Personal Experiences with Transverse Myelitis
We are always interested in hearing how you are coping with Transverse Myelitis in your life. Please feel free to Contact Us to send us an update, or any personal experience that you would like to share with regards to Transverse Myelitis in your life. We also welcome submissions from friends or family members. Transverse Myelitis is extremely difficult for the entire family, not just the patient.
Rox's story
How Transverse Myelitis visited our lives
Life had treated me well. I had just married a wonderful man. I had a fantastic job and colleagues. Everyone in my family was doing well. Was that a dream?
On the first Saturday of December 2008 I woke up with an immense pain in my left arm and pins and needles in the left side my body and all the way down the shoulders. I was rushed to hospital immediately. The doctors were puzzled. It did not look like a stroke or MS. I was told to wait a few days as I might have pinched a nerve.
The following day I woke up with unbearable pain in both arms. The pins and needles had already spread to the right side of my body. So I was rushed in an ambulance yet again to emergencies. There were three doctors around me looking puzzled. They had no idea what it was. They thought it was not serious though and told me to talk to my GP the following day for her to refer me to a neurologist.
My GP laughed at my request, could I see a neurologist some time this week? She said that the waiting list in my area to see a neurologist was at least six months. Then I remembered one of my wedding presents. An extensive private health insurance coverage. So through the insurance my husband arranged to see one of the best neurologists around. He could only see me in 10 days time given his tight agenda. We phoned several hospitals and that was the earliest any neurologist could see me.
Diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis, now what?
This bright neurologist told me I think you have Transverse Myelitis (TM). It is not acute, it has probably reached already its peak and it is such a shame you were not treated immediately with steroids in your first visit to a hospital. He ordered an urgent MRI (brain and spinal cord with contrast), spinal tap, evoked (visual) potentials, aquaporine-4, ANA antibodies and a long list of blood tests to try to establish the cause of TM or whether there was something else that could mimic TM.
All tests confirmed Transverse Myelitis, an inflammatory demyelination of the spinal cord which had affected me at the c3-c5 level. My brain was clear, I had no o-bands, the evoked potential tests were normal. The other tests could not determine the cause of TM but it was clear there was inflammation going on, likely to be caused by a virus I got weeks before in one of my trips to Africa. I also had some of my liver enzymes elevated, especially the serum Gamma GT that was at 200, when the normal range up is to 50.
Three weeks later the pins and needles that I had 24 hours a day disappeared, as did the pain in my right arm. I remained with hypersensitivity in my left arm and something nastier appeared: tonic spasms. This is a sort of electricity building up through the hands, arms, trunk and legs that felt like an electroshock that would last for about a minute. The spasms were triggered by movement and I would have at the very least 200 spasms per day. That prevented me from doing any sort of daily activity that involved movement. I also developed a .l.hermitte. neck, which feels like a sort of electricity along the spinal cord when I bended my neck. In addition to that I had chronic fatigue. There were days I did not have energy at all to get up from bed.
I was put on a strong doses of steroids and anti-seizure medication to control spasms. More tests were carried out. I had a liver biopsy, CT scans and another long list of blood tests to rule other viruses, autoimmune diseases, tumors and other rare conditions. The tests revealed nothing. Then I developed unbelievable strong migraines on the left side of my head. This was thought not to be related to TM or medication. My doctors tried putting me on different medication to control the spasms and pain but still the headaches did not go away.
Was Transverse Myelitis here to stay?
Fourteen months had passed by. During that time I had been pretty much house-bound. My symptoms were stuck. I could not walk at a fast speed because that would trigger spasms. Running was certainly out of the question. I would walk three quick steps and the spasms were triggered in the rest of my body. The spasms were so strong that I would lose control of my arms and my legs will get paralyzed.
My headaches became worse, especially when lying down. I had a third MRI scan (brain and spinal cord with contrast) which showed I had no new lesions and no deterioration in my old one. So my ongoing symptoms were attributed to be residuals of TM. Based on my neurologist.s report my GP told me to come to terms with my condition, as further improvements seemed to be unlikely.
I was very sad that my life changed so much over night. I was about to take the advice of my GP, but something inside me told me not to give up. I started reading widely medical journals and health news about ongoing research in Transverse Myelitis and other closely related diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). I found lots of information about stem-cell, as well as remyelination research programmes. But these therapies seemed to be in very early stages and not readily available.
