I have been very depressed lately. My headaches are causing me to miss work and are straining my relationship with my wife. We'll get through it, but are having a rough go right now. I've had 9 IVIG treatments so far. Am I getting impatient?? When can I expect the treatments to start giving relief?
Hi Danny,
What is IVIG? I do understand it's easy to get impatient. I am that CONSTANTLY. My first neurologist told me I was fine and sent me back to work after only 3 months... Now I'm another year and 3 months in, and I'm still battling symptoms.
I'm seeing a counselor to help with this life-altering illness, and I've dragged my husband along a few times to help with communication and frustrations. Might be worth a shot.
I wish you the best,
LauraK
Each and every case is unique, like a fingerprint. I have been battling it for close to 2 years now. Things improve slowly but you need a lot of patience, maybe support if you have someone close. Anger, frustration, dizziness sometimes headaches are part of it. My wife gave up on the idea of supporting me as she can no longer accept the fact that I am not what I used to be. So I have to fight it alone. Work keeps me busy but I have to be careful with my short temper. Keep going strong. A healthy diet could be beneficial, (check Overcoming MS or Swank's diet) alongside a quiet and stress free life.
Hi Danny,
Depression seemed to encompass my 26 year old when he was struck down with ADEM. He was unable to walk or even go to the bathroom on his own for a week following the diagnosis. Then after several months, and severe weight gain due to medication, I saw him at his lowest. He would stay in his room all day, barely coming out to eat or go the washroom. He literally sat around for 15 months following the diagnosis, too tired and too depressed to do much more. He had been out of work, with no income during this entire period, which only contributed to financial stresses and more depression for him.
I contacted his former teacher, and planned a visit for him. He was only able to visit for an hour before becoming too tired again. I was really concerned about his mental health, and his physical health was beginning to suffer too.
Luckily I came into some money, and I was able to offer him a trip away with his girlfriend. As they planned, I noticed an improvement in his mental health. When he couldn't get medical insurance to cover the trip, he decided to go anyway.
That trip did him a world of good. Removing the stress of day to day life, a change of pace and scenery were just enough to help him get back to being a positive individual. He has resumed daily work, but notices that he is still very tired, and has headaches. Most recently he had another episode, only this time it was his arm rather than his spine that was affected.
Although I cannot tell you the headaches will go away, I can say, that extra rest, loving yourself a little more, and asking your wife to join this site for added support, may be just what helps.
Welcome to the site!
Danny, there is nothing easy about ADEM, both for you or your wife. For all of you who try to continue to work with all this going on I am in awe of you. Luckily for my husband, he is retired so he doesn't have that added stress. He still gets impatient with it all and wants it to go away, but, for him at least, we are starting to be resigned to the idea that he may not improve much more and are focusing some of our energy on just keeping him safe from falling and getting worse. He has seemed to perk up a bit with trying to become more independent, so I will take anything I can get from him. The suggestion to have your wife join the group and see what others are going through is great. I have learned so much from it. The caregivers support group through Ben's Friends is also a great group for spouses to join, as they will see that the emotions or fears they may be experiencing are normal and they will get support they need. Hang in there and let your body do what it needs to do. There is no time limitation to the body healing.