News, info and tips for living with multiple sclerosis
Oops! I took a turn too fast in the parking lot of my condo the other morning and tipped to the left. And with that, my mobility scooter and I headed for a fall. Do you know the feeling when something bad is about to happen and there’s nothing you can do to stop it? I had that feeling. Five seconds seemed like 50 as the 325-pound scooter began to…Continue Reading
Biogen has been a top dog in the multiple sclerosis treatment field for decades. The pharmaceutical giant developed Avonex (interferon beta-1a), approved in the U.S. in 1996 as one of the first disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) for MS. I remember how excited I was to be participating in its Phase 3 clinical trial. “Finally, there’s a medication that might stop my MS,” I thought. MS medications, such as Avonex, have long…Continue Reading
First, my exercise routine was disrupted by the pandemic. Then, Hurricane Ian landed a right hook on the exercise room in my Florida community, knocking it out of action. But not long after that, my thoughts were turning to something sweeter — pitchers and catchers returning to spring training here in the Sunshine State — and I finally returned to some spring training of my own. I’m a big believer…Continue Reading
Many people with multiple sclerosis have experienced a urinary tract infection (UTI) at some point. It’s a common problem with MS and can be caused by a number of things, such as the inability to fully empty the bladder or the need to self-catheterize. Symptoms can include urinary frequency and urgency, a burning pain while urinating, abdominal pain, and foul-smelling urine that looks milky or cloudy. Urinary tract infections can…Continue Reading
Boarding an aircraft before others is a small benefit to being a disabled flyer. For years, giving me a small start to get down the jetway ahead of even the most frequent of frequent flyers has given me time to get off the little scooter I use due to my multiple sclerosis, remove its battery, and hopefully snag the attention of the flight attendant to help with carry-on luggage and the…Continue Reading
Choosing the best disease-modifying therapy (DMT) to treat your MS can be a tough decision. When I was diagnosed with MS way back in 1980, it was easy. There were no DMTs to choose from. The first three — Avonex (interferon beta-1a), Betaseron (interferon beta-1b), and Copaxone (glatiramer acetate injection) — weren’t approved in the U.S. until the early-to-mid 1990s. Today, there are more than 20 MS treatments on the…Continue Reading
You may not have heard of Judy Heumann, who died March 4 at the age of 75. Although she’s not directly connected to the multiple sclerosis community, you should know about her. Everyone who lives with a disability owes her a great deal. Heumann was just 18 months old when she became ill in the 1949 polio epidemic. According to her website, doctors told her parents that she would never…Continue Reading
Medications and cognitive behavioral theory (CBT) have both been used to help control multiple sclerosis fatigue. But, what if they were used together? Would it make a difference?
If you have multiple sclerosis, I’m sure you’ve had several MRIs by now. You’ve probably also had one using a contrast agent. That contrast agent is made from a rare earth element called gadolinium. Mixed with other chemical ions, it highlights lesions or areas of active MS inflammation that would otherwise be difficult or impossible for a radiologist to see. It’s a useful tool, but there have been concerns about…Continue Reading
It was bound to happen. Even though it’s been more than three years since COVID-19 reared it head in Wuhan, China, and even though I’ve had five of the COVID-19 vaccine shots recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — two primary series doses and three boosters — plus the seasonal flu shot, COVID-19 finally found me. On a recent Thursday night, my throat began to feel…Continue Reading