"I thought I was dying, but little did I know it was a new beginning."
Hey, I’m Dominika. My MS story began at the age of 13. I awoke one morning with leg numbness and vertigo and couldn’t even get out of bed without the help of my mum. I had been healthy all my life, so this was a huge concern for my family.
An ambulance was called but after carrying out the usual health checks, the paramedics told my parents that, “It could be growing pains.”
Two years later, I had another MS episode. The symptoms included trouble walking straight, poor co-ordination, double vision, pain in my eyes, numbness of the limbs, fatigue and brain fog.
I blamed it on stress as I was preparing for my GCSEs at school, and I thought it was something that would go away eventually. The worst symptom was the feeling that I had no control over my legs. I used to struggle with just getting on the bus for school, feeling as if I would fall as soon as I lifted my leg to step on.
I struggled with the simplest of tasks and was late for school almost every day. The disappointment from the teachers was something that always upset me. There was even a time where one of my friends thought I was taking drugs, because of my inability to walk straight; I would be bouncing from one table to another.
It took me around two months of these recurring symptoms to finally open up and speak to my mum about how I felt.
So, we made a GP appointment where my blood was taken but the only alarming result was a vitamin D deficiency. I was eventually referred to hospital for a further examination where I had an MRI scan, further tests and a lumbar puncture. After three days in hospital, I was diagnosed with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis.
My first treatment was Rebif. I used it for around six months but it wasn’t effective. The second treatment, at 17, was Mavenclad and after my two year course, there was still progression shown on my MRI. So, my current treatment is Kesimpta and I must say this is by far the treatment that I dislike the most due to side effects and the way it makes me feel.
How was I feeling when I was diagnosed? Honestly, I thought I was dying from what I was told. I shrugged my shoulders. I was only 15 and thinking my life was over but little did I know it was a new beginning …
My latest scans show a more positive picture. I’ve had no new lesions since starting Kesimpta. It’s been an absolute rollercoaster with all of the treatment changes, but I finally feel like I’ve found the right one for now. My new beginning is a new perspective on life and an appreciation of what (and who) I have.
We cannot give up our fight. We really need to keep ourselves going and never give up.
One piece of advice I would give to someone newly diagnosed is to educate yourself on MS. Stay positive and productive as much as you can. Take care of your body, keep yourself active and make sure to live a healthy lifestyle.
