May 12, 2017 Columns by John Connor Whisky Galore: Two Friends Walk and Roll into a Distillery If I was writing fiction about two disabled people going on a road trip, I’d be pleased to create a character like Nigel. He’s stroppy, Northern (from the perspective of the U.K. there isn’t a direct U.S. analogy – think deep southā but really cold and more booze!)…
May 12, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias Cholesterol Medication Shows Promise as MS Treatment I’ve been taking a statin drug for years to keep my cholesterol low, and it’s doing a really good job. Now, there’s hope that this class of drug also might be useful for MS patients. A major trial in the U.K. is testing the drug simvastatin (used to control…
May 11, 2017 Columns by Laura Kolaczkowski The Importance of Caring for Caregivers “Coping with Caregiver Burnout When Caring for A Person with Neurodegenerative Disease: A Guide for Caregivers,” published in the April 2017 issue of the Archives for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, is intended to give better insight into caregiver burnout, and what might be…
May 11, 2017 Columns by Tamara Sellman The MS Alphabet: Dermatomes, Dysfunction and More āDā Words (Editorās note: Tamara Sellman continues her occasional series on the MS alphabet with this first of two parts on terms starting with the letter āD.ā) When it comes to multiple sclerosis, mastering an understanding of the disease means you need to mind your Ps and…
May 10, 2017 Columns by Judy Lynn The Hidden Costs of Multiple Sclerosis MS is sneaky. It is expert at evading detection and diagnosis, and often brings a host of invisible symptoms that may come and go at random. MS also brings invisible costs ā expenses beyond the obvious medications, supplements, assistive devices, and healthcare. I am not talking about externalities,…
May 9, 2017 Columns by Teresa Wright-Johnson MS, Chronic Illness and Motherhood: A Salute to Mothers I am well aware of the importance of a mother, or a mother figure, and the significant role she has in the lives of her children and community. I am blessed to have an awesome mother who has profoundly shaped my life. It is her love, guidance, patience…
May 9, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias About America’s Healthcare Puzzle There’s been lots of chatter on social media since the U.S. House of Representatives passed a measure last week that’s intended to repeal the Affordable Healthcare Act (Obamacare) and replace it with a new healthcare law. Lots of us with serious medical conditions are: a) worried, b) angry,…
May 8, 2017 Columns by Jamie Hughes Look What the Cat Dragged In! Like one third of America, Iām a cat lover. Iāve had kitties in my house since I was a child, often in sets. Currently, Iām the proud parent of two fur babiesāIvan (the tabby) and Baker (the Wegie)āand theyāre a great source of joy, entertainment and…
May 8, 2017 Columns by Debi Wilson Losing Our Independence Due to Multiple Sclerosis Losing our independence due to multiple sclerosis is a profound loss. With that loss comes the grieving process and inevitable change. On Grief.com in “A Message from David Kessler,” he discusses the fiveĀ stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. I have experienced all of these…
May 8, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias MS News That Caught My Eye: Cannabis Gum, Ocrevus, Misdiagnosis and Other Stories The MS Wire is adding a third weekly item, beginning today. It’s a list of several news items that appeared in MS News Today over the preceding week and that caught my eye. Axim Signs Deal to Advance Clinical Trials of Cannabis-based MedChew Rx Gum to…
May 5, 2017 Columns by Patricia Silva, PhD Disability Activism Beats Doing Housework I now introduce myself as a disability rights activist. I began to pay attention to local politics and related activities last fall. Our city redevelopment plans are charging along, without any city staffer to pay attention to the needs of the disabled. As such, I’ve been making the…
May 5, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias NYC Subways: A Tough Ride With MS Have you ever been on a New York City subway? I grew up in the Big Apple, and I used to love riding the subway as a kid. I’d travel all over the city without a problem. Not so today. Not so since MS changed my track.
May 3, 2017 Columns by Judy Lynn Unsure Which Way to Turn? Let an MS Navigator Guide You A few years ago, after a fairly stable decade, my MS decided to shake things up. What began as occasional tripping over my own feet soon turned into chronic shin splints, and the inability to walk or drive far, all of which was caused by MS foot drop.
