As an MS patient, I’m always on the lookout for something that will help me stay healthy. Though doctors say flu shots are OK for us, they’re not for ... Read more
With “The Terminator” involved, it’s fair enough that this tale starts out as a father-son thing. My son, Jack, kept needling me to watch a film on Netflix U.K. ... Read more
I used the Bioness L300, a functional electrical stimulation (FES) device, for about seven years to counter my left foot drop. I strapped it to my leg just below ... Read more
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
My happiness quotient correlates with my ability to give. I find tremendous satisfaction in doing this. This is one reason that I cherish Thanksgiving. I derive immense pleasure in ... Read more
Can your mind control your illness? You might think, “No, of course not, the illness will do what it’ll do. I have no control over that.” What if I ... Read more
I felt defeated. Someone had made a negative comment about me, and it became stuck in my head, making me question why I write. This person challenged the authenticity ... Read more
I was bruised, broken, and in pain. I had been struggling with Rebif (interferon beta-1a) side effects for over a year, ever since my diagnosis. It was the first ... Read more
Immunoadsorption May Be Superior to Plasma Exchange in Treating Steroid-resistant Relapses in MS Steroids may be an effective treatment for multiple sclerosis relapses, but they have negative side effects. ... Read more
As an MS patient (and an insatiable polymath), I’m always on the lookout for new information. Recently, I learned about an interesting concept in Japanese culture called “Ma,” and ... Read more
It happened on the coldest day of the season. It was 16 degrees F with wind chill. I was outside, using my electric scooter to take Joey, our cocker ... Read more
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
CHMP Favors Mayzent as Oral Treatment Specifically for Active SPMS Patients in EU Mayzent (siponimod) is one of the newest disease-modifying treatments (DMT). I’m pleased that the Committee for ... Read more
Fear grips me. Marijuana relaxes, eases pain, and helps my body work better. It also stirs paranoia, but only when you let it. In bed, a fretful waking dream. ... Read more
Google has quietly teamed up with Ascension, one of the largest healthcare organizations in the United States, to process the medical records of millions of people. According to The ... Read more
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
I remember a time without televised ads promoting medication. We had access to information through our physician or a card catalog. Pharmaceuticals are now a mainstay on our airwaves. ... Read more
EMA Safety Group Advises Lemtrada Be Limited to ‘Highly Active’ RRMS Patients at Hospitals with ICUs I’m highlighting this report because, like several Europe-based doctors I know, I think ... Read more
I’m not a superstitious person always on the lookout for signs and omens. I don’t read the wrappers on Dove chocolates or seek life advice from the paper slips ... Read more
I didn’t file a column last week due to medical reasons. It’s a perfect excuse for a patient columnist — we don’t need a dog to blame for eating ... Read more
What worries you most about living with multiple sclerosis? I’m catching up with a small survey by Can Do MS, an organization that promotes health and wellness education programs. ... Read more
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
Living with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis is a lesson in adaptation. The constant is change. This disease has given me sea legs. Nevertheless, some days have me fooled. When ... Read more
The times we’re living in feel surreal to me. I’m not talking about the current state of U.S. politics, though my opinions could fill a book. I’m talking about ... Read more
Vumerity Approved in US as Treatment for RRMS and Active SPMS By my count, Vumerity is the 18th disease-modifying therapy (DMT) that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ... Read more
It’s time for another update on how I’ve been doing with my Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) treatments. The bottom line is that I’m doing well. Lemtrada is a disease-modifying therapy (DMT) ... Read more
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
If I told you that standing on your head would cure multiple sclerosis (MS), would you do it? I am fairly sure you would find a way to do ... Read more
Higher Intellectual Ability, Early-life Physical Activity May Protect Against Cognitive Impairment in MS, Study Suggests The finding that physical activity provides a protective effect for cognitive abilities makes sense ... Read more
If there’s one thing the internet is good for, it’s inspirational quotes. They’re usually paired with a picture of a woman at the beach, her arms open to the ... Read more
By 2017, over 50,000 people with disabilities in the U.K. had lost their accessible vehicles due to reassessments required by Personal Independence Payment (PIP), a financial assistance program for ... Read more
A question raised by neurologist Gavin Giovannoni on the Barts-MS blog lit up my radar recently. Dr. G asked whether “elderly” people with MS should be treated differently than ... Read more
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
I am in a state of anxious exhaustion. Anxiety has been a lifelong companion that has presented itself in various ways since childhood. In hindsight, I can recognize triggers ... Read more
Why is my body betraying me? As an advocate and a person with chronic illness, this question surfaces often. Many people with chronic illness feel that their body has ... Read more
#ECTRIMS2019 – Are Injectables Inappropriate for Active Relapsing MS Treatment? Injectable disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) have been around for a long time. I took part in a Phase 3 clinical ... Read more
As I sit down (nothing unusual there — all I do these days is sit down!) and write this, I’m 62 years and one day old. On Saturday morning, ... Read more
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
