July 18, 2019 Columns by Tamara Sellman Need to Know: Managing Stress When You Have MS 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 I Manage Stress With MS” from July 10, 2018. Whether physical, psychological, or…
June 5, 2019 Columns by Stephanie Towler I Am a Millennial with Multiple Sclerosis I remember the day like it was yesterday: Sept. 20, 2012. I was fortunate to receive a swift diagnosis — following a couple of tests, my neurologist told me that I have multiple sclerosis (MS). At the time I thought, “Well, let the journey begin.” My name is Stephanie…
March 22, 2019 News by Jose Marques Lopes, PhD Phase 3 Trial of ADS-5102 Recruiting Participants of All MS Types A Phase 3 trial testing ADS-5102 (amantadine) extended release capsules in all types of multiple sclerosis (MS) is enrolling participants to determine whether the oral therapy can improve walking speed. A total of 570 adults with MS, ages 18 to 70 years, who have difficulty walking will be…
February 4, 2019 Columns by Debi Wilson Is There a Connection Between Fibromyalgia and MS? I’ve often wondered if there may be a connection between fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis (MS), and other neurological conditions. Back in the early 1990s, my doctor suspected fibromyalgia as the culprit for my fatigue, aches, and pains. At the time, doctors diagnosed fibromyalgia by the use of tender points.
January 17, 2019 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Seeing Through Solu-Medrol — Miracle, Menace, or Both? Today I came back to myself. For two months, I have been encapsulated in a hazy bubble. I could not kick this persistent bronchial condition and began to get frustrated. After three courses of ineffectual antibiotics and inhalers, I had a work-up for pneumonia. Thirty minutes later, I received…
December 20, 2018 Columns by Tamara Sellman Need to Know: Managing Depression and Anxiety When You Have MS 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 “Anxiety and Depression with MS” from April 30.
December 19, 2018 News by Ana Pena PhD Ampyra Significantly Improves Walking Ability As Reported by MS Patients, Phase 3 Trial Shows Treatment with Ampyra (dalfampridine) for 24 weeks leads to sustained and clinically meaningful improvements in walking ability as reported by multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with gait difficulties, according to a study analyzing results from a Phase 3 trial. The study, “Assessment of Clinically Meaningful Improvements in Self-Reported…
October 5, 2018 Columns by Jamie Hughes What the World Needs Now is Books After reading more than a few articles about how social media demolishes our attention span, prevents us from forming healthy real-world relationships, and causes higher-than-normal rates of depression, stress, and insomnia, I decided to cut way back on screen time. And you know what? I don’t miss Facebook and…
August 23, 2018 Columns by Jennifer (Jenn) Powell Feeling Adventurous with MS I can describe myself with a myriad of words: kind, funny, smart, quirky, and stubborn, to name a few. So many words are descriptive of my persona; I almost felt safety among them. Almost. I have always preferred paved road to dirt; my place was to shine the already…
March 22, 2018 Columns by Tamara Sellman The MS Alphabet: Remyelination, RRMS, Quadrantanopia, and Other ‘Q’ and ‘R’ Terms Editor’s note: Tamara Sellman continues her occasional series on the “MS alphabet” with this column referencing terms starting with the letters “Q” and “R.” Symptoms of MS Quadrantanopia This eye-related symptom of MS refers to the compromising of vision in one of the quarters of the visual field,…
March 15, 2018 Columns by Tamara Sellman The MS Alphabet: Scotoma, Spinal Tap, Steroids, and Other ‘S’ Terms (Part 4) Editor’s note: Tamara Sellman continues her series on the “MS alphabet” with this column referencing terms starting with the letter “S.” Fourth in a series of five. Symptoms of MS Scotoma Scotoma describes a vision problem in which the presence of “blind spots” or other partial vision…
March 1, 2018 Columns by Tamara Sellman The MS Alphabet: Solu-Medrol, Side Effects, Scanning Speech, and Other ‘S’ Terms (Part 2 of 5) Editor’s note: Tamara Sellman continues her occasional series on the “MS alphabet” with this column referencing terms starting with the letter “S.” Second in a series of five. Symptoms of MS Speech problems It’s estimated that nearly half of all people with MS struggle with speech…
January 16, 2018 Columns by Teresa Wright-Johnson The Stigma Surrounding Depression Lots of columns and articles look at issues surrounding the topics of depression and mental health-related disorders. I have referenced them in various columns. What saddens me is the stigma surrounding depression that prevails in our society. There are many who struggle with depression and other forms of…
December 4, 2017 News by Ashraf Malhas, PhD Analysis Suggests Oral Steroids Better Than Intravenous Ones for Treating Relapsing MS Oral steroids may be cheaper, more convenient and less invasive alternatives than intravenous steroids in treating relapses in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, suggests an analysis of five randomized trials. Glucocorticoids are recommended as the first line of treatment for MS relapses. Yet recent studies have shown no significant difference between…
Therapies for Managing Pain in MS Multiple sclerosis (MS) is unpredictable, and its signs and symptoms can vary widely, depending on the amount of nerve damage and the specific nerves affected. Pain, unfortunately, is among the more common symptoms of MS, with one study estimating that more than 50 percent of all patients experience significant pain at some…
June 1, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD EMD Serono Launches MS Care Partner Survey with IACO to Honor May 31, World MS Day 2017 To honor World MS Day, May 31, EMD Serono launched a multiple sclerosis care partner survey in collaboration with the International Alliance of Carer Organizations (IACO). The new survey comes after the initial results from a Merck study showed that the highest number of MS care partners are aged 18-34, and that…
Fluoxetine (Prozac) for Progressive MS Fluoxetine is an FDA-approved drug for treating depression that is now being tested in people with secondary progressive MS. How does fluoxetine work? Fluoxetine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, or SSRI. It works by increasing the amount of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a chemical messenger thought to influence mood.
Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis Fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS) is defined as mental or physical exhaustion that prevents a person from performing everyday activities. It is one of the most common symptoms in MS, affecting more than 80 percent of patients, and a major cause of under-employment, early retirement, and a reduced quality of life. MS-related fatigue…
February 22, 2017 Columns by Tamara Sellman How to survive an MRI if you are claustrophobic Last updated April 26, 2023 A key test for identifying multiple sclerosis (MS) during diagnosis, or to confirm a relapse, is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI.) For those who’ve never had to undergo an MRI, the thought of having this test might be terrifying. Being encased in a magnetic…
February 21, 2017 News by Patricia Silva, PhD #ACTRIMS2017 – Phase 2 Trial Data Shows Better Walking Speeds in MS Patients Using ADS-5102 Results from a Phase 2 proof-of-concept study of ADS-5102 (amantadine HCl), showing that multiple sclerosis patients given the extended-release oral treatment improved their walking speed, will be presented at ACTRIMS 2017 this week. Findings in the poster, “A Phase 2 Study of ADS-5102 (amantadine hydrochloride) Extended Release Capsules in Multiple Sclerosis Patients with Walking Impairment,”…
November 11, 2016 News by Joana Fernandes, PhD Ampyra/Fampyra for MS Patients ‘Not Recommended’ by NHS Scotland Despite recent studies showing that treatment with Ampyra (Fampyra in Europe; fampridine) improves both walking speed and ability, and offers psychological benefits to patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) recently decided to not recommend the drug for use on the National Health Service (NHS) in Scotland.
Prozac (fluoxetine) for Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis Prozac (fluoxetine) is from a class of medicines called SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). Usually the drug is used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, some eating disorders, and panic attacks. It is also used off-label to treat fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS). Fluoxetine may need to be taken for several weeks…
November 8, 2016 Columns by Ed Tobias Are You Ready for Bed at Noon? It May Be More Than Fatigue I thought I’d finish writing this last night, but I was too tired. Same thing the night before, and I’m sure this sounds familiar to a lot of you. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society estimates about 80% of the people who have MS have fatigue as one of…
Prozac (fluoxetine) for Depression in Multiple Sclerosis Prozac (fluoxetine) is used to treat depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic attacks, and some eating disorders. Prozac is an antidepressant from the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) group. In a positive way, it effects chemicals in the brain that may be unbalanced in people with depression, anxiety, or similar…
Neurogenic Detrusor Overactivity and MS Urinary incontinence is believed to have a greater social impact than any other multiple sclerosis (MS) symptom or complication when it comes to quality of life. It discourages people from engaging in outdoor activities and affects their ability to work. While the symptom can be caused by urinary tract infections, which are common…
Paxil (paroxetine) for Depression in Multiple Sclerosis Paxil (paroxetine) is used to treat depression and some types of anxiety. It is an antidepressant from the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) group. Paxil makes a positive affect on chemicals in the brain that may be unbalanced in people with depression, anxiety, or similar conditions. Because depression is a common…
Effexor XR (venlafaxine) for Depression in Multiple Sclerosis Depression is a common and well documented symptom of multiple sclerosis. Effexor XR (venlafaxine) belongs to a group of medications called selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSNRI). The drug increases serotonin and norepinephrine, which are natural substances that positively affect communication between nerve cells or restore chemical balances in the brain. The…
Cipro (Ciprofloxacin) for UTIs in Multiple Sclerosis Ciprofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic that fights bacteria in the body. It is used to treat different types of bacterial infections. In MS patients, it is used to treat urinary tract infections. The bactericidal action of ciprofloxacin results from interference with theDNA gyrase, and essential bacterial enzyme that bacteria…
Propantheline for Bladder Dysfunction in Multiple Sclerosis Multiple sclerosis patients often have bladder disturbances such as an urgent need to urinate, frequent urination, an inability to completely empty the bladder, and sometimes incontinence. A urinary tract infection should always be excluded before starting any medication. Propantheline is an antispasmodic/anticholinergic medicine used to relieve cramps or spasms of…
Flomax (tamsulosin) for Bladder Dysfunction in Multiple Sclerosis Flomax (tamsulosin) is an FDA-approved medicine to treat signs and symptoms of benign enlargement of the prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia), by helping to relax the muscles in the prostate and bladder. It is also prescribed to men with multiple sclerosis who suffer from bladder dysfunction. Bladder disturbances are common in…
