neurologist

My Right Arm Is Going to Look Really Young

I’ve just received four intramuscular Botox injections in my right arm to relieve the muscle spasticity that comes with multiple sclerosis. (OK, it wasnā€™t actually Botox, but Dysport, or abobotulinumtoxinA, another medication derived from the botulinum toxin to block muscle contractions.) And “my right arm is going…

An Upbeat MS Column for You Lucky People

The trouble with a degenerative disease is that things only get worse. In the long-gone days of my youth, I somehow wrangled myself into being an arts critic. Wizened journalists imparted the lore that a bad show was much easier to write than a rave. Satirical barbs are far more…

MS Treatment Decisions Can Cause a ‘Gambler’s Dilemma’

One of the toughest decisions facing someone with MS is whether to begin treatment with a disease-modifying therapy (DMT). Equally tough, I think, is deciding which DMT road to travel ā€” because there are three roads that can be followed. One path starts you on a simple, first-level medication. These…

Deciding if Ocrevus Is Right When You’re Over 55

As a 61-year-old woman diagnosed in 2010 with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), I was overjoyed when theĀ U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the therapy Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) in March 2017. Because Ocrevus is the first treatment approved to possibly slow the progression of PPMS, theĀ FDA’s green…

My Unique Primary Progressive MS Diagnosis

I have lived with the diagnosis of primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS)Ā for almost eight years. For many years prior to that diagnosis, I was confused by what could be causing my abnormal gait, extreme fatigue, blurred vision,Ā and trouble concentrating. During that time, I completed many diagnostic tests, dealt…

Is It Time to Change Your MS Doctor?

The other day, as I cruised around various MS internet groups, I came across a lament that I’ve seen before. But this one, for some reason, jumped out at me. A woman with MS wrote that she was “fortunate” that her RRMS symptoms were relatively minor: fatigue, numbness in…

Going All In for Ocrevus ā€” Together

ā€œIs the MS drug news good for u?ā€ my friendā€™s text asked. It was Wednesday morning, March 29. Genentech had just announcedĀ  that Ocrevus, the ā€œFirst and only approved disease-modifying therapy for primary progressive form of multiple sclerosis (PPMS) ā€“ one of the most disabling forms of…

Know which questions to ask your neurologist about MRIs

I’m sure all of us with multiple sclerosis have had at least one magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. Most likely, more than one. MRIs are designed to scan and provide detailed pictures of the body, the brain included. The test can reveal scars (plaque lesions) on the brain and the…

Is Your Neurologist Listening to What Your MS Is Saying?

Editor’s Note: Debi Wilson’s column “Faith of the Mustard Seed” explores a range of important topics that relate directly to the patient experience. In her debut article, she discusses her own experiences with neurologists, and encourages MS to not settle on a specialist until they feel as though their…