fatigue

Fatigue Prevalence Remains High in MS Patients Is this a surprise to anyone who has lived with MS for any period of time? Over the many years since my diagnosis, fatigue has been my second most bothersome symptom. (Trouble walking is the first.) In this survey, researchers write that…

The prevalence of fatigue continues to be high among people with multiple sclerosis (MS) despite significant progress over the years in therapies that change the course of the disease, a large survey study in Norway found. The findings also show that the frequency of fatigue is higher in…

Among people with multiple sclerosis (MS), mindfulness — paying attention to the present moment in a purposeful and nonjudgmental manner — is associated with reduced depression, which also leads to a decrease in fatigue, a small study reports. The study involved 69 relapsing-remitting MS…

Treatment with the antioxidant N‐acetyl cysteine is well-tolerated, but failed to outperform a placebo at easing fatigue in people with progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), a small clinical trial found. More studies now are needed to determine if oxidative stress contributes to fatigue or clinical progression in MS patients, and…

Treatment of up to a year with memantine — an approved therapy for Alzheimer’s disease — failed to prevent cognitive decline and disability, and to significantly reduce fatigue and spasticity in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS), a review of published studies shows. The therapy, sold under the brand name Namenda, works…

NeurologyLive, CMSC Launch Expert Video Series ‘Cure Connections’ This series of 13 videos, designed for healthcare professionals, focuses on diagnosing MS, its psychological impact, managing symptoms, and treatments. Quality-of-life issues, fatigue, and patient support networks also will be discussed. I hope general neurologists will watch it, not just MS…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) who smoke tobacco or are not physically active are more likely to experience fatigue that interferes with their daily life, a new study indicates. The findings suggest that physical exercise and quitting smoking could help ease fatigue in people with MS. The study, “…

Researchers at the Kessler Foundation, with support from Genentech, are opening a study into how Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) affects cognitive fatigue — the feeling of complete exhaustion after focused concentration — in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Cognitive fatigue is a frequent problem with MS, reported in…

I have a secret. You may roll your eyes at me when you hear this one.  It’s how I juggle spending time with family and friends, running a business, and exercising while managing fatigue. If you know me, you know my secret. Or…

Researchers from the Kessler Foundation will launch a new study investigating the effects of Tysabri (natalizumab) on cognitive fatigue — the type of fatigue that happens after strong mental concentration, such as in problem-solving — in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Cognitive fatigue, which is very…

Study: Past Long-term DMT Use Tapers Risk of Current MS Progression Since being diagnosed in 1980, I’ve used four disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), starting with Avonex (interferon beta-1a) in the late 1990s. I haven’t had a true flare since shortly after my Avonex treatment began. My disease has progressed, but…

People with multiple sclerosis (MS) tend to mentally overestimate the time required to complete a short walking activity, causing cognitive fatigue that may affect their quality of life, a study reports. The connection between cognitive fatigue and imagined motor exercises may offer a potential…

“She smelled amazing!” I commented to my oblivious husband as we walked our muddy dog back home after our daily walk. “Did you smell that lady as she walked past us?”  Unfortunately, the lady was too far gone for me to awkwardly run up and ask…

What would happen if you switched off all of your devices for a day? Phones, tablets, laptops, TVs — all of them switched off. Could you do it? How would it feel? What would you do instead? My…

MS Patients Urged to Enroll in Clinical Trial Assessing Chronic Fatigue Treatments My “MS Wire” column 10 days ago reported on a study of MS fatigue treatments that compared three medications with a placebo. The study found that none of the medications were much better than the placebo.

Adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) are being urged to enroll in a new clinical trial — now recruiting in Washington and Michigan states — that aims to assess the effectiveness of different treatments to counteract the effects of chronic fatigue. The investigators are hopeful that data from this…

Disability, fatigue, depression, cognitive impairment, and unemployment are primary risk factors for a poor quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a recent review study. Conversely, higher self-esteem, self-efficacy, resilience, and social support were identified as protective factors for quality of life (QoL).

I’ve been tired all day, which is nothing new, as fatigue and multiple sclerosis go hand in hand. It’s been one of my primary symptoms since I was diagnosed in 1980. To counter it, I’ve taken Provigil (modafinil) for many years. Initially, taking 100 mg in the…

The end of the year is incredibly difficult. We already have to put up with more than others because of our MS.  In addition to that, the weather changes, the clocks turn back, and there is less sunlight, meaning vitamin…

Did you know that there are various types of fatigue, and each makes us feel slightly different than the others? A long while ago, I was at an MS seminar listening to a nurse talk about fatigue. She…

Factors related to disease and personality, as well as specific health-related behaviors, are among the main determinants that can put people with multiple sclerosis (MS) at risk of unemployment, a study suggests. In particular, MS disease course, fatigue, self-efficacy (belief in one’s own abilities to cope, in this…

National MS Society Launches Survey to Assess Economic Impact of MS We know that managing MS is expensive. It can cost us money out of our pockets and also limit our ability to earn that money. A small survey about this was the subject of my “MS Wire”…

Fatigue is the most impactful symptom on daily functioning in people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and is more severe in patients with relapse, pain, depression, and sleep disorders, according to a U.S.-based survey. The results were based mostly on a new MS-specific tool called the Fatigue Symptoms…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have high levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, compared to healthy controls. Also, patients categorized as non-cognitive fatigue show a higher variability in cortisol levels and perform worse on an attention task. Those findings are documented in the study, “Relation between cognitive fatigue and circadian…

Drinking coffee each day appears to help people with multiple sclerosis (MS) and milder disability and fatigue, with this patient group reporting in a questionnaire that caffeine allowed them to better concentrate on tasks and broaden their attention spans, a study reports. Its researchers suggest that “for selected patients” regular coffee…

The debilitating mental fatigue that people with multiple sclerosis (MS) can feel after a cognitively demanding task may be due to less efficient use of the brain, a pilot study that mapped brain activity during tasks suggests. The study “Neural mechanisms underlying state mental fatigue in multiple sclerosis: a…

Ketamine May Help Treat MS-related Fatigue, Small Pilot Trial Suggests I’m tired — I mean really bushed. Today, despite my daily dose of modafinil, I have to sit and think, “What was I starting to do?” before doing it. (I had to look at a list on my phone…

Low doses of the anesthetic ketamine could help treat fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to results from a small Phase 1/2 clinical trial. Trial findings were published in the study, “Pilot randomized active-placebo-controlled trial of low-dose ketamine for the treatment of…

Are you tired? Really tired? Me, too. Most of us with multiple sclerosis are. How many is most? A small new study of 44 people with one of the progressive forms of MS found that the answer is a little over 86%. (I’m surprised the number isn’t…

Pain appears to be more intense in people with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) than those with multiple sclerosis (MS), while fatigue levels are comparable between the two disorders, a study reports. Its researchers also link certain types of central nervous system lesions to pain and fatigue in…