Columns

August 23, 2019August 21, 2019

I Am Grateful for Everything — Even MS

A Life in Letters -- A Column By Jamie Hughes, Columns

Last week, CNN’s Anderson Cooper broadcast an interview with “The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert. They had a lively discussion about comedy, politics, careers, and the like, but perhaps ... Read more

August 23, 2019August 21, 2019

Life Is Better with a Local MS Nurse

Columns, Fall Down, Get Up Again- a Column by John Connor

I was struck down by sclerosis in 2006 — literally. I was playing tennis and ran to return a drop shot. I never made it, but I did drop ... Read more

August 23, 2019August 21, 2019

Are Your MS Disease-modifying Treatments Old School or New School?

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Choosing which MS medication to use is one of the most difficult decisions for someone with MS and their neurologist. After 39 years with MS, and with four disease-modifying ... Read more

August 22, 2019August 16, 2019

Need to Know: The Hug You Never Want to Receive

Columns, MS in Moderation, a column by Tamara Sellman

Editor’s note: “Need to Know” is a series inspired by common forum questions and comments from readers. Have a comment or question about MS? Visit our forum. This week’s ... Read more

August 22, 2019August 20, 2019

I Will Not Be Sidelined in the Game of Life

Columns, Silver Linings - a Column by Jennifer Powell

It is the most wonderful time of the year. Sounds of commentator calls, audibles, and cheering crowds fill the house. A familiar sense of calm envelops my being. It ... Read more

August 21, 2019August 16, 2019

The Clinical Trial I Participated in Was a Positive Experience

Columns, MSunderstood Millennial - a Column by Stephanie Towler

I knew nothing about multiple sclerosis (MS) before 2012, including the cause, the cure, or any other details. I had so many unanswered questions about how I would live ... Read more

August 19, 2019August 19, 2019

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Dark Rimmed Lesions, Sativex in the UK, NHS Care Toolkit for Neurological Diseases, Wahls Diet

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Dark Rimmed Brain Lesions May Be Signal of Aggressive Disease, NIH Study Says Researchers in this study found that specific brain lesions, notable for their dark rims, may indicate ... Read more

August 16, 2019August 14, 2019

Up Peristeen, or How to Beat the Blockade

Columns, Fall Down, Get Up Again- a Column by John Connor

The joys of MS are never-ending. One area that gets disrupted by this disease of the central nervous system is our pelvic regions. That affects bladder, bowel, and sexual ... Read more

August 16, 2019August 14, 2019

MS Progression’s Speed Tagged to ‘Smoldering’ Brain Inflammation

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

The presence of chronic active lesions in the brain may provide a clue as to how quickly multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms will progress. Researchers at the U.S. National Institutes ... Read more

August 15, 2019August 9, 2019

Need to Know: How a Spinal Tap Can Help to Diagnose MS

Columns, MS in Moderation, a column by Tamara Sellman

Editor’s note: “Need to Know” is a series inspired by common forum questions and comments from readers. Have a comment or question about MS? Visit our forum. This week’s question ... Read more

August 13, 2019August 9, 2019

Keeping a Positive Attitude with Advocacy: Why I Write ‘The MS Wire’

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

This month marks the third anniversary of my column, “The MS Wire.” After writing two columns a week for most of those 156 weeks, it isn’t always easy to ... Read more

August 12, 2019August 12, 2019

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Solution for Lemtrada Complications, CBD Infusions, Vaccines and MS, Music and Exercise

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Autoimmune Complications Associated with Lemtrada Solved Using Anti-CD20 Therapies, Case Studies Suggest One of the concerns about the disease-modifying therapy (DMT) Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) is that it may raise the ... Read more

August 9, 2019August 6, 2019

Looking Forward, Looking Back

A Life in Letters -- A Column By Jamie Hughes, Columns

I am now 41, at the beginning of “middle age,” and I’m tempted to give it the middle finger. It’s a halfway point, a layover, a way station — ... Read more

