When Amanda Hahn developed a recurring eye pain in 2019, she thought it must be the result of staring at a screen all day for work. That seemed like the obvious conclusion, especially as she was only in her mid-twenties at the time.
She never could have imagined that she’d later receive a life-altering diagnosis.
For most of her life, Hahn, 29, has struggled with memory issues, but she never gave it much thought. Likewise, she would often experience random bouts of numbness in her limbs, but she told Newsweek that she “never thought it was anything serious.”
Those symptoms were infrequent and didn’t affect her lifestyle too much, so it wasn’t difficult to pass them off as nothing. But then in spring 2019, Hahn’s vision became impeded, and it was harder to overlook these symptoms.
“My eye started hurting and it started about a week before I realized something was really wrong,” Hahn, from New York, said. “It felt like a sharp, uncomfortable pain whenever I looked down and to the side.
“Honestly, I blamed it on work at first. I’m in a digital marketing role at an agency, so I spend most of my day staring at a computer screen. I figured the strain was catching up to me,” she continued.
In the days and weeks that followed, her vision continued to deteriorate. Hahn explained that her eyes felt blurry, colors looked different, and her vision didn’t feel clear. “That’s when I knew it wasn’t just screen time,” she said.
She couldn’t deny it any longer, so Hahn arranged an appointment with an ophthalmologist for tests. Following an examination, Hahn was urged to go straight to the ER for an MRI as the ophthalmologist suspected she could have multiple sclerosis (MS).
“I never thought it was even a possibility. Even though my mom has MS, I never thought it would affect me,” Hahn said.
What is MS?
MS is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks myelin cells, the protective sheaths that surround the nerves in the brain and spinal cord.
Damage can interrupt the signals that the nerves send through the body to perform certain functions—such as vision, sensation and movement.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, symptoms typically include changes to vision, muscle weakness, spasms, numbness, loss of balance and cognitive impairment. It is thought that there are almost 1 million adults in the U.S. living with MS, which predominantly affects women between the ages of 20 and 40.
Although there is treatment that focuses on minimizing further damage, there is currently no cure for MS.
Living with the Condition
For Hahn, it felt devastating to learn that she may have the condition at only 23 years old. When the MRI results came back, she was told that she has relapsing remitting MS, which causes episodes of new and worsening symptoms that can last for days or weeks.
“I was overwhelmed and confused,” Hahn told Newsweek. “I had been at the ER all day waiting for my MRI and the results. When a nurse finally came in, she just handed me a pamphlet and said, ‘this is what your life will look like in 10 years.’ It was a lot to process.”
Hahn saw multiple other doctors afterwards, but each of them confirmed the diagnosis.
Six years on, Hahn has learned so much more about how to live with the condition. The 29-year-old said that she’s “doing really well” overall and is far more intentional about living healthily.
Hahn has an infusion of tysabri once a month to reduce the number and severity of MS relapses.
While the diagnosis was certainly life-changing, she refuses to let it be limiting.
Hahn said: “I try to focus on being the healthiest version of myself. Luckily, I had already started making lifestyle changes after college (when I was at my unhealthiest). Now, I walk over five miles a day, eat fewer packaged foods, and follow a low-carb lifestyle.
“MS doesn’t mean your life is over, it just means it might look a little different—and that’s okay. Stay positive and shine through the darkness.”
Following her diagnosis, Hahn has been documenting her experiences on social media (@oheyitsamanda on TikTok and Instagram) to educate others. She shares everything from her early symptoms, how she was diagnosed—and everything she’s learned since.
As many of her posts have gone viral with tens of thousands of views on social media, Hahn has connected with so many other MS warriors who have shared their experiences. She hopes to show just how full a life can be despite an MS diagnosis.
Hahn continued: “I get a mix of responses online, but most people either share their own stories or tell me how glad they are to have found my videos. Those messages mean so much to me. They give me hope and motivate me to keep raising awareness about MS.”
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