http://www.care2.com/greenliving/you-have-multiple-sclerosis-those-are-fighting-words.html
Fighting Words: “You Have Multiple Sclerosis”
“You have multiple sclerosis.”
Hearing those words may be the shock of a lifetime, or the confirmation of something you’ve long suspected. Either way, nobody wants to hear it. In my case, the official diagnosis came by email — but that’s another story.
Diagnosing MS is not a simple task — there is no specific test, but rather a series of diagnostic procedures, clinical history, and the painstaking elimination of other diseases. The actual diagnosis is often a major relief. But now that you know, what are you going to do about it?
Start with your doctor as your first source of information. Make sure that you understand exactly what MS is — and what it isn’t. Because MS varies so greatly from person to person, it is unlikely that your doctor will offer a firm prognosis.
There are several expensive, disease-modifying, injectable drugs available to treat relapsing/remitting MS. These drugs rely strongly on patient adherence. Take the time to understand them so that you can intelligently decide whether or not they are right for you.
Become an advocate — for yourself. Learn all you can about MS. There is no shortage of educational material on the subject. National MS advocacy groups, books, and reputable websites provide a wealth of information. On the flip side, there is an abundance of myth and misinformation about MS, so always check your sources. If you’re going to fight this thing, you must arm yourself with knowledge.
Make it a point to meet or communicate with other people who have MS. You’ll both benefit from mutual support and you’ll be amazed at how often you’ll say, “You too? I thought it was just me!”
Live a healthy lifestyle. If you aren’t paying attention to what you consume, there’s no time like the present to make a change. Learn how and where to get the essential nutrients your body needs. Eliminate empty calories and highly processed foods. Smoking and excessive use of alcohol should be avoided. By tending to your overall health and well-being, you can avoid additional medical risks.
Exercising with MS can be quite a challenge, but it’s not impossible. There are many exercise programs designed specifically for people with MS. Swimming and yoga are often recommended to MS patients.
Keep your loved ones in the loop. It’s tempting to want to be a hero and take on MS by yourself, but not very realistic. Your health will have a dramatic impact on your loved ones — emotionally, physically, and financially. Open, honest communication will prevent misunderstanding and hurt feelings.
“You have multiple sclerosis.” Those words might make you want to crawl into bed and hide under the blankets. I’ve considered it myself, but that’s no way to live. Much better to come out fighting.
“You have multiple sclerosis.” Those are fighting words!
How do you fight MS? Share your insights in the comment section below.
Writer Ann Pietrangelo embraces the concept of personal responsibility for health and wellness. As a multiple sclerosis patient, she combines a healthy lifestyle and education with modern medicine, and seeks to provide information and support to others. She is a regular contributor to Care2.com’s Reform Health Policy blog in Causes.
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6 comments
add your comment »My daughter's neurologist wanted to put her on steroids. We'd researhed LDN and asked if he would use it instead. He asked that her MD prescribe it since he had more of her history. The MD had to research it and was willing to try it. It has to be filled at a compounding pharmacy. Even the pharmacist asked why she was taking LDN! If you have MS, please do Google LDN or LDNers. Another good site is Crystal's MS, TM & LDN.
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I have had MS since I was 44 yrs old & am now 70 and in a wheelchair. I love to garden and have a grabber that I use to pick up leaves and fallen branches from our trees. Until recently I would visit my son in Australia but their house has steps EVERYWHERE so can't do that now. They visit here!
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Vitamin D via natural sunlight ~ mercola.com
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Thank you very much Lynette Mcgee and Madeline Keever for the heads up about LDN. I've never heard a thing about it before.I have PPMS, and you can be sure that I'll be calling my doc about it just as soon as I can! As there's nothing that they can give one for PPMS, I'm looking forward to being able to try this one out. Thanks again ...
Going back to Ms. Pietrangelo's article, I can say that I was one of those people who were actually happy when they finally diagnosed me with MS. Not that I wanted it mind you, as it has pretty much ruined my life ... that's another long story though ... I was very happy to finally have a 'label' to put on what was wrong with me, and indeed it took years for them to finally diagnose. One thing that I would highly recommend to anyone who feels that they may have it, but their doctor keep says that they don't ... Go to another doctor! I've seen a bunch of them over the years, and believe me, not all neurologists are created equal! There are some who actually know things about MS, so look for one who's specialty is MS and you should have an easier time of things. That period of not knowing, or even worse having doctors look at you like you're just a neurotic housewife, can make a person crazy. The first doctor I saw told me, "Well, it's not like you have MS or anything!" How I wish he'd been right, as now I can't even walk anymore.
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LDN...Google it. or LDNers
Unlike the expensive drugs this one is a generic already, having been developed for something else, so it is affordable.
It works and really is a break through for those of us who have heard those words: "you have multiple sclerosis."
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My 39 year old daughter has been on low dose naltrexone (LDN) for over a year. It has been incredible. She is back to horse riding, works full time, has energy to enjoy her children and husband. It amazes me that more is not shared about this. It truly was the result of being her own advocate.
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