MS relapse

World MS Day, created by the MS International Federation and its members in 2009 to bring together the multiple sclerosis (MS) community, will this year continue online its 2020–2022 theme of improving connections to break down social barriers. The global MS campaign, featuring…

The other night I was watching the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series, my favorite film box set, and it occurred to me how similar life with multiple sclerosis feels to life on a pirate ship. A particular scene sparked this…

My tough day started when Brenda asked, “Why do you use that scooter?” Brenda was sitting behind a desk at the Charlotte County Tax Collector’s Office in Florida, where my wife, Laura, and I hoped that transferring our driver’s licenses from Maryland to Florida would be an easy chore.

I challenged myself to run 10 miles in April. I didn’t know at the time how I would make it work, because I was numb from the neck down due to an MS flare. But I was eager to take back control…

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada‘s (MSSC) MS Walk fundraiser is still on for this month — May is MS Awareness Month in Canada — although in an altered form due to the pandemic. The annual nationwide community-driven event raises funds and MS awareness to help battle the neurodegenerative…

Treatment with Zeposia (ozanimod) significantly reduces the risk of relapse, decreases the proportion of patients experiencing a relapse, and has a better safety profile than Aubagio (teriflunomide) for people with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to an indirect comparison of clinical trial data.

FDA Rejects Under-the-skin Tysabri for Relapsing MS I expect this decision will be a disappointment for those who had hoped to be able to self-administer highly effective Tysabri as a shot rather than an IV infusion. But I switched from Avonex to Tysabri, because after a few years of…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has rejected Biogen‘s request for approval of under-the-skin administration of Tysabri (natalizumab) as a treatment for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). “This response from the FDA does not affect the intravenous administration of Tysabri, a well-established high-efficacy treatment with a…

TG Therapeutics has expanded its contract with Samsung Biologics to manufacture ublituximab, an investigational therapy for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS). “Samsung is the global leader in biologics manufacturing and we are happy to have them as our partner as we look forward to the potential commercialization…

Editor’s note: The Multiple Sclerosis News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the 2021 Virtual AAN Annual Meeting, held April 17–22. Go here to read stories from the conference. After starting treatment with the multiple sclerosis (MS) therapy Mavenclad (cladribine), some types of immune cells are more affected…

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease that is unique to each patient, meaning that no two people experience the exact same disease manifestations. While there are common symptoms that many MS patients share, such as pain and chronic fatigue, some may experience more unusual symptoms. Seven of…

I recently wrote about my decision to try hypnotherapy. I’d been feeling out of control over my mental state following a multiple sclerosis flare. I finally admitted that I needed help.  I had an initial phone consultation with my…

#AANAM – COVID-19 Often Leads to Flares in MS Patients, Survey Finds I’ve read more than a few social media posts from people with MS who are concerned that the COVID-19 vaccines will cause a flare. National MS Association guidelines say the vaccines may cause a temporary, mild fever…

Editor’s note: The Multiple Sclerosis News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the 2021 Virtual AAN Annual Meeting, April 17–22. Go here to read the latest stories from the conference. The majority of people with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience new or worsening symptoms after developing COVID-19, a patient survey…

Editor’s note: The Multiple Sclerosis News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the 2021 Virtual AAN Annual Meeting, April 17–22. Go here to read the latest stories from the conference. When the weather is unusually warm, people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are more likely to require emergency medical care,…

Editor’s note: The Multiple Sclerosis News Today team is providing in-depth coverage of the 2021 Virtual AAN Annual Meeting, April 17–22. Go here to read the latest stories from the conference. Ublituximab, an investigational therapy for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), significantly outperformed Aubagio (teriflunomide) at reducing patients’…

Recently, I’ve been struggling through an MS flare. I have been numb, mostly from my neck down, which is reminiscent of my first relapse eight years ago. Numb and slightly weak hands make it extremely difficult to draw.

A genetic variant in the WNT9B gene and vitamin D response are both associated with a greater risk of relapses in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a recent study in Belgium has found. The study, “Genetic variation in WNT9B increases relapse hazard in multiple sclerosis,” was published in the journal…

“Take a breath and give one away.” — Marisa Peer Recently, I started doing guided meditation by Marisa Peer, a rapid transformational therapy trainer and best-selling author. Her meditations are freely available on Spotify and cover a range of topics to…

Retinal Layer Thickness May Predict MS Progression, Relapses We all know how unpredictable MS is. For some, it progresses very quickly, while for others, it follows a slow progression over many years. Wouldn’t it be nice if we knew the course our disease is likely to follow, right from…

Measurements of the thickness of the eye’s retina — the layer of nerve cells lining the back of the eye — could be used to predict disability progression and relapses in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), a real-world study from Austria suggests. “Our study shows that both crossectional and…

Sunlight flooded my bedroom. My tired eyes slowly pulled apart. Realization set in: It was Saturday. Yes! I love Saturdays.  As I got out of bed and glanced outside my window, a crazy thought crossed my mind.  “I’m going running.” I hadn’t…

Off-label treatment with Tysabri (natalizumab) significantly lessens disease activity and reduces the number of relapses per year in patients with pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (POMS), real-world data from Portugal show. The treatment also was considered safe in this population, in agreement with earlier studies. These findings support the usefulness…

Photo courtesy of Carter Stough Lowe Day 28 of 31 This is Carter Stough Lowe’s story: I first noticed extreme blurriness in my right eye when I was home for my grandfather’s funeral and informed my mother of my vision problems. She sent me to her eye…

So, where off Earth have I been? Nothing as adventurous as a space flight, I’m afraid, but a more prosaic litany of mishaps. First, I did crash, but that was from a vicious steroid withdrawal. My body went limp. Later, it would become even limper. A small wound on…

Photo courtesy of @JackieHicksFondMemories Day 26 of 31 This is Stacy Barton’s story: I’m Stacy Barton, and this is my story: In 2005, I was married with two children, including an autistic daughter, and working on Capitol Hill.  I had grown accustomed to walking around…

Day 14 of 31 This is Dr. Conor Kerley’s story: My name is Conor Kerley. When I was first diagnosed with MS at age 15, my first question was: will I still be able to play sports? I was diagnosed after three major relapses in eight months…

Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals (EHP) is preparing for an international Phase 2 clinical trial testing EHP-101 for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). The study will take place in about 20 locations in the U.S. and Australia, and is expected to include approximately 50 patients with relapsing forms of…

“Ooooops!” Actually, I spit out a shorter, one-syllable word as I took one of the scariest tumbles I’ve had in 40 years of living with MS. But this is a family column. My last scary fall a few years ago happened from a sitting position, and I fell onto…

Photo courtesy of Anita Alberto Photography. Day 4 of 31 This is Jen DeTracey’s story: It’s been over 10 years since I was diagnosed with MS.  Ironically, on the anniversary, I didn’t think about it. I realized a few days later…