CCSVI and the Liberation Treatment
During my daily search into medical therapies I came across the work of Professor Zamboni. He had discovered a congenital vascular disease which he labeled as Chronic Cerebro-Spinal Venous Insufficiency (CCSVI). People with CCSVI have their veins in the neck and/or chest narrowed (stenosed), twisted, or blocked which affects the drainage of the brain and spinal cord. In December 2009 CCSVI was recognized as a new type of truncular vascular condition by experts of 47 countries in the international union of phlebology. Further research suggests that people who have Multiple Sclerosis are very likely to also have CCSVI. Research by the University of Buffalo have also found CCSVI in about 25% of healthy individuals and about 40% of those with neurologic diseases.
A small-pilot study by Professor Zamboni revealed that treating CCSVI with a balloon angioplasty (a treatment also known as the liberation treatment) seemed to cut the chances of relapses and relieve some of the symptoms of MS patients, including headaches, fatigue and spasms. Exactly the same symptoms that had tormented me, so I became interested in finding out more. Was it possible that I suffered from this vascular disease?
I read all peer-reviewed journal publications to date on CCSVI. Since I'm not a medical doctor to judge whether this promising research venue could be relevant for my condition we asked for the advice of a friend, who happens to be a neurologist and director of a big hospital specialized in MS. This neurologist told us that the research on CCSVI seems to me a promising therapy for those with MS and CCSVI, but it is still at early stages to be recommended outside of a clinical trial. Furthermore, no research had been conducted directly on CCSVI and TM so this friend was not sure whether this therapy could help me at all. I was advised to talk to a very experienced vascular doctor (who had already treated several MS patients for CCSVI) to enquire further about CCSVI, how it is tested and treated and most importantly about the risks involved.
Do I have CCSVI?
My family and I spoke to this experienced vascular surgeon. After we assessed the risks involved of the various types of tests for diagnosing CCSVI, I opted to have a venography. This test revealed that my azygous vein, a vein that drains the spinal cord, was 100% blocked. My left internal jugular vein was narrowed (stenosed) more than 90%. So I was diagnosed with CCSVI.
My vascular surgeon suggested to treat these veins with a balloon angioplasty, regardless of whether that would have an impact on my neurological condition. I had the balloon angioplasty in March 2010.
My road to recovery
Immediately after my balloon angioplasty I felt a difference. The daily migraines that had tormented me for months stopped. I noticed a big difference in breathing. I never felt my breathing so good (not that I knew I had problem with it).
A few days after the angioplasty I asked my neurologists to have a further look at my medical file since CCSVI seems to be strongly correlated to MS. According to their assessment there is no indication at all to suggest I have MS. Furthermore, I was told that my chances of developing MS were low as I don.t have lesions in my brain, nor o-bands and because I was born and raised near the equator and no-one in my family has ever suffered from MS.
A second opinion
My improvements after the angioplasty have continued. My chronic fatigue faded away within weeks. My spasms practically disappeared two months afterwards. I stopped taking anti-spasm medications three months after the angioplasty. The pain I had in my left arm had decreased considerably.
I started to feel almost completely recovered. However, I was still puzzled as to why a TM patient like me might have CCSVI. So I sent copies of my medical file to two vascular surgeons and neurologists who have not been involved in my case before for a second opinion. These doctors concurred with the diagnosis. I'm a patient who happens to have two rare conditions, TM and CCSVI. The good news, is that after treating CCSVI, many of the symptoms that tormented and that had me house-bound disappeared. I hope that this stays this way.
For further information on CCSVI you can see (http://ccsvialliance.org).
Adam's Story (husband of Rox, a patient with TM)
This story is told from the perspective of Adam, Rox's husband.
When my wife was diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis I felt useless; unequipped to provide her with the support and guidance that she so desperately required, and that doctors were not providing. TM did change her life overnight. Rox had always been very active, self-motivated and driven. TM suddenly put a break on all that, depriving her of her energy, focus and enthusiasm. The constant fatigue made even the simplest, everyday things like getting out of bed, and walking to the corner store a struggle.
