The MS Wire

News, info and tips for living with multiple sclerosis

Category: Living with MS

Research Reveals Another Possible Link Between Epstein-Barr and MS

For years researchers have believed a link exists between the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and multiple sclerosis. But scientists have had a hard time finding a precise association. Now, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are reporting another possible connection. Researchers at the Center for Autoimmune Genomics and Etiology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center have found a viral protein in EBV-infected cells. They think that the protein may turn on a “switch” that…Continue Reading

A New Look for The MS Wire

As you can see, if you’re reading this, The MS Wire has a new look. The idea is to make the site easier to read and navigate. I hope you like this new format. Of course, comments or suggestions for improvements are always welcome. Ed

Lemtrada: Hoping My Drip Stops Here

Lemtrada

I’m finished with my second round of Lemtrada (alemtuzumab). Hopefully, this will be the final round of this disease-modifying therapy (DMT) for me, and my final MS treatment of any kind. Though some have required more, most people treated with Lemtrada receive only two rounds. The first round consists of five infusions over five days. The second round, a year later, is three infusions over three days. If it works…Continue Reading

MS Can Be a Kids’ Disease, too – Part 2

After I wrote about pediatric MS earlier last week, a reader commented: “I think it would behoove your editorship to follow up to address to audiences…symptoms that typify the early-age demographic.” That’s a good point. So, I drilled deeper into how MS is handled in people younger than 18 years old and found some very interesting information. Pediatric MS diagnosis To begin with, neurologists have a difficult time diagnosing MS…Continue Reading

MS Can be a Kids’ Disease, Too – Part 1

The age at which a person is diagnosed with MS is usually between 20 and 50, according to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. But it can be diagnosed in people much younger. In fact, of the estimated 400,000people with MS in the United States, 8,000-10,000 are under 18 years old. We older folks have some pretty good support systems to which we can turn to learn about our disease and…Continue Reading

Looking for Healthcare Answers on the Internet Can Drive You Nuts

I know, I know. I write about health issues on the internet, so I shouldn’t be discouraging people from looking for answers here. But, searching the internet to match symptoms with a diagnosis can be a real anxiety booster. Emily Sohn makes a solid case for that in a recent article in The Washington Post: “I might have jaw pain, dizziness or a stomach flu that makes me vomit. Before long,…Continue Reading

Monkey See, Monkey Do: Helping Hands for People with MS

I was just monkeying around while on vacation a few weeks ago, amazed that the animals jumping between my wife and myself were actually listening to the commands of their owner. I knew that chimps and apes were smart, but seeing monkeys respond to commands was new to me. I had no idea how well some monkeys can be trained until I read an article in Neurology Now. There, I discovered…Continue Reading

Dancing in the Rain

When writing about the challenges of MS I often share some advice that’s printed on a wall-hanging my wife picked-up a few years ago: “Life isn’t about hiding from the storm, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” This dancing isn’t in the rain but this video, from the French TV show “Got Talent,” gives true meaning to those words: (You’re invited to follow my regular columns on www.multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com)…Continue Reading

She Has #MS and She Just Hiked 500 Miles!

Well, 460.75 miles (741.5 km), to be exact. When I wrote about April Hester in late September, the headline on my post was “She Has MS and She’s Hiking 500 Miles.” Well, she did it, hiking the Palmetto Trail from Walhalla, in the South Carolina mountains, to Awendaw, on the coast. With husband Bernie alongside, April completed the hike on Nov. 3. The couple had expected the hike to take…Continue Reading

Have a Say About Accessible Parking

If you have MS it’s probably happened to you. You have trouble walking but the few accessible parking spots in the lot are full. You find an accessible spot but someone is parked in the hash-marked area and there’s no room to get your chair or scooter out of your van. There are parking spots but the curb cut to the sidewalk is blocked. So, you mutter a few words…Continue Reading