Being Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at 23

Hey everyone, welcome back to my channel!
This is my first non-vlog style video on this channel and it is a bit of a heavy one! I really wanted let people know more about me and try to make conversations about health more normal. We are taught that we shouldn't talk about our health and that we should keep everything to ourselves especially when we are struggling the most, but in this day and age we have access to the world, and we don't have to feel alone anymore.
Thanks so much for watching and I encourage you to share your story with MS in the comments below!
*If you were considering making a donation this year for the holidays I have put a link below for the MS Society of Canada Donor Portal which will go directly to MS research!
mssociety.dono...
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[@craftygirl17]

I was upset when I found out I have diabetes, when you have a chronic illness, it can affect your mental health to, I hope you have support, and I mean good support, I didn’t get that when I was diagnosed, I became depressed and full of anxiety.

[@hARTfullymade]

I'm in Newfoundand. Not diagnosed yet but checking all the boxes. Getting appointments is frustrating. Thank you for your encouraging words about meds...that was my biggest fear...about how expensive they are.

[@mytime1613]

I was diagnosed at age 28. I am 61 now. First symptoms was blindness in one eye. At this time my Hypothalamus is under attack. Symptom unable to regulate body temperature. It changes every 15 minutes. Best of health to you!

[@AbbyBirdsell]

I'm sorry to hear that, best of health to you as well!

[@anasangel43]

I just got diagnosed this week. I am 26 but first had symptoms at 16. Thank you for uploading this video

[@AbbyBirdsell]

Oh wow, I’m happy for you that you got an answer! I hope I can help :)

[@mytime1613]

I was diagnosed at age 28. I am 61 now. Dealing with hypothalamus under attack now. Can not regulate body temperature. I wish you the best of health!

[@AbbyBirdsell]

I’m sorry to hear that but thank you for sharing, I really appreciate it!

[@DrMattiLabbratt]

I was dx at 17 and 46 now. I have had problems feeling cold when it’s not and I didn’t know it could be MS so thank you for enlightening me. I wish you the best of health too and that your MS is a kind as possible in the coming years xxxx

[@DrMattiLabbratt]

Hi sweetheart, I was dx at 17 in 1994 - 30 years ago next year. The diagnosis is a bereavement- it’s a mental possible loss of your future perfect health, career plans, parenting plans, everything your mind can torment you with..BUT Like a bereavement, THE FIRST 2 years are the Worst I promise you❤️🙏🏼😊 I had 3 bouts of numbness from 1991 that were put down to trapped nerve, atypical migraine, stress…!? I also had a bout of vertigo that was so bad that I had to crawl on my hands and knees to the bathroom as the whole world span if i lifted my head from horizontal that lasted 9 days. When the vertigo resolved I had double vision I was finally dx when I had a further bout of right sided numbness including my head and lost joint position sense at the shoulder. There were no treatments back then. And like you the MRI terrified me and I cried all the way through it! I didn’t have a DMT until 8 years later in 2002, 11 years after my sx. I’ve just come out of a relapse after a 7 year remission off DMTs- still all sensory- New lesion at C7/T1 which caused numbness down left side, loss of joint position sense at knee (that’s why you get that dragging leg-it’s still a sensory symptom) Now 95% recovered without steroids after 5 weeks and am starting Kesimpta in July I still get that utter Euphoria when my symptoms remit, and my heart & soul are full of gratitude for everything that my body can still do so well. I feel like every movement and sensation is miraculous ❤️🙏🏼 Back to now. I’m still RRMS and have got my degree, had a family, a great career, my EDSS is only 4 so I’m doing really really well!! When I was dx I wish an older person had gifted me with telling me what things would be like in the future as uncertainty is our burden. Everything will be ok my darling as our prognostic factors are identical Young, female, visual,sensory symptoms at onset You will achieve all your dreams and become more Resilient, Resourceful and Compassionate than 🎉would ever believe You’re going to be ok xxxx

[@AbbyBirdsell]

Thank you so so much for sharing this, and I am so happy that you are doing well! I am on Kesimpta and I love it, so I hope you will too!

[@DrMattiLabbratt]

@@AbbyBirdsell Thank you Abby - my first shot is on 18th July (beginning my induction of 3 weekly shots) and I’m so excited to start on it! Anti CD20 drugs Ocrevus & Kesimpta are the best available imo if you’re not severe enough for Lemtrada or HSCT (and with far less side effects, risks & life disruption than those treatments also, although if I’d needed them, I’d do them in a heartbeat) Knowing that you have started such an effective drug so early in your RRMS makes my soul sing ❤️❤️❤️ I’ve done really really well, but have a lot of T2 lesions which have left me with ongoing Fatigue, pain & some spasticity (most well treated with meds), but thankfully no brain atrophy or T1 black holes. You will do so much better sweetheart xxxx

[@AbbyBirdsell]