The words of the doctors provided very little comfort. We were told initially that improvements (if any) in her condition were possible up to two years after the onset of TM, but most improvements were likely to occur within the first six months. Yet here we were 14 months down the line, with little evident improvement and that 2-year .deadline. bearing heavy on our conscious. All I could do was tell Rox (and myself) that there was still hope, thinking that few things are as exact in life and that we could perhaps still look forward to improvements. Our lives were consumed entirely by TM. We had long-stopped making plans, and took every day as it came, given our uncertainty: Would the condition improve? Would the condition actually worsen? Could the TM develop into MS? How does one plan for any of these?
It was all down to Rox's stubborn determination, despite the fatigue and depression, to unearth the causes of her TM and search for new leads that she came across the research into CCSVI, and Zamboni's Liberation Treatment. Could this have been the answer that we were looking for? We both started to feel that we had been given the permission to hope for a better tomorrow. I wanted to be as supportive as possible, but at the same time I felt compelled to protect her from raising her hopes too high in order to prevent a crushing disappointment in case the Liberation Treatment proved of no help to her. At the time there had been no record of TM patients undergoing this treatment. My first priority was to understand the risks, knowing that I had to play the .devil.s advocate. to ensure that our desperation for a solution would not draw us to taking unjustified risks with Rox's future health and well-being.
We found a doctor that had performed the balloon angioplasty on MS patients, who explained clearly the steps involved, and the risks of the procedure from a vascular point of view, but also that the long-term neurological effects were unknown, given that the application of this method in relation to neurological dysfunctions was very recent. We were told that vascular issues were known to be related somehow to neurological symptoms, even though these links were not yet perfectly understood, and that there were no guarantees that the procedure would actually help with Rox's TM even if a stenosis in her veins was found and rectified. At this stage, we tried to separate the vascular and neurological issues in our minds, thinking that if there was also an underlying vascular malfunction affecting Rox, it would probably be prudent to treat irrespective of its potential link to TM. We therefore proceeded with the diagnosis, and the subsequent treatment given the significant stenoses that were found.
A few hours after the treatment the sensitivity in Rox's left wrist subsided and unexpectedly she pointed to an improvement in her breathing. I tried to control my excitement, knowing that we would probably have to be patient before we saw an improvement in the symptoms that impacted mostly her everyday life; the migraines, fatigue and painful spasms. It is now 4 months since Rox had the liberation treatment and our lives have just about returned to normal. TM is still part of our everyday life, but Rox's energy has returned and the spasms have largely subsided, her enthusiasm has rebounded and we now dare to hope for further improvement. We feel entitled again to look further than one day ahead, and make plans for the future. To anyone questioning the benefits of CCSVI, I could in our case just point to the above facts that speak for themselves.
Mandy's Story
My name is Mandy. I'm 36 now. In March '06 (aged 32) I woke with what I can only describe as fizzy feet! I had a small fizziness sensation in both feet. At the time I was working at Aldi supermarkets as a Store Deputy, running my butt off! I loved my job! I went to work that day thinking I had trapped a nerve as my job involved heavy lifting, but as the day went on (and over the next 2 days) I went numb up to my middle torso! I still continued to work! I really think that I was in denial, as I was super Mandy!! Normally, nothing was too much for me, except this was :o(
The next day was Saturday and my sister came to visit with her 2 kids. I just burst into tears as I told her I couldn't feel my legs properly. I had an appointment to see the Doctor the following Tuesday, but my sister was having none of it. She called NHS direct, and a Docter rang me back! Next, I went to a walk in centre to see a Doctor there who did some initial neurological tests. He said I needed to see a Neurologist but there wasn't any on call on the weekends! I had managed ok at home and so the Doctor sent me back home and told me to get in touch with my GP as soon as I could.
My GP thought my numbness was a side effect from some medications I had been taking for over a year. The medication is called Atenolol. I had been taking it for a fast heartbeat an panic attacks. He thought the problem was the medication, or something called TM (Transverse Myelitis) which was a total inflammation across the whole of the spinal cord! He said that was very rare. I stopped the tablets for a week with no improvement. I went back to GP who then sent me to the medical assesment unit at the Hospital. I got there at lunch time and by 4pm I was in the MRI machine! The MRI took 1hr and 20mins! They scanned my spine and my neck and then my brain.
The next day I went back to the hospital and they gave me steroids by IV. 2 days later, they managed to squeeze me in to see the Neurologist. The Neurologist showed me the MRI of my Brain on his screen. It had white spots scattered through it, which he told me were typical of the disease. At that time, he told me I had experienced an episode of De-Myelination and if I had anymore it would be called Multiple Sclerosis!