May 3, 2017 Columns by Mike Knight How Pilates Changed My Life ā¦ and My MS, Part One: Take No Prisoner Editor’s note: This is the first of a three-part series about Pilates and MS. When I was diagnosed with MS in December 2013, my most visible symptom was a waltzing shuffle that was slowly changing my once-purposeful gait into a wobble (leading some co-workers to believe…
May 2, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias My Lemtrada Journey: Do You Think You’re Walking Better? “Do you think you’re walking better?” The question came from my wife, Laura. It’s now about 4 1/2 months since my first round of Lemtrada infusions and I’ve had ups and downs physically. The day she asked, I was feeling pretty good. I also think I’ve been…
May 1, 2017 Columns by Debi Wilson Calming the Hidden Beast of Silent Inflammation The inflammation in our bodies can be very sneaky. I am not talking about the good inflammation, also known as the group of hormones called eicosanoids (eye-KAH-sa-noids). This group of hormones provoke our immune system to fight diseases, viruses and other invaders and help in repairing tissues…
April 28, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias Small Study Shows Unexpected Reversal of Some MS Symptoms I don’t usually write about drug studies, especially ones that are tiny and preliminary. But an unexpected result has peaked my interest in this one. Researchers at The University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia report that half of the progressive MS patients in their study of…
April 27, 2017 Columns by Laura Kolaczkowski Crossing MS PATHS ā and Taking a Stand for Patient Rights I knew it was only a matter of time before my MS neurologist would have MS PATHS available to collect clinical data from people who have agreed to participate. MS PATHS is an information- and biological sample-gathering clinical study from Biogen, the leading manufacturer of multiple sclerosis disease-modifying…
April 27, 2017 Columns by Tamara Sellman Latest Research Bolsters My Confidence in Using Tecfidera Many life-affecting decisions are made at the time of an MS diagnosis. Top of the list? The moment you decideĀ your course of treatment. In my case, the decision wasĀ entirely up to me. This isn’t typical, I’ve discovered. Many people with MS aren’t…
April 26, 2017 Columns by Jamie Hughes 39 Years and Counting ā on at Least 39 More Great Ones Last week, I celebrated by 39th birthday. Yes, 39. Thatās one year shy of the big 4-0. The last year of my 30s. If life was a rollercoaster ride, Iām about six clicks from the apex; the big plunge awaits me just on the other side. I looked…
April 26, 2017 Columns by Cathy Chester Why the Future of Science Is Crucial to the MS Community Everything around us, and within us, begins with science. Science is important to the future of humanityās well-being. Science is what makes the world go around. We all think itās love, but actually, at its core, love begins with chemistry. Biological…
April 25, 2017 Columns by Teresa Wright-Johnson Chronic Illness and End-of-Life Decisions: Who are We to Judge? For those who read my column, I am certain you can see I am an emotional writer. This is a difficult column to write. I have been thinking about end-of-life decisions for months. I am reminded of my mortality each time I visit the hospital and I’m asked…
April 25, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias MS, Wheelchairs, Walkers and Guns: Are They Safe Together? When I began writing about multiple sclerosis, I never imagined that, one day, I’d be writing a column about guns. But here I am, staring right into that barrel. The other day as I cruised around MS websites, I ran across a post from a woman who was…
April 24, 2017 Columns by Debi Wilson Hypothyroidism and What It Shares with MS In 2004, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, a condition in which theĀ thyroid is underactive and doesn’t product enough important hormones. Six years later, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS).Ā Naturally, I became curious as to whether a link might exist between between hypothyroidism and MS. I am…
April 21, 2017 Columns by Patricia Silva, PhD The Cluttered Consequences of Multiple Sclerosis Fatigue Multiple sclerosis causes debilitating fatigue. The following photographs show,Ā without censorship, what my fatigue leaves undone. The homes of everyone I know have living rooms without sweaters tossed over the back of chairs. Their floors are not an obstacle course. They do not have piles of mail, notes, drills,…
April 21, 2017 Columns by John Connor A Very Hip Story: ‘The Shower That Ate Me’ It was three years since I’d seen my best mate Nigel. The last time had been when we said goodbye at London City Airport after our three-day sozzled sojourn (OK, drunken trip) round the Scottish Isle of Islay. To the uninitiated, a pilgrimage for those who worship peat in their…
April 20, 2017 Columns by Laura Kolaczkowski Canadian Neurologist Traboulsee Reflects on Today’s MS Options The American Academy of Neurology‘sĀ (AAN) 2017 annual meeting will bring together physicians who practice in all areas of neurology, including our own multiple sclerosis (MS) specialists. In a recent interview with Anthony Traboulsee, MD, associate professor and research chair of the MS Society of…
April 20, 2017 Columns by Tamara Sellman The MS Alphabet: Cytokines, CSF, Corticosteroids and More ‘C’ Words (Editor’s note: Tamara Sellman continues her occasional series on the MS alphabet with this third of three parts on terms starting with the letter “C.”) When it comes to multiple sclerosis, mastering an understanding of the disease means you need to mind your Ps and Qs, dot your…
April 20, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD AAN Annual Meeting Offers First Ocrevus Data Update Since MS Therapy’s Approval by FDA New data on the recently approved multiple sclerosis (MS) drug Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) will be presented at the upcoming American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting 2017, which will take place April 22-28 in Boston. The meeting is the first scientific conference focusing on neurology since the U.S.
April 19, 2017 Columns by Teresa Wright-Johnson Season of Spring is Analogous to the Cycles of Chronic Illness This past week has been uplifting. The sun was out and the weather was enjoyable. Spring has officially arrived, and I was able to get out and really appreciate the nice days. I did not do much of anything, however, I was out and about. Easter Sunday was…