Can Do MS: Recent Episodes
Can Do MS
Can Do Multiple Sclerosis, formerly The Jimmie Heuga Center for Multiple Sclerosis, is national nonprofit organization that provides innovative lifestyle empowerment programs for people living with MS and their support partners.
Building the Foundation so the Cure Can Work: How Integrative Medicine Supports Life with MS by Can Do MS
Uhthoff’s Phenomenon: A Hot Topic for Patients Living with Multiple Sclerosis by Can Do MS
Accessing Specialty MS Care Can Be Tough | The Institute for Public Health Innovation Is Working to Help by Can Do MS
Navigating Sensory Changes in MS: Simple Tips To Stay Safe, Independent, and Comfortable by Can Do MS
Are you looking to simplify your meal planning, save energy, and make it easier to choose healthier options? Meal planning apps, meal delivery services, and online grocery shopping have you covered.
The current recommendation is for everyone with MS to have a brief cognitive screening and a brief screening for depression...
Comprehensive MS care attends to many aspects of your health and well-being. Participating together with your healthcare providers...
The process of making treatment decisions collaboratively with your healthcare providers is called “shared decision making.”
Anger is a very powerful emotion. It can give us energy and strength to problem solve and move forward, or it can paralyze our thoughts...
Finding ways to stay active, engage in sports, or continue playing on their favorite team is a priority for many people with MS. Learning what’s possible as well as safe can help you keep your life as full and fun as you want it to be.
Calendars come in all shapes and sizes, as well as paper electronic versions. What they all have in common is this – their usefulness depends on how you and your calendar interact
Chores – whether the indoor or outdoor kind – can sap your energy to the point that there’s not much left for the fun stuff. Think bed-making, vacuuming, laundry sorting, grocery shopping, lawn mowing, snow shoveling – and you’ll agree that nothing takes more out of you than these necessary chores.
Like other MS symptoms, pain is different for each person, and each person may experience various types of pain at one time or another. It’s important to know the terms used to describe the types of pain that can occur in MS and be able to describe your pain to your healthcare provider(s).
Managing pain in MS often requires a multi-step approach, involving different types of interventions by a multi-disciplinary team. In other words, it may require time, some patience on your part, and a willingness to advocate for yourself by clearly describing the pain(s) you are experiencing, the timing and intensity of that pain, and any triggers that seem to make your pain worse.
Pain is one of the most common “invisible” symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), affecting approximately two-thirds of people with MS over the course of their lives, and approximately half of people with MS at any given time. Despite the high prevalence of pain in MS, less than one-third of patients report receiving treatment to specifically address their pain. Routine assessment and comprehensive treatment of pain is essential for promoting function and quality of life among people with MS.
We need and want a lot from our healthcare providers. Expertise, a great “bedside manner,” responsiveness, a friendly office staff, convenience, and accessibility in the parking lot, office, and bathroom are all important. But each of us has different priorities – so figuring out what matters most to you will make it easier to find the provider you need.
Could a change in diet make a difference for people with multiple sclerosis (MS)? Could it reduce MS-related fatigue? Could it improve quality of life or reduce the number of enhancing lesions on MRI? Should prescribing a diet for people with MS be part of overall care? These are questions that Dr. Terry Wahls and her team are trying to answer.
Getting through everyday activities can be tiring and frustrating without the right tools and adaptations. Moving around, reaching for things, and manipulating equipment in your home or office can all pose challenges when you have multiple sclerosis.
Visual symptoms are often a person’s first symptom of MS – the one that prompts a visit to the eye doctor or neurologist and, eventually, an MS diagnosis. Learn some visual compensatory strategies to maximize your ability to function independently and safely.
MS can take away your sense of personal control -- over your vision, walking ability, thinking and memory. But losing control of your bladder and bowel function -- which you worked hard to master as a very young child -- is tough to take. So learning how MS affects bladder and bowel function -- and what you can do about it -- is the first step toward taking back control.
Mood changes and MS are intertwined in complex ways. In this article, we’ll look at the kinds of mood changes that can occur, why they matter, and what can be done to manage them.