August 9, 2019August 7, 2019

An Open Letter to a Newly Diagnosed Patient

Columns, Fall Down, Get Up Again- a Column by John Connor

I’ve been a co-moderator on the MS News Today Forums for a couple of months now and recently wrote a reply to a newly diagnosed patient, Jono. He’s only ... Read more

August 9, 2019August 6, 2019

Using Marijuana and Having Surgery? Tell Your Anesthesiologist

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

If you’re using marijuana and have surgery scheduled, take heed. In Colorado, where medical marijuana was legalized in 2000 and recreational use in 2012, medical personnel are discovering that ... Read more

August 8, 2019August 2, 2019

Need to Know: What Is Foot Drop and What Can I Do About It?

Columns, MS in Moderation, a column by Tamara Sellman

Editor’s note: “Need to Know” is a series inspired by common forum questions and comments from readers. Have a comment or question about MS? Visit our forum. This week’s ... Read more

August 8, 2019August 6, 2019

My Pain Is Real — Don’t Deny Me Relief

Columns, Silver Linings - a Column by Jennifer Powell

I am quite outspoken. I have no problem voicing my opinion or needs — or so I thought. An exchange this morning left me speechless. While my head was ... Read more

August 7, 2019August 1, 2019

It Could Be Worse: Practicing Positivity in Life with MS

Columns, MSunderstood Millennial - a Column by Stephanie Towler

“It could be worse.” That’s a phrase I say to myself when I feel defeated by my multiple sclerosis (MS). When I am exhausted or just feeling “off,” I ... Read more

August 6, 2019August 1, 2019

Cleaning Out My Closet and Letting Go of Clutter Makes Space for Healing

Columns, Patiently Awakened - A Column by Teresa Wright-Johnson

I have too much stuff! Why is this relevant? By the end of this column, I hope that you will comprehend my message. For the past few weeks, I ... Read more

August 6, 2019August 5, 2019

Trying to Stay Cool in a Heat Wave? A Fan Might Not Always Be the Best Option

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

July was unusually hot in much of the Northern Hemisphere. So, pull out your electric fan and use it to help your multiple sclerosis (MS) beat that heat and ... Read more

August 5, 2019August 5, 2019

MS News That Caught My Eye Last Week: 3D and Early MRIs, Memory Training, Ponesimod Trial

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

3D Imaging of Brain Lesions May Spot Those Most Likely to Heal, Guiding Treatment These scientists are working to create a new diagnostic tool that would allow doctors to ... Read more

August 2, 2019July 31, 2019

Hell Week: Record Heat Teams Up with a Sneaky Infection

Columns, Fall Down, Get Up Again- a Column by John Connor

Last Thursday was the hottest day ever recorded in U.K. history at 101.6 degrees F. Heat sensitivity is enough to reduce me to the puddle I described last week. But ... Read more

August 2, 2019July 31, 2019

Using the Floodlight App to Track My MS

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Over the past several weeks, I’ve been using an app called Floodlight to track my ability to live with my multiple sclerosis (MS). It measures things such as my ... Read more

August 1, 2019July 26, 2019

Need to Know: Is My Vertigo Caused by MS?

Columns, MS in Moderation, a column by Tamara Sellman

Editor’s note: “Need to Know” is a series inspired by common forum questions and comments from readers. Have a comment or question about MS? Visit our forum. This week’s ... Read more

August 1, 2019July 30, 2019

We Are Strong — We Have No Other Choice

Columns, Silver Linings - a Column by Jennifer Powell

I recently saw a greeting card that read, “You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.” No truer words. While I am grateful ... Read more

July 30, 2019July 26, 2019

Getting Back in the Water with My MS

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

After a week of temperatures at 95 degrees or more making it too hot to swim, today was comfortable enough for me to get back into our condo’s pool. ... Read more

July 29, 2019July 29, 2019

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Chronic Itching, Standing Therapy, Gut Microbes

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Neuronal Circuit Likely Behind Chronic Itch in MS and Other Diseases Identified I often read posts on multiple sclerosis social media groups complaining about chronic itching. This mouse study ... Read more

July 26, 2019August 22, 2019

Letting Go of Appearances in Life with MS

A Life in Letters -- A Column By Jamie Hughes, Columns

Living with MS can sometimes feel like you’re performing a one-woman (or man) show. Think about it. How many times have you pretended to be OK when you didn’t ... Read more

July 26, 2019July 24, 2019

Beaten by the Heat: Oh, What a Night!

