February 1, 2017 Columns by Tamara Sellman Living with Uncertainty is an MS Superpower Recent weeks have been filled with enough political drama to last a lifetime.Ā Wherever I go virtually (and now, even in “real life”), ideological division has been amplified to the extreme. Except …Ā when I go to the multiple sclerosis online forum I co-administrate. Meet the people in my neighborhood The…
January 31, 2017 Columns by Teresa Wright-Johnson A Father’s Sage Advice About MS: Take All the Time You Need to Grieve MS is an onerous disease. There are times when I feel as if I am in the midst of a tsunami. Everything comes crashing in and all I want is a safe haven, a level of calm. The tsunami consists of depression, physical symptoms and the destruction of peace.
January 31, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias MS and Falling the ‘Right Way’ Uh oh! My cat, T.J., is under my feet trying to nibble my ankles as I stumble toward the bathroom in the middle of the night. I know what’s about to happen. As I try not to step on T.J.’S tail, it’s already started. I’m going down. It…
January 30, 2017 Columns by Debi Wilson Tips to Fend Off Invasion of the Common Cold The common cold is upon me as I sit here laboring to breathe, with water-soaked eyes and a rumbling cough. I am under attack, an enemy has infiltrated my multiple sclerosis-weakened immune system. The antagonists have found a warm home and they are fighting to stay. It is…
January 30, 2017 Columns by admin MS Patientās Pick of the Weekās News: Sense of Smell, Women, Biomarkers and More Here is my Pick of the Weekās News, as published by Multiple Sclerosis News Today. Sense of Smell Impaired in Half of Multiple Sclerosis Patients in Study For very many years I have known that my sense of smell has not been as good as that considered normal…
January 27, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias My Lemtrada Coaster Has Been Rolling About two weeks ago I wrote about my roller-coaster ride being pretty smooth since my first round of Lemtrada infusions ended in early December. Well, the loops are now looping. Month two post-infusion began with a good lab report, but also with an appearance of the up-down fatigue monster.
January 26, 2017 Columns by Laura Kolaczkowski Join Me and Advocate for MS One of my sisters called to let me know that CNN was doing live coverage of the Womenās March that was taking place in all 50 U.S. states, as well as many other countries. While we talked, one of the speakers came on and observed that the issues facing…
January 25, 2017 Columns by Debi Wilson Indeed, Laughter is the Best Medicine “Laughter is the best medicine.” We may never know where this quote originated, but it’s a good one. The benefits of a loud, robust belly laugh are many! According to many internet sites laughter has great short-term effects. When you laugh, it doesn’t just lift you mentally, it…
January 25, 2017 Columns by Tamara Sellman MS in the Information Age, Part 2: Healthy Skepticism This is second in a 2-part series. You can findĀ Part 1 here.Ā Being proactive about your MS means staying up-to-date on current theories, treatments, products, and strategies. It’s safe to say that most people will turn to the internet at least a few times to look up…
January 25, 2017 Columns by Cathy Chester LiveWiseMS: A New Online Resource for People with MS Thereās a new kid in town by the name of LiveWiseMS. Partnering with the International Organization of MS Nurses (IOMSN), LiveWiseMS has already become a trusted resource for patients and care partners looking for answers about MS. The websiteās mission is…
January 24, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias Pills, Shots or Infusions for Your MS? Oral multiple sclerosis meds appear, more and more, to be the first choice of patients who are just beginning to receive an MS treatment. A recent report by the independent marketing research firmĀ Spherix Global Insights shows thatĀ oral disease-modifying therapies captured a significantly higher…
January 23, 2017 Columns by Teresa Wright-Johnson ‘It Could Be Worse:’ A Teachable Moment Have you ever had someone tell you “it could be worse?” They are making a valiant effort to comfort and console you. However, there is not much consolation in the words. They almost sound a bit insensitive. I have been told this several times. I think many people…
January 23, 2017 Columns by admin Pick of the Week’s News: Clinical Trial, Collaboration, Oral DMTs, Resilience, Cannabis Here’s my Pick of the Week’s News as published by Multiple Sclerosis News Today. MS Patients with Spasticity Needed for Study of Extended-release Baclofen Capsules Now hereās a rare chance to get involved in a clinical trial ā as long as you have MS and experience some form…
January 20, 2017 Columns by Jamie Hughes Fighting MS on Our Own Terms: Vive La Resistance! Thereās one thing you need to know about my family ā weāre weird. We laugh at inopportune times. We can go entire days just speaking to one another in movie quotes. Sarcasm is a love language to my clan. And we can make just about anything ā and I…
January 20, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias Bicycle is Designed to Mimic the Symptoms of MS Want to know what living with MS feels like? Take a ride on this bike. Those of us who have MS know that our disease has lots of symptoms. There are the legs that feel like they have 20-pound weights on them … balance that can have you…