There are plenty of ways to manage cognitive changes, whether it’s forgetfulness, slowed thinking, or trouble focusing. This article has 12 tips to help you with changes in your thinking, attention, and memory.
Fatigue is a reality when you live with MS, but there are ways to solve the puzzle! You can reduce that fatigue, manage the energy you have more effectively, and get the things done that matter to you.
Fatigue is a reality when you live with MS, but there are ways to solve the puzzle! You can reduce that fatigue, manage the energy you have more effectively, and get the things done that matter to you.
You’ve probably heard it before, but let’s say it again: exercise and physical activity are very beneficial for people with MS! If you want to try an exercise program that is accessible, adaptable, on-demand in your own home, fun, and accountable, check out MS Moves With Mandy!
You might already have success with certain aspects of a healthy diet, but often, there are still some specific areas that we can improve upon. Your doctor might have identified these focus areas for you, or they may be based on how different foods make you feel. Whether it’s achieving a healthy BMI, lowering your cholesterol, getting enough nutritious food for your activity level, or any other goal, here are five tools to help!
Researchers are working to learn more about virtually every aspect of MS care and management. While more is learned every day about treatments to manage the MS disease process, other research efforts look at ways to improve a person’s wellbeing and quality of life.
Depression and anxiety are very common symptoms that people living with MS can experience. 20% of those with MS experience these symptoms as compared to 5% of the general population. Meanwhile, living with MS is stressful. All of these factors can make it difficult to stay in a good mood. Thankfully, exercise is a proven way to feel better, boost your mood and combat depression and anxiety!
Have you felt stretched, tired, and exhausted trying to adjust to the changing landscape of work and life since the COVID-19 pandemic began? If so, you might not be alone. Here are some tips and tricks to deal with stress, and strategies for unwinding and recharging.
As we head into the winter months, it’s important to consider how the changes to the outside environment may impact your activities and personal wellbeing. Remember that maintaining a consistent schedule with nutritious meals, exercise, social engagement, and sleep is important to overall health.
MS often leads to changes in mood, cognition, and physical functioning, which can have a profound effect on your employment, vocation, and finances.
This article provides tips for:
- Proactive financial and vocational planning
- Job accommodations and ways to maintain working even with symptoms
- When and how to transition out of the workplace
- Tips for going on disability
What is comprehensive care?
Because multiple sclerosis changes over time and affects so many areas of a person’s health, getting the right healthcare treatment means creating a whole team to treat the whole person.
Can MS be invisible? With symptoms like fatigue, depression, and cognitive dysfunction, many people with MS are fighting battles that others can’t see.
As more people receive the COVID vaccine, we can begin to think about travel once again! Hear how Ed, who has been living with MS for more than 40 years, has been able to travel all over the world even as his disability has progressed.
Approximately 50% of people with MS experience changes in mood, including depression and anxiety. At the same time, about two-thirds of people experience changes in cognition, such as “Cog fog” and executive functions. In this article we will explore what types of treatments are there for mood and cognition changes. You and your health care providers will explore what type of psychological or behavioral treatments are right for you.
There is no “one size fits all” set of recommendations of responding to challenges with Growth, Resilience, or Harm. But there is evidence that the suggestions can help during tough times. In addition, check out all the wonderful resources at the Can Do MS popular topics and resources page! www.cando-ms.org
One of the many challenges with managing your health and wellness is that MS affects you in unique and personal ways. Combine this with an overwhelming amount of information and tips from your doctors, friends, family, and the internet, and you may find yourself in “analysis paralysis” – making a decision becomes a daunting task.
The term “resilient” has become increasingly more a part of our mainstream and popular culture vernacular. It is a term that conjures up ideas such as determination, strength, and fortitude. But, when it comes to living with a chronic condition such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS), what does resilient really mean? The purpose of this article is to help better understand resilience, how it relates to living with MS, and ultimately how one might improve resilience.
Our relationships, connections, and social activity impact our overall wellness-affecting our physical, work, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual wellness and can positively or negatively affect our health and well-being.