Columns, Fall Down, Get Up Again- a Column by John Connor

It’s 1 p.m. in the U.K., and it’s 90 degrees Fahrenheit. I can hardly move due to the heat. My left hand is typing this. The rest of my body ... Read more

July 26, 2019July 24, 2019

Why Am I Not Bitter About My MS?

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Living with multiple sclerosis (MS) is a process of loss — of mobility, brain function, and independence. We can lose relationships and jobs. For most of us, these losses ... Read more

July 25, 2019July 19, 2019

Need to Know: How Does Occupational Therapy Help People with MS?

Columns, MS in Moderation, a column by Tamara Sellman

Editor’s note: “Need to Know” is a series inspired by common forum questions and comments from readers. Have a comment or question about MS? Visit our forum. This week’s question ... Read more

July 25, 2019July 25, 2019

Judging a Book by Its Cover

Columns, Silver Linings - a Column by Jennifer Powell

I find airport newsstands alluring. I am drawn toward the litany of books. Shelves of colorful covers beckon to me, bestsellers emblazoned with enticing accolades. I need those books, ... Read more

July 23, 2019July 19, 2019

Urinary Tract Infections Are Getting Harder to Treat

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a problem for a significant number of people with multiple sclerosis (MS). As many as three in 10 may wind up needing treatment for ... Read more

July 22, 2019July 22, 2019

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Ibudilast Trial for Inactive SPMS, PPMS Brain Cells in Space, MS and Cancer Risk

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Phase 3 Trial of Ibudilast Planned for SPMS Patients with Inactive Disease, MediciNova Says Though medications are approved in the U.S. to treat primary progressive multiple sclerosis and active ... Read more

July 19, 2019July 17, 2019

I Survived My ‘Home Alone’ Weekend

Columns, Fall Down, Get Up Again- a Column by John Connor

OK, this was my first test. Accomplish this and Day One should be a breeze. The trick is not to panic. You’ve crossed a continent with your thumb — ... Read more

July 19, 2019July 16, 2019

This Is Me, and This Is How I Live with My MS

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Have you ever read something and thought, “This is me, this is my MS”? It happened to me today as I read a post by Rachel Horne on the ... Read more

July 18, 2019July 15, 2019

Need to Know: Managing Stress When You Have MS

Columns, MS in Moderation, a column by Tamara Sellman

Editor’s note: “Need to Know” is a series inspired by common forum questions and comments from readers. Have a comment or question about MS? Visit our forum. This week’s question ... Read more

July 17, 2019July 15, 2019

Talking to My Parents About My MS Diagnosis

Columns, MSunderstood Millennial - a Column by Stephanie Towler

There is nothing worse than being diagnosed with a disorder that you know nothing about. While it was extremely difficult for me to take in, my parents also were ... Read more

July 16, 2019July 12, 2019

Some Doctors Can See the Cost of Your MS Meds, but Will They Look?

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Does your doctor consider what you’ll have to pay when prescribing your medications? A few months ago, I wrote that some people are skipping doses of their meds because ... Read more

July 15, 2019July 15, 2019

MS News that Caught My Eye Last Week: Gadolinium Study, Breath Test for MS Diagnosis, CBD Treatment Trial, Potential Remyelination Therapy

Columns, The MS Wire - A Column by Ed Tobias

Study Examines Gadolinium Deposits in MS Patients’ Brains, But Still Can’t Determine Relationship with Disease Severity Here’s some new information about gadodiamide, a contrast dye that is injected during ... Read more