Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Support Group

I think that an MRI will diagnose ms at whatever stage you are in. Remission or not, there are gaps in the myelin sheath.
I think?

1. MS never goes completely away. If you know what to look for, you can tell it is there.

2. Tegretol caused me blood clotting factor problems. But that is after taking it a while. I use Neurontin. It comes generic also. Yes, I take Neurontin all the time, everyday on a very strict schedule.

there's Active lesions and Inactive lesions.. Active glow like a Rockefeller Christmas Tree; inactive show different and are the Scars... never usually just ONE, hence Multiple Scars... aka Multiple Sclerosis

thanks darcie, Kelly and Larry, I was not meaning MRi's I do understand that lesions show up regardless of a flareup and the difference between old and new but was wanting to know about the reflex tests and walking tests?

Kelly I did not know there is a generic of Nerotin, i wonder what it is called?
I am trying to find something that is covered since i am on disability. I was told the Neurotin and Lyrica was not covered but did not know there was a generic so am interested to find out what that is called.

your test could be normal, it is possible to have damage that does not show up every day. you could be in normal limits and still have problems. i hope you get a dx (NOT MS) and stay in the normal range.

It is Gabapentin.

carbamazepine..ah the lovely tegretol....sigh..i can only tell you my personal experience with this drug..i was on a dosage for epilepsy..1200mg...no where near a dose you would go on for pain for MS i would hope..sigh... you have to get your blood checked regulary... as kelly says it causes issues..the ones kelly mentioned being one of them..mine was they built up to toxic levels in my blood so i had to be taken off of it and switched to another med..sigh... this was after 8 years... others have been on it for 28 years...each person is different..

my main issue with this drug..and one my epilepsy specialist never told me about..sigh...
memory loss.. i thought my memory issues were due to the seziures themselves...
nope..it was the tegretol...i did not also realize how severe it was until i actually came off the drug...and then two months later..my long term memory returned to me... short term is affected by the ms..and some long term as well...but the brunt of the long term was the tegretol....sigh.. and it was absoulty awful...i could not even remember most of my wedding from 7 years ago..sigh..

my son is on slow release tegretol 600mg a day..sigh..and we are watching him closly for memory issues..and getting his blood checked often... at the first sign of memory issues...off he will come...it has given him seziure control..but i will not sacrifice his memory for that...there are other meds...sigh...

just my opinion...but yes..a horrid drug...it is a first generation seziure med...and they have come a long way since then..

hugs
heather

Thanks everyone i think I understand better now.

Hugs

sarah

I have been on 100mg of Tegretol 4x per day i.e. 400mg per day for 9 years, I have not had a problem. They initially tried a very high dosage which was awful, the dosage I am on now is used for children 12 and under but helps with spasams and numbness in my face. I do get regular blood tests to check liver function, etc... all has been fine to date.

As to drugs look into Tramadol which is not a narcotic. It helps my wife who has secondary progressive M.S. and bed confined for 4 years. It seems to calm the pain down to a more tolerate level and she was on Lyrica for a while but she gained a lot of water weight and swelling of her feet.