Next, I went blind in my left eye in the July that same year. Then the TM came back in October of the same year. I'd rather blot that year out now as it was so scary the way one thing after another was happening to me. It just wasn't fair. I didn't understand what was happening to me. I'd been so fit and healthy or so I thought.
I got the diagnosis of MS on the 13th of May 07. They say you never forget the day you got diagnosed! I havent returned to work since I left that Friday in March 06. I feel bad about that, but I have been left with altered sensation in my feet, and I feel like I'm burning on my upper thighs and around the Groin area. When I walk too far, my skin feels as if it is bubbling around the Groin. It is hard to explain!
I have been told I have been very lucky to have escaped being permanently disabled, but I also think I haven't totally gotten better either! I have learned about a new vascular disease called CCSVI (chronic cerebral spinal venous influx). The Verecous Veins blood pools in the head around the brain and there is too much Iron building up in the Blood Brain Barrier. Therefore, the body attacks the excess Iron which causes MS. I have my name down for the scan to see if my jugular veins are blocked or twisted, so fingers crossed one day soon I'll feel like good old super Mandy!!
Thanks for sharing, Mandy (Super Mandy!)
Rose's Story
How it Began
On May 15, 2007, I was having a normal Sunday evening at home, when after working on my laptop for a few hours, I decided to go to bed (at 10:30pm). Once I put my feet on the floor, after having them up on the coffee table, I noticed my left foot had fallen asleep...really badly. But since it was late and I had to get up at 5:30a the next day, I figured I'd just sleep it off. The next morning I noticed my right foot was now asleep. Odd, I thought, pins and needles isn't contagious as far as I know....it was much milder than the previous night so I decided to ignore it and get on with the morning. By the time I got to work I noticed both legs were now feeling rather odd and my left leg was beginning to hurt. Tuesday rolled around and I was clumsier than usual, bumping into things and dropping things. My pins and needles was intensifying and walking was becoming difficult. On Wednesday I decided to tell my boss, not my immediate boss, who was home with a terrible fever and migraine, but my COO. He told me it was cool if I felt I needed to go to the doctor or hospital..just to let him know when I was leaving. I had called my Back doctor, thinking I must have ruptured a disc or something. (The previous Nov. '06 I had a set of facet injections to my lower spine to handle some severe pain in my lumbar spine.) On Thursday, I was much worse, I called the doctor's office again, and was told he would not be available until Monday, I then panicked and went to the ER by 3pm that afternoon.
The ER
After giving the attendings my back history, they felt I was on the right track and NOT an emergency patient, thus no MRIs, but did get a hold of my doctor so I could have a steroid pill pack for the next 7 days...to help with any swelling. (Apparently that was a lucky move because later research I did pointed to early treatment for Transverse Myelitis with steroids to be a good thing.)
Finding the Truth
I finally got in to see the back specialist the following Monday and he was convinced it was my herniated discs...he mentioned they were nothing to write home about but we could do a new set of injections for the pain...nevermind that I was not in pain but experiencing numbness throughout my pelvis through to my toes...
I was not convinced and decided to ignore him and try to find another specialist...a joyous hunt through my insurance company's web site to find another doctor who would see me sooner than 1 month out. My boss finally found out and was furious with me, for not telling him and with my spinal doctor. He did some recon of his own and found me a specialist that would see me that Friday. He only did a consultation with me but after reviewing what I had (current Lumbar MRI, last Nov's Thoracic MRI and an Xray he did of my neck) his diagnosis was...he did not know what I had. I did have the herniated discs in my Lumbar and Cervical areas (based on my age, having a baby, and job). He said the other symptoms were neurological and I needed to see a Neurologist as soon as I could. He gave me the name of someone he felt was the best.
