#lifewithms

The best medicines for a complex and unpredictable illness like multiple sclerosis might not only be in the form of a daily Copaxone injection and 29 tablets to combat several types and levels of neuropathic pain and severe fatigue, but it might just happen to arrive in the form of a lively puppy, complete with a wagging tail, furry paws, and a wet nose ready to patrol your central nervous…

Navigating life with a neurodegenerative illness like multiple sclerosis (MS) often requires a unique sense of lightheartedness that may seem out of place to some, but that can make a big difference to your everyday well-being. I often refer to my multiple sclerosis as a pyjama party, because in many ways, there are plenty of days being spent in oversized warm tops, leggings, and UGG boots, with…

VTE takes place when a “blood clot travels through the bloodstream to a vessel, causing a blockage.”

A study done in 2014 “published by the MS Trust UK” found that individuals who live with MS are at a “2.6 times greater risk for having VTE” than the general populace. This is due to the fact that individuals that live with MS usually have the same risk factors as VTE (Kiefer, 2019, as cited in Multiple Sclerosis Trust 2014, para. 17)

Some of the risk factors include:

disability

spasticity (muscle stiffness)

lack of mobility

steroid use (Kiefer, 2019, para. 17)

Individuals who have MS can have “feelings of numbness or other physical sensations” (Kiefer, 2019, para. 15). One of these sensations is a painful condition called Dysesthesia (Kiefer, 2019, para. 15).

Dysesthesia can cause:

aching

burning

“Half of people” who go through day-to-day life with MS develop cognitive problems, such as amnesia and processing information at a slower rate. These problems may also result in diminished “problem-solving, verbal, abstract reasoning, and visual-spatial abilities” (Kiefer, 2019, para. 13).“Brain atrophy or lesions” Attributable to MS is the reason there are cognitive changes (Kiefer, 2019, para. 13).

Vision issues appear as MS develops. Individuals may either experience a few of these symptoms for a small portion of time,“ or they may become permanent” (Kiefer, 2019, para. 11).

Potential vision complications include:

blurry vision

diplopia (double vision)

nystagmus (uncontrolled eye movements)

vision loss (Kiefer, 2019, para. 11).

Possible treatments may concentrate on helping individuals deal with changes in vision (Kiefer, 2019, para. 12). This could potentially include:

wearing a eye patch if you have diplopia 

Individuals who live with MS suffer from higher levels of depression and bipolar affective disorder. The causes for these elevated levels are complex (Kiefer, 2019, as cited in MS Society of Canada n.d., para. 7).

The changes in the brain tissue due to MS may be attached to depression. Individuals’ “emotional challenges” while going through daily life with MS may play a factor as well. A few people with MS “may feel a sense of isolation, and face career, economic, and social challenges”  (Kiefer, 2019, para. 8).

The development of MS and specific medications (for example, corticosteroids) can cause bipolar affective disorder (Kiefer, 2019, para. 9).

MS causes an interference between signals of the brain, urinary tract, and bowel systems. This means that from time to time, the body “doesn’t receive a message that it is time to release waste.” Muscle functions in the body parts that release waste and nerve damage occasionally affect the signals to the brain as well.  (Kiefer, 2019, para. 5).

Bladder and bowel difficulty normally include:

constipation

diarrhea

incontinence (Kiefer, 2019, para. 5).