COVID-19

Feeling Overwhelmed? Wander Under the Stars

If you read my last column, you know that my Thanksgiving was eventful, to say the least. Well, it looks like Christmas is shaping up to be another banger. My father-in-law is back in the hospital, still trying to kick the infections that have knocked him flat recently. We…

Thereā€™s a New Primary Carer in Town

Well, there’s a new carer at home, actually, but town sounds so much cooler. Like an old-time Western sheriff! My dear wife, Jane, has taken a few days off to attend an ayurvedic yoga retreat, so I’m without the care of She Who Really Must Be Obeyed. (I’ve…

My Lemtrada Treatment, 5 Years Later

It was five years ago, Dec. 5, 2016, that I scootered into the office of Dr. Heidi Crayton, my neurologist, and plopped into a soft, brown leather recliner. Day 1 of Round 1 of my Lemtrada (alemtuzumab)Ā infusions was about to begin. I’d prepped for this day: two days…

I’m Climbing the Hills of Adversity, Just Not in Heels

ā€œShoes are the quickest way for women to achieve instant metamorphosis.ā€ ā€” Manolo Blahnik As the holidays approach, I’m reminded to be thankful for what I have. I was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) at 26 years old, and when I became paralyzed, I thought I’d never…

COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects With MS Similar to Public at Large

Side effects upon receiving the COVID-19 vaccine in people withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) are similar to those reported in the general population, and patients on certain disease-modifying therapies are less likely to have vaccine reactions,Ā a survey-based study found. The findings provide ā€œa reassuring pictureā€ for those who feel hesitant about…

MS Society of Canada Urges Consistent Access to COVID-19 Boosters

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada is urging that all provinces and territories in Canada offer COVID-19Ā booster vaccines to at-risk populations, including people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised and multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. In letters sent earlier this month, in collaboration with 11 other health charities, the…

I’m Grateful for My COVID-19 Booster Shot

I’m hurtin’ a little today. I have mild muscle aches, a bit more fatigue than usual, and dragging legs. It could just be a bad MS day, or it could be the result of my COVID-19 booster shot a couple days ago.Ā  I received a third shot of the Moderna…

I’m Back in the Desert Without a Horse

Well, that was fun. I’ve got my party hat on from a recent birthday (of course I have one, itā€™s my trusty trilby! See my avatar above) and have been out and about having a lot of fun. I splurged by spending time with family and friends, ’cause…

COVID-19 Stalling MS Research Into Rehabilitation, Quality of Life

The COVID-19 pandemic appears to be stalling research into rehabilitation and quality of life (QoL) for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in many countries worldwide, a new observational study reports. According to the study, many researchers have found it “significantly more” challenging to recruit participants for studies, and most…

MS Patients in UK Now Offered COVID-19 Booster Shots

The U.K.ā€™s National Health Service (NHS) has started its COVID-19 vaccine booster program, offering a third shot ā€” preferably with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine ā€” to at-risk populations, including people with multiple sclerosis (MS). The decision follows a recommendation by the countryā€™s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization, or…

Risk of MS Relapse Not Increased by COVID-19 Vaccine, Study Finds

Getting the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for COVID-19 does not increase the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses in the two months following vaccination, according to a new study. The results support recommending COVID-19 vaccines for people with MS, its researchers said. “The incidence of relapses in the 2ā€‰months before and…

COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Testing Extra Dose in MS, Other Diseases

A new clinical trial launched by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is evaluating the impact of an extra dose of an approved or authorized COVID-19 vaccine in people withĀ multiple sclerosis (MS) and other autoimmune diseasesĀ who did not properly respond to an original vaccine regimen. Approximately 600 people will…

Risk of Severe COVID-19 Not Raised by Immunosuppressive DMTs

Exposure to multiple sclerosis (MS) disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), and particularly immunosuppressive DMTs, does not increase the risk of developing a severe form of COVID-19, or of dying from the disease, when adjusting for known risk factors, an Austrian registry-based study found. These findings add to data showing no…