The recommended Neurologist was dealing with a family emergency and would not be able to see me for another 5 weeks...out of the question for me. Once again, back to the insurance web pages to hunt for a neurologist. Picked at random I landed on Dr. Daniel Rovner who was available that Friday (now Jun. 1st). Much to my surprise he already had an inkling of what I had but decided to do the Thoracic and Cervical and Brain MRIs...one at a time so as not to piss off the insurance company. He also ran a Spinal Tap and comprehensive blood tests (testing for everything from STDs to viral issues) . The blood work was normal, the Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) showed tell tale signs of an infection in my cord. Transverse Myelitis was the diagnosis. He said I was lucky that it did not paralyze me in the first day. He was confident (hopeful?) that this would be a one time occurrence and I would recover my movement and most of the sensory issues would go away in about 1.5 years. Since I have constant pain in my mid-back area (bra-strap area), he determined I have a hidden lesion there causing the over-stimulation issues in my pelvis and legs. (Dr. Rovner later had me read a book in which the author was a patient of his..it helped me a lot: The Best Seat in the House: How I woke up one Tuesday and was Paralyzed for Life)
So I could not walk more than a block (or sometimes half) without my legs erupting in an over-sensory- vibrating, tingling, inability to feel my legs as normal, like jello mess that takes 45min-1hr to return to a semi-normal state of constant vibration-tingling-minor-over-sensory feelings from my pelvis to my toes.
I discovered, after trying swimming for two weeks....can't do that, tried just sit-ups and minor arm work at the gym..can't do that, then I was hit hard when I overheated at work on Sept. 20, 2007..it sent me to the hospital and pointed out that I need to rest. I was off work for about a week when all this first hit, but that did not really allow for me to deal with the total future implications of this and my mental health. After careful discussion with Dr. Rovner and my husband, Morgan, I decided to take Oct. 2007 off.
Optic Neuritis
Well, the next week, the week of prepping back-up assistance for my boss, I discovered I had an odd headache that triggered a 3-day migraine. By the end of that week I was fried to the max. I made an appt. with my Optometrist since my left eye was now bothering me and were the pain in my head decided to rest in. I had a strange sensation of something in my field of view and was constantly looking at my sunglasses expecting to find a smudge..but nothing was there. I felt pressure from my nose to my eye and it hurt to move my eye. The following day from my visit with the eye doc I began to lose the ability to see certain colors and all colors were fading, I had noise in my vision (kind of like this but lighter and more gray ) and the pressure subsided but the pain was still there. I called Dr. Rovner and much to my dismay his initial reaction was...'Damn'...not something I really wanted to hear. Thus my new diagnosis of Devic's Disease (Neuromyelitis Optica). A much worse diagnosis in my opinion... sigh!
I underwent daily IV treatments of Solumedrol that Tuesday through Friday to counteract the loss of vision due to an inflamed Optic Nerve. Double sigh.
Currently
Those were scary times, my vision has since healed but now I have migraines on my left side and random other issues. I still have all the buzzy/fuzziness in my legs from my hips to my toes, walk like a duck, and have difficulty going up starts...something that will never change since I have healed as much as I will (per the good doc). I now take Rebif for a diagnosis of MS after the ON attack but am looking towards being treated for CCSVI. I was scanned recently at the Hubbard Foundation and discovered to have narrowings and refluxing flow in my internal jugular veins and narrowings in my azygos vein. I am trying to convince a local FSIR to treat me. He has gone to a CCSVI symposium in NY and is meeting with Dr. Scalfani and also sitting in on a few venoplasties. Hopefully he will return with an interest in treating me. Otherwise I will be going back to San Diego to be treated by the Hubbard Foundation.
Please take a look at Rose's blog where she is updating information prior to CCSVI treatment: Rose's Blog
Thanks for sharing, Rose! Good luck in your search for effective treatment!
Joshua's Story
I had a terrible bout with TM last spring. It was so horrible that I can hardly believe it really happened. While I was going thru it I would tell people it was like living in a science fiction horror flick! NO EXAGGERATION!.
I am driven to make something positive out of this terrible experience. I have started to write a book as my story has some very interesting twists. While I was suffering I promised that I would make something positive out of this.
I found your site because I am doing research for my book. My book will ultimately be about overcoming adversity and faith. For those of us who have had TM it is good to know their are others that understand. It has been hard for me to deal with. I am extremely grateful that it seems that I have had a full recovery. I feel I have a responsibility to help others.
Thanks for sharing, Joshua! Enjoy writing your book, and please let us know when its complete.
