Coping with multiple sclerosis symptoms, attacks, and treatments
Ah, the holidays. When everyone is relaxed as sparklingly clean homes are aglow with candlelight reflected in bright smiles at gifts left by santa, toasting glasses, shiny giftwrap ribbons and bows…
Let’s be honest – in many ways the holidays suck.
[Read more…] about All I Want For Christmas Is You: A Very Multiple Sclerosis Christmas
“They” say that you are considered newly diagnosed for the first 2 1/2 to 3 years after your Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis. It seems like only yesterday that I posted my “Year One” article. It seems like only yesterday that I was diagnosed! Somehow, enough time has passed that I find myself at a point where I have been living with Multiple Sclerosis for four years.
[Read more…] about Living With Multiple Sclerosis – Four Years
My one year anniversary of taking Gilenya occurred in May, but my first MRI results and latest blood test since beginning treatment occurred only recently. Multiple Sclerosis can be a very unpredictable disease, but prior to treatment with Gilenya I averaged 2 – 3 relapses per year. My neurologists have told met hat the average gap between relapses is 18 months which I have never achieved. However, I am getting closer every day as this is the longest relapse-free period I have ever had since diagnosis. My Gilenya test results during my last office visit were overwhelmingly positive.
[Read more…] about Diary Of A Gilenya Pioneer: Latest Gilenya Test Results
Do you exercise with Multiple Sclerosis? How many times have you heard the phrase “If you don’t move it you lose it!”
Information is developed and spread so quickly now. When I was first diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis a few years ago, patients were advised to avoid exercise as it could bring on worsened symptoms or new attacks. Now we know that this is mostly a fallacy. An active lifestyle for a person with MS means lessened disease activity in the long term and improved fatigue, strength, flexibility, mobility, cardiovascular fitness, bladder function, and bowel function. Those are some very attractive incentives!
Happy anniversary to me! One year ago today I took my first dose of Gilenya. My heart rate waxed and waned that day, but in the 12 months since my life has steadily improved. I don’t expect roses today, but I am ecstatic that the drug is working for me. Until this time last year, I was in a pattern of a relapse every few months. I have now been relapse-free for one year and counting! So far, Gilenya results have been fantastic.
I began the journey secretly hopeful that I might be one of those few people who miraculously have so many of their lesions shrink and heal on Gilenya, but I was also reasonable. Most of my damage is well over a year old, and most neurologists will tell you to stop expecting any improvement after one year. May 5 2011, deep down I believed that I was stuck with what I had in spite of any contradictory fantasies.
[Read more…] about Diary Of A Gilenya Pioneer: Gilenya Results After One Year On Gilenya
Lately I have had serious trouble with something frequently called the MS Hug (also known as Girdle Pain or sometimes Girdle Band Sensation). What is the MS Hug? There are a couple of theories on what causes this. One theory is that it is just muscle spasms like all the other muscles spasms experienced by people like me. And by “muscle spasms” I mean awful unbearable crippling pain (OK it’s not this bad every single time). The more popular theory is that the spasms are caused by lesions on the spinal cord – I’ve never had an MRI on my spinal cord so I can’t tell you if that could be a factor for me. It can be an exacerbation or a psuedoexacerbation. In my case I’m not sure. But I’m going to try to give you all the information I can about this abomination. Please remember, I work with computers and have no medical background.
[Read more…] about What is the MS Hug / Girdle Pain / Girdle Pain Sensation / Squeeze ‘O’ Death?
My first year of Multiple Sclerosis went by so quickly.
Year one of my Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis wrapped up about a month ago (I was diagnosed December 10 2008) and I’ve been reflecting on all the randomness and misinformation about the disease. As a lot of things in my life begin to come together (I’m growing up finally!) I find myself mourning the diagnosis more now than I did initially.
No one knows what causes MS and there is no cure. The idea of the cure is threefold: 1 – prevention of the disease, 2 – prevention of further progression of the disease, and 3 – reversal of disability caused by the disease. Theories are that those genetically prone to it may have it set off by exposure to a virus (probably the Epstein-Barr virus), that is is solely due to a vitamin D deficiency, and that a vascular disorder causes a backup of blood that leads to iron deposits in the brain. At any rate, the effect is that the immune system attacks the central nervous system, destroying myelin and the nerves that it protects. About 3/4 of all those diagnosed with MS are women.
[Read more…] about My First Year Of Multiple Sclerosis Diagnosis