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multiple sclerosis


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Evening all. This week my partner has Been hit with the news that she has MS.

We have of course done a bit of research on the web and she has a appointment next week with specialists, however thus far every site we have found explains it all it a way that requires a PHD. This is maybe the wrong place to be asking,but I wondered if anyone had any knowledge/experience of MS?

Thanks in advance

Colin.

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Very sorry to hear that, Colin. I'm sure the specialists will be able to answer all your questions in a plain way. I have very limited knowledge of MS, and no personal experiences with it to share with you, so there's not much more that I can say other than I hope the treatment she gets works well for her.

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A friend of mine has MS. It was in the family so he was kind of looking out for symptoms but also to some extent in denial when it started. First thing I remember him talking about was numbness in his fingers when he was about 20. He's 50 now and it has very gradually deteriorated and these days he walks with a cane and is rather shakey and twitchy and very thin. Still makes us laugh like drains with the twitching thing you can never quite be sure if its real or he put it on as an excuse to spill beer over someone.

I don't know if his case is typical or not. His father's case was broadly similar but I guess it would be. Certainly its been slowly moving - 30 years and counting.

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It all depends on how aggressive it is. Some people have it to the grave without twigging. Two close friends have MS.

One's recently diagnosed after suffering periods of numbness on one side. He's turned into a complete health freak -

exercise, diet, cutting recreational excess - the works.So far, so good. No symptoms since the start of his regime, touch wood.

The other is 3 decades in, he's a trooper. Still working, though it's not easy for him.

MS breaks down the electrical wiring that runs through the body from the brain.

MS flares, that's when the symptoms get really noticeable. In my first friend it's the numbness, the other suffers noticeably.

Restricted movement is the most obvious problem, though anything that utilises the electrical pathways can suffer. The senses

can become fuzzy, and there are other socially more embarrassing problems. So far the second friend has been able to stave

off the effects of the flaring with massive doses of steroids, though this won't work forever. Each flare takes a toll, symptoms

recede but you never quite recover to pre flare levels. Research is coming on though, modern drugs make a difference.

There's more in the pipeline too.

MS Society.

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Thanks for the replies guys it's appreciated. I think at the moment she is just coming to terms with it. She is a nurse herself so for the last 10 months or so of tests I think she had a idea, but of course when it's confirmed it hits hard. We was walking through town on Saturday and she stumbled, thinking she had tripped on something I laughed and called her a clumsy cow, she burst out crying as she hadn't tripped as such just lost balance. That's why I need to learn more.

Thanks again for your replies

Colin.

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Good luck mate. Someone very close to me was diagnosed with it about 3 years ago suffering blurred vision in one eye. They had no further symptoms until a couple of weeks ago when they lost the feeling in the left side of their face, and tongue. It's pretty scary.

I can't pretend to know enough about it to give you any advice. I know enough to offer you, and your partner, my best wishes. I hope it's kind to you both.

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An old squaddie friend of mine has it and he swears that weed is better than anything a doctor could prescribe .

Very true, though it might not come to that.

It should be pointed out that smoking joints or eating space cakes every day doesn't slow the progress, it just relieves some of the symptoms.

It aleviates spasticity (muscles painfully bunching), to the point that a 'legit' alternative exists. Sativex spray - though it's really difficult to get prescribed.

Without being flippant - The other obvious benefit is it keeps the patient interested in food.

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My wife has it.

Mostly its remitting and relapsing - ie you have a bout - this can be numbness, tingling, minor balance problems - then it remits - ie you completely recover and have no symptoms at all for months ...even years.

There is a more aggressive type - called progressive MS - in which what you loose during an attack - you don't get back or you don't get all of it back.

My wife has been mostly fine - however its highly un predictable - just because it progresses slowly for years doesn't mean it won't suddenly accelerate into progressive and more aggressive MS.

That said only 25% of people with MS end up in a wheelchair. ...and Holiday insurance only increases nominally for MS sufferers - so all the stats are on her side -.

Stress, heat and dhydration seem to make my wife worse. On a positive note - it does make you do things while you can - every year except 1 since diagnosis we have had holiday abroad - and Im not a rich bloke - but at the back of both our minds - are enjoy it while your healthy.

It might seem like a bummer - but as we get older - we don't work as well - MS or no MS !

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