Life after diagnosis with multiple sclerosis (MS) can be overwhelming because symptoms vary from person to person. Remember, there is a lot of information out there that may be misleading. Rely on healthcare providers and valid organizations to provide factual information.
Living with MS can bring many challenges that most people never even consider; however, having MS has also helped many people learn resilience and resourcefulness. As we have learned over the past year, MS impacts many areas of life and function including fatigue, motor coordination, sensory function, heat tolerance, cognition, relationships, emotions, bowel and bladder, pain, sleep and more.
Integrative Medicine uses conventional medicine along with complementary and alternative medicine that is evidence-based to address a persons’ health and any symptoms they may have.
Bowel and bladder changes are common challenges that many people with MS face. Your healthcare team can help you navigate these challenges!
Pain is one of the most common “invisible” symptoms of MS, affecting approximately two-thirds of people living with MS.
Up to 80% of people living with MS will experience a sexual challenge throughout their lifetime. However, sexual challenges are not just experienced by people living with MS. Approximately 35-40% of people in the general population also experience sexual difficulties. So, what gets in the way?
Among the most common symptoms in multiple sclerosis are the sensory symptoms. They are often the first symptoms of MS and while invisible to the naked eye, can be among the most bothersome. The list is long and may involve every inch of the human body. While ever present, these symptoms usually do not predict a poor prognosis. Nonetheless they are important to understand and manage as best as possible.
When we want to make a movement, we need motor commands to be sent down to the body, but we also need to feed back information about whether or not those motor commands achieved the right task. This communication can be impaired by MS symptoms, including gait dysfunction, spasticity, tremors, ataxia, and weakness. These are some general tips for endurance and resistance exercise.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) can cause a wide range of symptoms that may impact a person’s activities in the workplace, including fatigue, changes in thinking and memory, mood changes, visual problems, reduced mobility, balance, and strength, and bladder or bowel difficulties. Depending on the severity of the symptoms and type of work one does, a person’s ability to work may be unaffected or severely limited. And given the variability of MS symptoms, work activities may be affected more on some days than others.
Over a few short weeks, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has become a constant presence in our lives. We have experienced rapid shifts in our daily activities, including how we work, socialize, exercise, eat, pray, receive medical care, and care for others. Fatigue and sleep disturbance are common in MS and can worsen during periods of stress.
Forgetfulness happens to all of us. Sometimes we forget names or appointments, struggle with finding the right word, or feel overwhelmed and disorganized. But what happens when you notice it occurring more frequently than it used to? When you have MS, you may find that you’re having more trouble with thinking and remembering.
The following are some general guidelines of what to expect when participating in therapy. This is not a “one size fits all approach” - every person and every situation are different so please consult a mental health professional for specific questions and advice.
Change is part of our lives. We strive for some of those changes – for example, growing up, getting an education, finding a partner, or winning the lottery. Others may be thrust upon us – for example aging, losing a loved one, or being diagnosed with a chronic illness. All changes, whether positive or negative, can be challenging. If you think about getting a new job, starting a new relationship, or having a baby, the challenges as well as the pleasures are pretty obvious.
Finding nutrition information online is easy. In fact, it is hard to escape! But how reliable is the information you find online? How good is the advice from your favorite Instagram account, from your favorite celebrity, or your well-meaning neighbor or friend? Living with MS means also living with information overload.
Sharing information about MS with family members isn’t always easy or straightforward. Different family members want and need different kinds of information; people sometimes have preconceived ideas about what MS is and what you should be doing to manage it; some family members are better able than others to keep information private if you ask them to. In addition, the information you provide needs to change as the disease changes or affects you in different ways. So it’s a good idea to have a strategy in mind for how to deal with the information needs of the people in your family.
What does mobility mean to you? Walking through the grocery store, completing a toilet transfer independently, or maybe using a scooter to get to and from your grandchild’s soccer game, because the grass on the soccer fields are unforgiving and certainly a trip hazard. What mobility means to you is simply “getting there” – getting where you want to go and participating in activities you want to do in order to bring meaning, purpose, and fulfillment to your life.
