multiple sclerosis

Calming the Cranky Beast That’s Irritability

Irritability can strikeĀ anyone at anytime, and pain, illness, depression ā€” or just having a bad day ā€” can all lead to feelings of anxiety and irritability. To those of us with multiple sclerosis (MS), being irritable can come from all of those causes, plus a whole lot more.

Faces of MS Advocacy

Do you ever stop to wonder about the people who write these great columns for Multiple Sclerosis News Today? I have the honor of knowing several of them via telephone conversations and even occasional in-person meetings. You can tell by looking at our bios that we are a…

How to Improve MS-Related Imbalance

One of the earliest symptoms that appeared before my multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis was imbalance. I remember turning my head to look at something and feeling slightly off-balance. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but that wobbly sensation gradually increased through the years. Occasionally, I…

Fear the Future? Change the Way You Think

Fear of the future will likely rear its ugly head more often than you’d like when you have multiple sclerosis or any serious chronic disease. It can be difficult to keep your mind from wandering to a very dark place. Worries about how fast your disease is progressing,…

Cholesterol Medication Shows Promise as MS Treatment

I’ve been taking a statin drug for years to keep my cholesterol low, and it’s doing a really good job. Now, there’s hope that this class of drug also might be useful for MS patients. A major trial in the U.K. is testing the drug simvastatin (used to control…

Look What the Cat Dragged In!

Like one third of America, Iā€™m a cat lover. Iā€™ve had kitties in my house since I was a child, often in sets. Currently, Iā€™m the proud parent of two fur babiesā€”Ivan (the tabby) and Baker (the Wegie)ā€”and theyā€™re a great source of joy, entertainment and…

Losing Our Independence Due to Multiple Sclerosis

Losing our independence due to multiple sclerosis is a profound loss. With that loss comes the grieving process and inevitable change. On Grief.com in “A Message from David Kessler,” he discusses the fiveĀ stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. I have experienced all of these…

NYC Subways: A Tough Ride With MS

Have you ever been on a New York City subway? I grew up in the Big Apple, and I used to love riding the subway as a kid. I’d travel all over the city without a problem. Not so today. Not so since MS changed my track.

Calming the Hidden Beast of Silent Inflammation

The inflammation in our bodies can be very sneaky. I am not talking about the good inflammation, also known as the group of hormones called eicosanoids (eye-KAH-sa-noids). This group of hormones provoke our immune system to fight diseases, viruses and other invaders and help in repairing tissues…

Hypothyroidism and What It Shares with MS

In 2004, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, a condition in which theĀ thyroid is underactive and doesn’t product enough important hormones. Six years later, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS).Ā Naturally, I became curious as to whether a link might exist between between hypothyroidism and MS. I am…

A Very Hip Story: ‘The Shower That Ate Me’

It was three years since I’d seen my best mate Nigel. The last time had been when we said goodbye at London City Airport after our three-day sozzled sojourn (OK, drunken trip) round the Scottish Isle of Islay. To the uninitiated, a pilgrimage for those who worship peat in their…

There’s Something Wrong with Both of Us

There are a few moments when life changes. In my day, it was meeting your partner across a crowded room. Now it’s sadly the flick of an app. What hasn’t changed is that only later doĀ you realize this really was a moment. This isn’t a story about romance…

Spring is an Apt Time to Reflect on MS and Hope

T.S. Eliotā€™s opens his masterwork The Waste Land with four stunning lines of verse: April is the cruellest month, breeding Lilacs out of the dead land, mixingĀ  Memory and desire, stirringĀ  Dull roots with spring rain.Ā  It seems odd to say that April is…

RMS Patient Using Ocrevus in Trial: ‘I Feel Great’

Pamela Arterbridge is one of 70 people at Ohio State Universityā€™s Multiple Sclerosis Center taking part in the open-label part of aĀ clinical trial for ocrelizumab, nowĀ best known asĀ Ocrevus.Ā  She is a patient of Dr. Michael Racke, who is a pioneer in the field of B-cell treatmentsĀ for MS,…