Columns

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 is football season. I sometimes wonder how I survive the offseason. I was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area…

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 with MS when I was diagnosed. I had never heard of treatment for MS and was unsure of the…

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 that a patient’s multiple sclerosis is likely to progress quickly. They suggest that early detection of these lesions can help…

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 function. I’ve written about all of this in previous columns. My bladder failed less than two years after I…

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 of Health (NIH) call these lesions “smoldering inflammation.” Their study, just published in JAMA Neurology, indicates that the more lesions…

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 is inspired by the forum topic “Have you had a lumbar puncture to help diagnose your MS?” from Jan. 29.

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 come up with fresh ideas. Tonight was one of those nights. With my deadline approaching, my well of ideas was…

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 patient’s risk of developing a secondary autoimmune disease within seven years post-treatment. This small study suggests that the abnormal proliferation…

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 — a time to contemplate the journey so far and take steps for the bit that is to come. Because I have…

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 had MS for a month. I found myself writing what I wished I’d known when I was diagnosed. Now,…

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 weed may complicate the surgical process. The concern, according to an article in Kaiser Health News, is that marijuana…

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 is inspired by the forum topic “Do you suffer from the MS symptom of ‘drop foot?’” from Sept. 20,…

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 swimming with semi-intelligible responses, I was rendered mute. Let me just say that I have been on pain medication for…

“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 think I about how much worse my situation could be.   I speak for myself…

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 have been cleaning out my closets. I hadn’t realized how many items I had collected over the years. As I go…

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 humidity, right? Maybe not. A study recently published in the Annals of Internal Medicine reports that using a fan to…

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 use an MRI to look at brain lesions in 3D. This would allow them to see the shape and surface…

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 it doesn’t explain the shaking of my body and the extreme pain in my right arm Thursday night. Not…

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 balance, finger dexterity, walking speed, and cognitive ability. It even knows if I’m keeping myself shuttered in my apartment or…

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 is inspired by the forum topic “Multiple Sclerosis-related Vertigo: What Can You Do?” from Nov. 23,…

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 for my strength, there are moments when I would like another choice. Maybe it is a mind game. Perhaps I would…

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. The water temperature was perfect and cool enough to keep me refreshed. I had the best workout I’ve had this season:…

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 may have found a reason for that symptom. The researchers hope that finding the cause will eventually lead to a…

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 feel so hot? Have you ever shown your loved ones a brave face instead of upsetting them? Ever caught yourself acting…

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 has shut down. Tomorrow is forecast to be the hottest July day in recorded history in the U.K. I had set…

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 are forever. A woman who commented today on a column I wrote a few weeks ago said that she is…

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 is inspired by the forum topic “How Occupational Therapy Is Improving My MS Home Life” from April 15, 2018.

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, I tell myself, so I buy two. Fortunately, my shallow criteria are confined to airport literature. Life most certainly imitates art.

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 one. So, I was concerned when I read a New York Times article reporting that UTIs are becoming harder…

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 secondary progressive MS (SPMS), no disease-modifying treatments are approved to treat the nonactive form of SPMS. This trial aims…