Mood changes are very common in people with MS and there are several healthcare team members that can help you manage these symptoms so you can live your best life. An occupational therapist (PT) can offer strategies to adapt your environment and lifestyle to conserve energy, which can impact your mood.
Pediatric-Onset MS is defined as having an onset of MS symptoms prior to the age of 18 years. MS, which affects about 2.5 million people worldwide, is the most common cause of non-traumatic neurologic disability in young adults. It is estimated that there are about 2,000-4,000 cases of pediatric-onset MS worldwide, however, about 10% of people with MS recall in hindsight that their first symptoms starting prior to the age of 18 years.
Leisure is a domain of life that is very important, particularly for people with neurological disorders. It's important to understand that leisure does not equal laziness- leisure can improve your physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and spiritual wellness. Learn about the research being done on the impacts of leisure on MS, as well as resources to understand more about the benefits of leisure and local opportunities to discover new activities and experiences.
Approximately 65% of individuals living with multiple sclerosis (MS) will experience cognitive change. This change can occur anytime in the disease. Approximately one-third of individuals experience cognitive difficulties even before they are officially diagnosed. Below we will highlight the domains most commonly impacted by MS, how they can impact relationships, and a few tips for improvement.
With spring in the air, it’s time to think about getting out and being active! We all know that physical activity and exercise will improve our health, but incorporating them into our daily lives can be difficult. This article will help you individualize an exercise plan to start making changes today.
People with MS may have difficulty with cooking meals for themselves and their families/friends. Their meal preparation skills can be impacted by a variety of factors that can include some or all of the following deficit areas:
Fatigue, Strength, Balance, Cognition, Fine motor skills, Sensation
How have these issues impacted your abilities to plan and cook meals? There are a number of ways to increase these abilities. Don’t let MS “have you”! You can cook healthy meals
Bowel and bladder dysfunction can significantly impact daily life, compromise health, and impair one’s quality of life. However, instead of just enduring or passively compromising, you can take control through lifestyle modifications and medical management.
The start of a new year is an opportune time to identify a new goal, or two, that will help you live well; to thrive! What is wellness? Wellness can take many forms: emotional well-being, cognitive well-being, home life, work life, nutrition, exercise, health behaviors, relationships, and spirituality. What does wellness look like to you?
The easier it is to move around, the better your quality of life. However, many people with MS have issues that affect their functional mobility, which is the ability to go where you want, when you want. Here are a few suggestions to improve your functional mobility through assistive devices.
When one person is diagnosed with MS, many other people are involved and affected. And the changes brought about by MS can have an impact on those important relationships.
“What foods should I be avoiding because of MS? “
“What foods should I be eating because of MS?”
As a registered dietitian living with MS and helping people with MS navigate their unique nutrition challenges, these are the two most frequently asked questions that I encounter, by far.
I would like to take this opportunity to answer these questions here and now. A healthy eating pattern is no different for someone living with MS than someone who does not have MS. Really!
People with MS experience symptoms that may not be adequately controlled with FDA-approved medications. Some people with MS have tried cannabis products to relieve these symptoms. Although cannabis has been legalized for recreational and/or medical use in a growing number of states, its use remains prohibited by federal laws. The legal status of cannabis is in flux. The use of cannabis to treat MS symptoms remains controversial. Patients are encouraged to discuss these issues with their health care providers.
Gather information about how progressive MS is diagnosed and managed and the important role of overall health and wellness through a variety of articles, booklets, webpages, and videos from Can Do Multiple Sclerosis and the National MS Society.
Symptoms of MS, especially cognitive changes and spasticity, can affect driving performance and increase a risk of a car crash. In fact, persons with MS are three times more likely to have a car accident, putting themselves and others at risk. While there are many modifications and adaptations that can assist with driving, loses in driving skills are common. At some point, it is time for all of us, with or without MS, to hang up the car keys. For loved ones, bringing this up can usually be unpleasant, emotional, and relationship-straining. Many families, including mine, go through similar struggles with their aging parents.
