News, info and tips for living with multiple sclerosis
I hate the cold. It triggers my bladder and stiffens my legs. When the leaves start to turn in Maryland, I start thinking about the palm trees in Florida. So, I was interested to read research from the University of Geneva that indicates that exposure to cold may stop, and even reverse, nerve demyelination that occurs in multiple sclerosis (MS). These scientists applied the concept of life history theory to…Continue Reading
A couple weeks ago, my wife and I rolled up our sleeves and got our shots again. No, not the COVID-19 vaccine. We’ve already had two of those shots, and expect to receive a third before Thanksgiving. Our latest shot was the seasonal flu vaccine, which we’ve gotten every year for as long as I can remember. With all of the attention on COVID-19 vaccines, you may have forgotten about…Continue Reading
I’ll be going live on Instagram with other Social Media Coordinators from MS News Today platforms Thursday, 10/21, at 7pm eastern time. I hope you’ll join us on the @msnewstoday page.
My wife and I recently returned from a long weekend in upstate New York, where we attended my college reunion. It was a biggie — my 50th — and had been delayed a year due to COVID-19. The sun was shining, and it felt like spring for the three days we were there, which is unusual for Ithaca, New York, in October. As students, we used to say there are…Continue Reading
Kaiser Health News, a group of healthcare journalists that I follow and that produces excellent, well-researched, reporting, is producing a webinar on ageism in healthcare. I think many people with MS have serious problems receiving equal treatment as they age. So, I’m pleased that KHN is providing this discussion. DATE: Thursday, October 21, noon to 1:30 p.m. Eastern time. WHO: Judith Graham, Navigating Aging columnist for Kaiser Health News, will…Continue Reading
Would you sign up for healthcare from the place where you buy books, bluejeans, and bagels? Amazon thinks you might, and the company is moving closer to becoming the doctor in your house, according to a report last month by Insider. Amazon has been dabbling in the healthcare business for a few years. In January 2018, it joined JPMorgan Chase and Berkshire Hathaway in launching a program called Haven, which…Continue Reading
Here’s an opportunity to participate in a study that compares an in-person MS exercise program with one that’s done on-line. In the STEP for MS program, participants will exercise about one hour, twice a week, for 16 weeks. Some will do this in a clinic and some at home. A trained “coach” will help participants learn how to exercise and will provide encouragement as they do. There will be clinic…Continue Reading
People living with multiple sclerosis know that the medications used to treat it are expensive. According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the median annual price of brand-name disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) last year was $91,835. Five of them carried a price tag of more than $100,000 a year. Many pharmaceutical companies help defray the out-of-pocket costs of their DMTs for patients. But U.S. law strictly limits how this can be…Continue Reading
I take a bunch of pills every day. Most of them are generics. I’ve used baclofen to treat my leg spasticity, oxybutynin for my bladder, and modafinil to fight my MS fatigue. There’s also atorvastatin to keep my cholesterol in check, and levothyroxine to do the same for my thyroid levels. All are generics. Over the years, I’ve read many social media comments from people questioning whether generics are as…Continue Reading
Lately, I’ve been thinking about pain — specifically, how to match a number to my pain. While lying on a treatment table my physical therapist Richard asked me to rate my pain, on a scale from zero to 10, as he manipulated my shoulder. I’m sure many of you have been asked something similar by a healthcare provider, as it’s a standard way of assessing pain. But it doesn’t make…Continue Reading