Hi Grace, Steve - Help! Occasionally I'll post a comment to a thread that doesn't show up on the Spectrum wall and I'm not sure why. Also, I sometimes can't see other posts until another member adds a comment, and then I'll see the original post attached to the comment. Am I doing something wrong? Or can others see my posts? Last night I posted a fairly long comment to the thread titled "How was your year?", but I can't see it anywhere on this forum.

Hi Burt,
Just curious...how did your neuro tell you to check for sensation and muscle weakness to make sure symptoms are a flare and not a new hit? In response to Gracie you wrote "My neuro taught me to check my sensation with a pin and check my muscle strength." I get lower back pain and suspect my left leg is slightly weaker than my right, but have never checked my baseline.

Cherie

I can't believe I'll be in LA a week from now!! I've got all my travel size stuff all lined up on my vanity, ready to be packed! LOL! I've got my carry-on bag already planned: ipad, bible, packet of paperwork from Martha to fill out on the long flight, hand sanitizer, crackers, and Advil! LA here I come! Ha ha! (I'm not excited....not at all. LOL!)

I just finished booking my flight and hotel room for Patients Day! I'm so excited to be going! This will be my first time, and I'm so looking forward to being able to meet those of you who are also going. My husband and I are staying 2 extra days so we can see a little bit of California as neither of us have been west of Eastern Tennessee! This is soooo thrilling for us!

Hi all, i had started a dental implant procedure just 2 weeks before I was diagnosed - steel screw was placed in the bone then stitched shut to allow the bone to heal. I went back to the dentist today for what I thought wAs just xrays to make sure the bone had healed, but before I knew it the doctor was using a lazer to cut thru the gums to bet to the implant for more work. I told him that I was on immunosuppressants and would probably take longer to heal, but he didn't seem concerned. Normally a procedure this simple wouldn't require antibiotics, but I'm wondering if I should look into it - just to make sure that the lazer treatment doesn't heal so slowly that infection has a chance to set in. (altho I've been gargling with Listerine like crazy!) Anyone have any experience or problems with dental implants while on immunosuppressants?
Cherie

Just completed my 1st round of Rituxin today and doing good. Still no side effects or complaints. I met another NMO patient at the Infusion Center today. It was great to meet another NMO patient in person. We chatted about what we knew so far about NMO research and shared stories. She has been diagnosed since 2009 and I was the first person she had ever met that also has this disease. She was initially diagnosed with MS and treated for MS pretty agressively, but of course she just got worse. By the time she was correctly diagnosed she was blind in one eye, had severe muscle weakness on one whole side, and severe leg drag on the other side. She suffers from a lot of muscle pain as a result of the damage that occured while under the wrong treatment, and has to use a walker or wheelchair to get around. We hugged when we parted, but I didn't get any contact info from her as she was pretty worn out and in a lot of pain by the time our meds were done, so I didn't want to ask anything of her. Her name is Charlotte, and for all the prayer warriors out there, please remember her in your prayers from time to time.

Cherie

I see that everyone in the community is on some kind of med to prevent relapse, but there are so many relapses! I feel like I'm missing something, although I'm reading and researching every avenue of info on NMO that I can set eyes on. WHY is there so much relapsing after Rituximab, cellcept, plasma exchange, and other treatments? Why is DaveBob and Sheila's daughter still progressing in the disease?? I have all these questions, and still trying to find more answers. I know there's sooo much still yet to learn, but would enjoy an exchange on this subject with any takers out there.
Best wishes for a terrific 4th of July weekend to all of you!

Just had my 1st dose of Rituxin at Johns Hopkins yesterday and it went well. No problems or adverse reactions at all. What a relief to have that med in me finally! Tracy, thanks for the good thoughts and prayers you pushed my way! Maryan, DaveBob, Welcome to the best place you can be for support and the latest news. Stick around! Wishing all a blessed day.

Good luck on your first treatment of Rituxin today!

Hi all, my name is Cherie and I was recently diagnosed with NMO. I've apparently had it sonce 2005 and didn't know it. Very lucky to not have had any permanent damage from the 3 or 4 attacks I've had. I am so glad to have found this site. I live in MD and when I was 1st diagnosed I was so scared and was waiting to see a specialist at Johns Hopkins, but had no one to talk to about this disease in the meantime. I was seen one week later and have just completed my 1st 5-day steroid treatment, and am feeling better. I start my rituxin treatments this Thurs. Just wanted to say hello!