I’m so happy for you and appreciative of you! I had side effects from Kesimpta the first night of my first dose - it felt like I had a fever, but I took it close to bed time and took some Tylenol and pushed through, but I’ve been on it for over a year now and I experience zero side effects before and after the dose. I had horrible side effects on Tecfidera, so it’s seriously such a blessing, best of luck to you! 💖

[@DrMattiLabbratt]

@@AbbyBirdsell Oh lord I was on Tecfidera and had crippling stomach pains for the first 6 weeks! It was the pits. I was taken off it after a year as my Lymphocytes bombed to 0.4. They didn’t come back up to the bottom end of Normal 1.0 for 18 months it did such a number on me. Dyk that Dimethyl Fumerate ( the substance in Tecfidera) used to be used in the U.K. in the 70s in sachets to keep sofas etc mould free in storage prior to sale- but it was banned as if the sachets came open the contents caused burns!??? And we were expected to swallow that crap with Omeprezole and Gaviscon!!! Oh my days you couldn’t make it up!! 😂😂😂 I’m so glad that I found you on KZbin Abby as it’s wonderful to see girls like I was when I was dx being treated straight away not just told to go away and get on with it like I was. It’s very healing for me and puts that right ❤️🙏🏼🙂xxxxx

[@moonlookingforthesun1866]

I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 10 days ago. I'm 22! I don't have symptoms now (relapsing remitting squad yay) but definitely its a mental struggle. My first and only symptom (which was my first relapse apparently) was also problems with my vision and it was few days before my birthday so technically I was 21(?) Lol. What a great birthday present!

[@AbbyBirdsell]

Moon Lookingforthesun Oh gosh Happy Birthday to you 😅 I’m happy we found each other, feels less lonely!!

[@moonlookingforthesun1866]

@@AbbyBirdsell yes thank you for you video! It helped me understand I'm not alone in this. We got this 🙏✨ it just sucks because mostly people are diagnosed in their 30s so sometimes I realize I'm frustrated because I just wished it waited a little to show up ahah. Doesn't work that way I guess

[@AbbyBirdsell]

Moon Lookingforthesun I totally get that, I honestly still feel a little in denial about it 👎🏽 I’m glad this helped, I have a couple of update videos about my MS too that might help too!

[@moonlookingforthesun1866]

@@AbbyBirdsell definitely I will! Thank you 😘

[@WORRO]

Hang in there buddy ms sucks but a positive attitude will help you as well as everyone around you...I was dx'ed back in 2005 myself. God bless you, ~John

[@BumblePree]

awe you're so cute! I am so glad I have met another person with multiple sclerosis in their early 20s too! I was diagnosed with relapsing remitting Multiple Sclerosis when i was 19 and I am currently 22, turning 23 at the end of this year LOL. OMG you live in Toronto too? This was an interesting video considering I was able to relate to the double vision. It sure as hell is annoying but if there's anything I can tell you after my diagnosis, MS does get easier. Or at least it has been for me having a positive outlook on things! I hope you continue to stay strong, we got this!

[@AbbyBirdsell]

Wow so crazy!! Ahh that is definitely good to hear, so far the worst of it has definitely been mental but I've moved on and accepted it and can forget I even have it sometimes! You too

[@craftygirl17]

I want to give you some sincere advice, don’t look up things on the internet like I did and scared the crap out of me, there’s so much online about health and most isn’t true.

[@maryxoxo9]

"holy shit this is my life now" I can't even count how many times I've said that to myself these past few weeks 😅

[@AbbyBirdsell]

It’s been a year and so far, for me at least, it’s gotten better and I’m saying it a lot less!

[@maryxoxo9]

That's so encouraging to hear. Thank youu that gives me hope

[@mytime1613]

I was diagnosed at age 23. I am 61 now.

[@abbiehoole7937]

Are you still with Chris how does ms affect your relationship

[@AbbyBirdsell]

Abbie Crompton Yes I am, we have been together for 6 years so we have a pretty strong foundation. MS hasn’t had much of an impact on our relationship so far. He is very understanding and I try to be very vocal about what I am feeling and what I need when I need it which is very helpful. He doesn’t fully understand what I’m going through - mostly mentally - but he tries to and does his best to support me! I am fortunate that right now I really only experience occasional fatigue!

[@SAABTURBO1986]

Do you have the babinski sign?

[@AbbyBirdsell]

I’m honestly not sure, I don’t remember my Doctors telling me about that so I don’t think so !

[@SAABTURBO1986]

Thank you for responding! It’s the reflex where they take the pointy end of the reflex hammer or a pen and run it up the bottoms of your feet. If your toes flare it signals an upper motor neuron lesion. Plus it tickles like hell lol

[@AbbyBirdsell]

@@SAABTURBO1986 I think I remember having this done but I’m not sure what happened bahah I should probably find out!

[@SAABTURBO1986]

Abby Birdsell haha! Well if you’re ticklish it tickles pretty good lol! You’ll remember next time and you’ll probably think of me 😂. Anyways amazing story you’re brave and I’ll think you’ll conquer this!

[@AbbyBirdsell]

@@SAABTURBO1986 thank you so much for the encouragement!!