course of 4 days. I was able to go home that Tuesday. I walked on my own. 

I am extremely lucky to be in the top 5% of people that recover. My 6 month MRI was clear and I'm praying that when I go for my 6 year that it will say the same. 

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