Regular check-ups with the neurologist are part and parcel of having MS. I talked about the last visit here and it's pretty clear that I found the entire process unhelpful. But I had my first appointment post-pregnancy last week and because I am no longer with child I was able to get some help.
Most significantly, I have been given tablets to help with the neuropathic pain I continually have in my feet, especially the right one.
These, I have been told, can make you drowsy so I have been increasing my daily dose gradually and so far, just a week in, they seem to be helping. In saying that I have also been trying very hard to take things a bit easier and the change of pace isn't a bad thing either.
I have also been attending a series of talks that have set up by my local health trust for those newly diagnosed in the past two years. They have been really helpful so far and are proof that a dedicated MS team - in this case the Trust's two dedicated MS nurses - are worth their weight in gold.
There is talk that the current government may look to save money by removing funding for specialist nurses and I cannot stress enough how much of a mistake this would be. The MS nurses I have contact with have been a major source of support and information. Ultimately I believe that they save the NHS money in the long run because they help MS patients manage the condition before it gets so bad that they are admitted for treatment.
My aim over the next week is to write to my local MP and MLA's in an attempt to make them realise how vital MS nurses are - because no-one knows until they have to personally use them.
I completely agree with you about the worth of specialist nurses, I have a specialist IBD nurse and she's absolutely brilliant. She's made my life so much better for the last year, just knowing she's at the end of the phone has been a huge boost.
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