Mike's Story
I am 43 yrs old. I am self employed and have a family. I have seen a chiropractor for many years so for me to have a headache, neck ache, or lower back pain is nothing, I just go to get adjustment from chiropractor. On Jan 25 2010, i went in for an adjustment. My chiropractor suggested i see my family dr. on Jan. 26 2010, i saw family dr. got some meds for the tingling and was told possibly a herniated disk in my back. Jan 27, my wife had enough. I was walking bent over, hurt every step, and couldn't pee but had the urge. She took me to the E.R. after I had about 1700 cc of urine taken out of my bladder, the dr got to business. I had MRI, XRAYS, and every blood test imaginable. After about 1 hr, the dr was putting me in the hosptial. I had no idea what I was feeling or if I was making this up. I felt so weird. Like my body isn't doing what i want it to when i want it do it...
On Jan.28 I got the TM dignosies. things started to roll with treatments of IV streroids for 5 days, I was released from hospital on Jan 30 which was my dad's birthday. I have been following up with physcial theropy, urologiest, and my family doc.. in March i see the neurologist for a follow up... just the feeling of not being able to work, and not able to control my body is frusterating...
I was told this was odd because the neurologists have NEVER seen TM just come on without a previous illness or injury....
Praying i have a fast recovery... thanks for letting me share my story
Thanks for sharing, Mike!
Steph's Story
How it Began
I woke up one day in March 2006 thinking the day would be like any other day. It was a normal day until I felt a very odd sensation while shaving my legs. The sensation that I felt when I touched my leg felt odd. That's really the only way that I can describe it. I didn't think much of it at the time.
On thursday (about two days later) I starting experiencing pain. The pain was most intense in my left hip area. I also had pain in my lower back. It was not a sharp or unbearable pain, but it was extremely uncomfortable. I packed up and left work early that night.
On friday (the next day) it was even worse. The pain was not bearable and I had a difficult time sitting in my chair for longer than fifteen minutes at a time. The pain was less intense when I walked around. I packed up and left work at noon that day. At this point I was concerned that something might be wrong, but I thought some rest would solve the problem.
On Saturday I noticed that the odd sensation in my leg was actually numbness. The numbness had increased by this time. My left leg was numb, and my right leg felt normal. It was extremely painful to sit in any position. Laying was the most comfortable, followed by walking or standing.
First Trip to the Hospital
On Monday I was in an extreme amount of pain, so I went to the hospital emergency unit. The doctors conducted a medical history, physical examination, and multiple urine tests. This process took 8 hours, and then the doctors sent me home with a referral to a Neurology clinic. I was told the appointment would take a couple months because they were backed up. The physicians recommended Tylenol for the pain. Tylenol did not help even a bit.
I spent an entire week in pain.
I left work early on some days, and I was absent on other days.
The pain prevented me from sleeping each night, and I was averaging about 1 hour of sleep.
I felt hopeless.
I could
Second Trip to the Hospital
The following Monday (1 week since the last visit to the hospital), I woke up and realized the numbness had risen to my chest area, on the left side of my body.
It became difficult to feel any sensation in my toes, and it felt
I waited the entire night in the hospital hallway for an MRI. It finally happened at 4am. After taking the MRI images, they repeated the MRI with contrast, which allows them to obtain more information about the spine. The contrast involved injecting dye into my blood so the pictures provided additional information. They also did a brain MRI. The entire process took about 80 minutes.
TM Diagnosis
Shortly after the MRI, I was moved from the hospital hallway into a more comfortable room. This is when the neurologist came to give the news. I was not surprised when the doctor said I had transverse myelitis. I had spent hours researching my symptoms during the previous two weeks, and transverse myelitis was one of the things that I had read about. At the time, however, I was not aware that transverse myelitis is such a serious disorder. My lesion is located at the C5/C6 level.
My Treatment
I was treated with 1000mg of injected methylprednisolone that morning, and again that evening. I received another 1000mg/day for the two days following. The doctors performed frequent physical examinations, and my symptoms slightly improved after the second or third day. I was released from the hospital on the fourth day, with a prednisone prescription. The purpose of the prescription was to taper off from the high dose intravenous methylprednisolone.
My Recovery
I rested for a day, and then foolishly returned to work the following day. This was entirely too fast, and I would not recommend it to anyone. I really pushed myself too much too fast, which resulted in too much pressure and too much stress.
After about a month I felt 80% recovered. The most difficult issue was the constant aching back pain that I still experienced while sitting, especially for extended periods of time. I had an MRI done about 3 months later and the neurologist reported that the lesion had slightly decreased in size.
My Ongoing Treatment
It has now been about two and a half years since my TM attack. More information about my current condition coming soon..