Living with MS

I am excited and thankful to share with you a new collaboration between iConquerMS and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS). For several years, I have worked with the people at the Accelerated Cure Project (ACP), a nonprofit organization that is the overseeing body for iConquerMS, to…

Changeable lifestyle factors influence the risk and severity of depression associated with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study based on a large group of patients shows. According to the study, alcohol consumption in particular was linked negatively with depression incidence and severity. In addition, a healthy diet and vitamin D and omega-3 supplementation…

The holiday bustle has begun. As Thanksgiving approaches, I ponder the season and a lump forms in my throat. I am grateful to be here and for the blessings of family and friends. But my heart aches with grief for those loved ones who are no longer with me.

We all know how expensive health insurance can be. On the social media sites that I browse, I always see stories of people with MS who find themselves in a bind due to the healthcare system in the U.S. Some can’t work because their MS has robbed them of…

MS-specific Lineage of Oligodendrocytes May Provide New Hints on MS Development Our immune system, according to this study, may not be the only thing playing a role in the development of our MS. The same cells that produce the myelin that coats our nerves may also be…

Hoping to expedite multiple sclerosis (MS) research and boost patient participation, the Accelerated Cure Project (ACP) for Multiple Sclerosis is teaming with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. As part of the collaboration, the MS Society will make use of ACP’s iConquerMS, a research initiative to increase the engagement…

Like many comic book geeks, I’ve been sitting shiva for the last few days, mourning the passing of Stan Lee. I never met the man in person, but I know many people who have. They said he was warm, open, and enthusiastic. He was a passionate and tireless creator…

Getting started on any career is fraught with difficulty, and the trail that got me to my base camp was truly meandering. It was nearly as convoluted as that sentence! At 23, without meaning to, I found myself being a putative theater critic. Within months, under the pressure of…

We’ve all been there. That “uh-oh” feeling hits and you know you’ll be in trouble if you can’t find a restroom, fast. You hope the clerk in the store with the “Restrooms for Customers Only” sign will make an exception if you tell her it’s about to run down…

Lyfebulb announced that it has joined with Celgene in launching an innovation challenge for entrepreneurs with or impacted by multiple sclerosis (MS) to develop user-driven solutions that might make daily life a little easier for patients. The initiative, “Addressing Unmet Needs in MS: An Innovation Challenge,” will be…

Multiple sclerosis patients of working age who are unemployed or on a reduced work schedule are likely to show considerable cognitive impairment on tests, especially those measuring mental processing speeds, than patients who are more gainfully employed, a review study reports. This link held true even in patients with little…

I have always prided myself on my smarts. I excelled in college, where I realized my love for learning. I enjoy conversing with others, and I make a concerted effort to expand my horizons. I have never shied away from an opportunity to make another’s acquaintance. Be it current…

“The reason you can’t keep your shorts up,” the orthopedist said, “is because you don’t have enough butt anymore.” It was my first visit with this doctor, and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. While waiting in a small, wood-paneled anteroom next…

Mentally rehearsing an ease of walking to rhythmic cues — especially musical and verbal — improves walking speed and distance, and lessens feelings of fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a study reports. The study, “Effects and mechanisms of differently…

I’m writing again about someone with MS who was blocked from a handicapped parking spot by someone who isn’t handicapped. I know, it happens all the time. But this time was a little different. The spot was blocked by a television news crew. And that struck a nerve…

Nurses who specialize in treating multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in the U.K. are handling heavier caseloads than recommended or preferred, resulting in patients going without the necessary care and support they deserve, the MS Trust reports. Particularly, the 2018 report notes that newer treatments require more complex and careful monitoring. However, it…

Venturing into the world can be overwhelming with multiple sclerosis (MS). Crowds and noise can overload my compromised nervous system, and even my home sanctuary can induce stress when kids, animals, and electronics are present. While others simply hear kids playing or dogs barking, sound becomes shockingly…

Exercise Program Based on Ballet Improves Motor Control and Balance in MS Patients, Study Reports It makes sense. Yoga helps multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms, as do Pilates and simple stretching. So why shouldn’t ballet? After all, it requires similar balance and motor control. This study only involved…

As I’m writing this, my right arm is tight and my right hand is cramped up. I was out working last night and night work always shatters me the next morning when I awaken with exacerbated MS symptoms. Luckily, I never learned to be a copy typist when I…

A tragic car crash involving a man with MS is a reminder that we all should be just a little bit more careful than the average driver when we get behind the wheel. The accident happened in early October on a street in Eugene, Oregon. As reported by…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) relapses can be challenging for some patients, and better engagement is needed between patients and their healthcare providers, a study focused on patient experiences has found. The study, titled “Relapse prevalence, symptoms, and health care engagement: patient insights from the Multiple Sclerosis in America 2017 survey,”…

Fall is my favorite season. I love the change in temperature, the falling of amber leaves, trading flip-flops for loafers, the din of football games, and the joy of the holiday season. There is so much to enjoy, yet this particular Sunday I am sick. I have acquired the…

The ability to track multiple sclerosis (MS) at any time, gain a more complete picture of each patient’s disease course and a better understanding of MS are among the possible benefits of the FLOODLIGHT app, according to Laura Julian, PhD, principal medical science director at Genentech. The company…

To increase the exchange of research information and goings-on with the patient community, the Accelerated Cure Project (ACP) for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) has teamed with RealTalk MS, a weekly podcast for those affected by the disease. Specifically, ACP will share ongoing results of its research initiative, iConquerMS. In…

Life. It’s fragile, fleeting, beautiful, and heartbreaking. It is the most precious gift we have. Approximately one month ago, the senior columns editor for Bionews Services received her wings. Her name was Serena. Ironically, I never met Serena. We communicated only online. As I think about my journey thus…

MS medications are expensive in the United States. We all know that. We also know that some of those expensive meds are a lot less expensive in places like Canada and Mexico. Now comes a novel idea from the nonprofit health insurance provider PEHP, which covers state workers and…

Diabetes, hypertension, and active smoking correlate with more brain shrinkage in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, a new study shows. The study, “Assessing the burden of vascular risk factors on brain atrophy in multiple sclerosis: A case- control MRI study” was published in the journal Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders.

EMD Serono has launched MS On My Mind with a goal of making people more aware of the emotional toll that multiple sclerosis (MS) can have on patients and caregivers. Patients are invited under the initiative to go to the MSIsOnMyMind.com website and finish the sentence “MS is on my…

Books. Magazines. Journals. Emails. Online articles. Newsletters. Podcasts. Local and cable news. The quantity of information we take in daily is impressive — overwhelming, even. According to a 2009 report from researchers at the University of California, San Diego, the average American consumed about 105,000 words per day, or…

“You’ve had a haircut — very smart!” was the greeting at work. Yes, but it was in no way a simple thing. The logistics involved were really that: It took the small army of my family to complete the mission. Until my last relapse six months ago, I could…