January 19, 2017 Columns by Laura Kolaczkowski Resolving Insurance Problems Demands Patience and Endurance After my recent insurance experience, which I share here, I never again will wonder why some people give up on claiming their medical benefits. I have received Botox treatment for spasticity of my quad and hamstring muscles. This is an FDA-approved use, but to get this treatment there has…
January 19, 2017 Columns by admin MS Society Award Nominations: We All Are Stars Nominations are being sought for individuals and groups for the U.K.ās MS Society Awards 2017. Organizers say the awards will recognize the stars of the MS community and their contributions during 2016. While not wishing to denigrate…
January 18, 2017 Columns by Judy Lynn Cancel the Uber; I’m Staying in This Old, New House (and Body) After All In August I sold my home of 18 years and downsized to a small one-bedroom rental “in town.” For weeks I tripped over boxes, packing paper, out-of-place furniture, the dog, the cat, the dog chasing the cat, size 11 tennis shoes and dirty socks. I shared my efforts to…
January 18, 2017 Columns by Tamara Sellman MS in the Information Age, Part 1: Be Discerning Serving as co-administrator for a large MS forum has shown me that, while we live in a world of easy access to information, we may not always be prepared to understand and interpret it. While Iām not a medical doctor, I do work in the healthcare field and have…
January 17, 2017 Columns by Debi Wilson Grief, Self-preservation and Multiple Sclerosis Grief can weaken our immune system, elevate our blood pressure, and affect our overall health. During a loss, especially one ofĀ the magnitude of a loved one, self-preservation is not always a top priority. For those of us with multiple sclerosis, the mental anguish that isĀ grief can exacerbate our already…
January 17, 2017 Columns by Patricia Silva, PhD Like the ADA, the ABLE Act Has Significant Potential When the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law in 1990, there seemingly were as many opponents as there were proponents. All these years later, the standards and expectations of that landmark legislation have become second-nature in mainstream America. Concerns about costs and consequences were…
January 17, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias Looking for a MS clinical trial? Here’s an Online Tool for That Many MS patients are in the hunt for multiple sclerosis clinical trials for which they can volunteer. But those trials are not always easy to find. On the other hand, researchers complain it also can be difficult to find trial subjects. I was lucky. Back in…
January 16, 2017 Columns by admin MS Patientās Pick of the Weekās News: Partners, Traffic, Patent, B-cells, Award Hereās my Pick of the Weekās News as published by Multiple Sclerosis News Today. Sanofi, ImmuNext Partner to Develop Antibody to Treat Range of Autoimmune Diseases Big news on the business front is the alliance of two companies, Sanofi and ImmuNext, thatĀ have announced an agreement…
January 13, 2017 Columns by admin Like These Athletes, We All Should be Putting Our Best Feet Forward Itās often said of the 2.5 million of people in the world who have multiple sclerosis that no two have the same symptoms. Indeed, that is why it is known as the Snowflake disease. And the wide variety of symptoms can be well-illustrated by looking…
January 13, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias MS Drug Treatment Costs Start the Year Headed Up I don’t think this will surprise you. Multiple sclerosis drugs, some of the most expensive drugs there are, are getting even more expensive. Drug industry analyst Eric Schmidt, quoted in the Boston Business Journal, reported that Biogen began the new year by upping the price of Tecfidera,…
January 11, 2017 Columns by Laura Kolaczkowski MS PATHS: Be Aware of the Info You Share Would you open your bank account and write a blank check to just anyone requesting something of value from you? Of course not. So, why would we do that with our healthcare information? I was recently sent an informed consent form from the MS clinic where I am treated,…
January 11, 2017 Columns by Judy Lynn Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies Can Help You Find and Keep a Job At the time of my MS diagnosis I was a full-time graduate student with plans to obtain a joint Masters of Public Administration/Juris Doctor degree. After six years as a stay-at-home mom and military spouse, I was anxious to complete this next stage of my education and return to…
January 11, 2017 Columns by Cathy Chester Speak Up, Truthfully, About ‘Unseen’ But Real MS Symptoms When thinking about multiple sclerosis (MS), itās important to remember there are four distinct types of the disease. Most of you well know this, so Iāll just mention them here: relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS); secondary progressive MS; primary progressive MS, and clinically isolated syndrome. (Anyone needing or wishing more information…
January 10, 2017 Columns by Ed Tobias Lemtrada for My MS: First Month Report It’s been a month since I completed my first round of Lemtrada infusions, so it’s time to bring everyone up to date on how things are going. I was told to expect a roller coaster of side effects. I’m pleased to say that, at least so far, it’s…
January 9, 2017 Columns by Debi Wilson Lhermitte’s Sign: An Acute Pain Associated with MS As I was looking down typing one of my articles recently, I experienced a unique pain in my neck. It was one I haven’t felt before. It was a sharp electrifying pain that started on the left side of my neck, and propelled itself on a downward zig-zagging path…