My Ongoing MS Symptoms

Multiple Sclerosis is such a frustrating and tricky disease. Sometimes it feels like you have total control of your body. Other times, I have an “MS Attack” where my body experiences worse symptoms and they can last for months or weeks at a time. So far I have only had two bad MS attacks, but I do have mild symptoms that affect me.

The reason it took so long for me to get diagnosed with MS is that most of my mild symptoms are things that could easily be explained away. It’s hard to explain to others how these can affect me and how they aren’t just the normal lethargic feelings. People with MS can experience a variety of symptoms, from vision problems to walking issues. Read below to see the symptoms I experience most often!

My MS Symptoms

#1 Numbness in Hands and Feet

Have your feet or hands ever fallen asleep after not using them for a while? You know that awful feeling when they tingle and they feel heavy? Well, imagine that feeling popping up when you’re in the middle of exercising or walking. My feet and hands will randomly tingle and there doesn’t isn’t any obvious trigger.

The further frustrating part is how you can’t just shake them or move them to make the feeling go away. One time, the feeling lasted for more than half an hour and I had to force myself to try to ignore it. It’s one of my most common and most annoying symptoms.

#2 Dizziness and Vertigo

I tend to get dizzy and have vertigo when I am sick from other things. Whenever I get a cold, I usually also experience dizziness and vertigo symptoms. I think my body is working hard to fight the infection and so my MS symptoms come to the forefront.

The dizziness and vertigo gets intense when I try to sit up after laying down or I move too quickly. It usually is mild and I get over it in a day or two. However, when I had one of my past MS attacks the vertigo was so bad that I could barely get up from bed.

#3 Fatigue

Fatigue can come out of nowhere and hit me like a ton of bricks. I could have gotten multiple nights of 8 hours or more of sleep and yet it doesn’t feel like I have energy to do anything.

If I say I’m tired, people just assume that I haven’t gotten enough sleep or I am complaining. But this tiredness can really take over. When the fatigue gets really bad, it feels like a struggle to get through the day without falling asleep or staying in bed all day long. I usually try to push through my fatigue, but it can be a battle.

#4 Heavy Legs/Weakness

I have a really hard time explaining to others what this symptom is like. I guess the best way to put it is that my legs feel like a ton of bricks and moving them takes a considerable amount of effort. When I do move them, they feel kind of weak, as if they could just give out under me. I can usually still function while this happens, it just makes me a bit more lethargic.

#5 Cog Fog

Have you ever had a brain fart? Then, you’ll be able to relate to this. Some people who have severe cases of cog fog have trouble holding conversations, thinking critically, or recalling memories.

For me, I have just noticed that I lose things in my brain more frequently than I used to. I’ll go into a room and completely forget what I was going in there for, I’ll struggle to remember a common word, or I’ll lose my train of thought when I’m teaching. I used to pride myself on my wonderful memory, but I notice myself slowly losing it bit by bit.

#6 Icy Feelings in Legs

I just started to get this symptom and when it first happened I was very freaked out. It feels like icy liquid is trickling through the veins of my legs. I don’t know what causes this feeling or triggers it, but I’ve been noticing it more and more. It’s one of my new least favorite MS symptoms.

Final Thoughts

While none of these symptoms may sound like a big deal, it can really throw off my day and put me in a bad mood. I try my best to push past these symptoms and continue to live life as normal, but it can be a struggle. The best things for me are to try and get a lot of sleep, eat healthy, and workout.