I was diagnosed in September 2008.
I have been in hospital since April with pneumonia and a cardiac arrest. The neurologist at the hospital now things I may have msa . This is rather confusing and fighting"."…could anyone throwback some light on the matter?.
I too was diagnosed about the same time with CA but on my last visit the Neurologist mentioned MSA because of the rapid progression.I had been tested for thiis twice before so I joined the MSA society who have been very helpful.Each time my autonomic system worked.
I believe MSA is when some or all your organs dont work properly. The fact that you have had heart problems may lead them to make this diagnosis but they may be wrong and barking up the wrong tree as I think they have done with me.
I know and have accepted that I have Cerebellar Degeneration but I have no idea what has caused it.
Since MSA was mentioned back in May the shock has worn off.
It is not the length of life that is important but the quality. This has really hit home when I visit my mother in her care home.She and most of them around her have Alzheimers and I am glad to get out back to my normal world of Cerebellar ATaxia.
I think MSA is similar to CA but not quite.Basically not enough is known about CA so it is an umbrellar term for a type of Ataxia which could be inherited or not as in my case it just happened.That's the way I see it now but I have had lots of help and advice from others on this site.
Marie