“Hurricane MS,” which is how I refer to the aggressive nature of my MS progression, happened quickly and mercilessly. I am aware that my case is particularly unusual, given how aggressive its onset was. This is one of the reasons I feel a sense of purpose in sharing my story…

To the person who left the note on my windshield: I wish you would have asked. I would have told you that I have secondary progressive multiple sclerosis, a neurological disease that impairs my ability to walk. My MS has worsened over time and will continue to progress. I can’t…

This year, I’ve been acutely aware that my body isn’t perfect. Sometimes it doesn’t move well. Sometimes it cuts off sensation in my limbs without notice. Sometimes it gets wiped out from fatigue. Sometimes it’s like MS shakes up my head so hard, like a can of soda, that I…

People with MS who are using cannabis take heed: A research letter published in May in JAMA Network Open reports that calls to poison control centers about people intentionally or inadvertently using plant-based or processed cannabis products have been increasing over the past several years. Public health officials are…

Tingling fluttered down my spine and into my butt.  “What on earth was that?” I thought. I bent my head forward again, and the same thing happened.  “OK, that’s weird.” I sat on our spare…

Almost every characteristic of multiple sclerosis differs for each of us who has the disease. While we share commonalities inherent to multiple sclerosis that make us similar to one another, much about the way our disease manifests is unique. This is why MS is sometimes referred to as the “…

Scientists developed a new therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS) that prevents immune cells from exiting the lymph nodes and entering the spinal cord of mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) — a condition that mimics MS in humans. The therapy, which consists of a…

Tysabri (natalizumab) is superior to other disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) at improving balance and vision, easing bladder problems and sexual dysfunction, and alleviating anxiety in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to data from an Australian study. The study’s findings were presented at…

After you get a new diagnosis and are coming to terms with a new way of life, the next part is especially tricky. You have to tell others. “Urgh. I don’t want to tell anyone! Why do I have to?” I’ve had this conversation with myself more than once.

Order Seen in Motor Skills Affected by MS, With Walking Taking First Hit Read this headline carefully. It reports that walking takes the “first hit,” but that doesn’t mean it’s the first MS symptom people experience. My first symptoms involved vision, fatigue, and hand strength. But true to the…

The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada and its partner, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), have invested CA$1.5 million to open a clinical trial that will investigate the potential of two cannabis derivatives — cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — in treating spasticity (muscle stiffness) and other…

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 post, “Do you have eye issues due to MS?,” published Oct. 28, 2018.

With everything being so awful, the goal is to write uplifting copy. OK, sounds like my sort of gig. One way of dealing with things is to become self-absorbed with the old MS. I think it’s getting jealous. How can a mere virus get all this attention? MS: “I’m far…

Feeling tired, depressed, or anxious? Maybe it has to do with your social cognition. Social cognition involves empathy and recognizing the emotions that are revealed by someone’s facial expression. That expression may show fear or disgust. Or it may warn us of danger. Social cognition also involves the…

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 “Multiple Sclerosis-related Vertigo: What Can You Do?” from Nov. 23,…

Research finds that a deficiency of B vitamins may play a role in multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms. On the other hand, supplementation of the vitamins may help. There are eight essential B vitamins: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, and B12. The large variety can be confusing when…

To grasp the connection between vitamin D and multiple sclerosis (MS), it is first important to understand this vitamin’s power. It is one of the “superhero” vitamins needed to help keep our bodies functioning properly. According to the Cleveland Clinic, vitamin D is essential for us to absorb the…

I’m coming up on the second anniversary of my Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) treatment. My first infusion round was the first week of December 2016. Round 2, delayed by four months, was done last April. So, it’s time to update my Lemtrada journey for you. Lemtrada, in case you’re not…

I’ve never liked carnival rides (except for roller coasters) because they make me dizzy. Walking sideways, feeling nauseous, and turning green is not my idea of a fun time! So, I go out of my way to avoid anything that can make my head spin. Yet, for some reason,…

When I was diagnosed in 2010 with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), I didn’t know what to expect. It quickly became apparent that my doctors didn’t know, either. I’m sure they could have given me some scenarios of what my future might be…

On Good Friday, my family and I took a three-day road trip to lay my husband to rest. Our goal was to honor his last wishes and set his ashes free in the wilderness that he so loved. My husband enjoyed going archery hunting almost every fall, until a…

Another of those things I was never warned about. Maybe if I’d been assigned a local MS nurse at the beginning of my diagnosis, then eruptions out of my pants could have been averted instead of finding out the wet way. I only discovered my local MS nurse…

I was going to write about something else this week and then … I got STONED! Those aren’t words I thought I’d ever write. I’d been a kid during the 1960s, but later on had duly done my literary homage by mainlining Jack Kerouac (yes, I know that…

I live in the best place in the U.S. during the summer — the Pacific Northwest, with its temperate climate and easy access to nature and culture. Rarely do we experience heatwaves, and humidity levels run lower than in most places. We may joke that “it rains…

(Photo by Andreea Antonovici) A few months ago, I wrote about a bicycle that mimics the symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Now, I’ve discovered that there’s an “MS House” that allows a healthy person to experience some of what life is like for someone who lives with MS.

Erythromelalgia is a rare and painful multiple sclerosis (MS) symptom that I (and others with MS) experience. Almost every night my feet have a tight, swollen feeling accompanied by a terribly hot, burning sensation. It is usually cool to the touch but can feel hot at certain…

In an article for Living Well, Julia Stachowiak talks about muscle twitches and whether or not they’re a symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS). MORE: Four types of MS-related tremors. Muscle twitches (or fasciculations) are a common symptom in other neurodegenerative diseases, particularly amyotrophic lateral…

The Blair Chiropractic Technique may ease multiple sclerosis (MS) symptoms, studies indicate. The technique involves adjusting the spinal column’s upper cervical vertebrae. These bones can misalign, interfering with the neck-area connection between the brainstem and neural canal. Manipulating this area can alleviate MS symptoms in many patients, chiropractic studies have…

Multiple sclerosis is a very complex disease that attacks the central nervous system. The symptoms MS generates are random, affect everyone differently, and are categorized either as primary MS, or secondary MS, symptoms. Primary MS symptoms are the direct result of the disease itself — byproducts of the damaged…

GeneFo, a social-medical community that connects patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and offers free in-house medical consulting, recently announced a partnership with MitoQ, a New Zealand-based company focused on mitochondrial health. MitoQ is a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant supplement that may help to alleviate common symptoms in MS. MS, a chronic disease of the central…