A cure for multiple sclerosis. That is what we all want, correct? While we have not reached the cure yet, we are getting closer. When we think about a cure for multiple sclerosis, that term may mean different things to different people. To those who are newly diagnosed, a cure might mean a completely effective therapy that would completely eliminate any risk of relapses, new lesions on MRI, or progression of disability. For those who have been dealing with multiple sclerosis for a while and may have accumulated some disability, the cure would mean stopping any further progression and erasing any disability. Admittedly, we have come a long way since 1992 when there were no FDA approved treatment options for multiple sclerosis. So where are we right now with current research in multiple sclerosis?
Cognitive changes are a common symptom in MS. Up to 65% of people who have a diagnosis of MS also experience cognitive changes. In some cases people may identify cognitive changes as some of the earliest symptoms of MS they noticed.
Discovering yourself and what feels right to you is a life-long process, one that does not have a final conclusion. Keep an open mind while learning about yourself and begin your journey to knowing the sexual person that you are!
The positive effects of exercise on our bodies are widely known - improved muscular strength, weight management, balance, cardiovascular health, and reduced risk for some cancers and type 2 diabetes, just to name a few. These measurable physical changes are often the focus of goals and intended outcomes for exercise. An often overlooked advantage to exercise is the benefit that exercise may have on our minds - the most magnificent “muscle” of all.
New Year’s resolutions often involve aspirations to improve wellness. While wellness is frequently thought to include just diet and exercise, it includes many more dimensions. Can Do MS and the National MS Society recognize six dimensions of wellness: 1) Diet, Exercise, and Healthy Behaviors, 2) Relationships, 3) Work and Home, 4) Emotional Wellbeing, 5) Spirituality, and 6) Cognitive Well Being. Learning about what is included under each dimension of wellness, thinking about them on your own and with others, including your support partner, can help you to prioritize your wellness needs and then select the wellness dimension that you wish to improve.
Cognitive changes are common among individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS), affecting 40-60% of the MS population. Much like physical MS symptoms, cognitive changes vary widely from person to person. Whereas many individuals with MS experience slowed processing speed as their predominate cognitive difficulty, others may experiences problems across a number of cognitive areas including learning, memory, problem-solving, and word-finding. Given the wide range of cognitive difficulties, treatments for cognitive impairment in MS are not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Over 2.2 million Americans are in the “sandwich generation” – simultaneously providing support to aging parents/in-laws and at least one child under age 18. Providing support has significant positive effects, but also poses financial, emotional, psychological, social, and marital burdens. Caring for yourself and others is a team-effort, so it’s important to work together to maintain a balanced give-and-take in your relationships.
While no one plans to get sick or hurt, health insurance protects you from unexpected medical costs and offers other benefits like preventative care. We have taken some common questions and offered strategies and solutions to help to navigate this sometimes overwhelming world of health insurance.
We know that people with MS tend to experience other health conditions that precede or coincide with the MS. It’s helpful for people with MS and their families to know where to turn and how best to coordinate their care.
When life feels like it is at its worst, you have the opportunity to be at your best. Receiving a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) represents one of these junctures. What is helpful is recognizing you can shift your mindset and respond with positivity; decreasing your stress and increasing your overall wellness.
Multiple sclerosis can present ongoing changes to the person with MS and support partners. Changes to strength, balance, coordination, dexterity, and other physical abilities are not uncommon. Making intelligent changes to your home to improve environmental accessibility is important to compensate for these changes, while promoting as much independence as possible and, most importantly, ensuring the safety of the person with MS, as well as the whole family.
MS is commonly associated with a variety of visual disturbances. To maximize function, independence and safety, it is important to successfully incorporate compensatory strategies into purposeful occupations and functional daily activities in the home, in leisure skills, at work, and in the community.
We all know that exercise is important and researchers are finding increased specific benefits related to multiple sclerosis. Can Do MS believes that exercise will help you in all facets of your life, and these benefits are achievable to everyone. A well-balanced fitness program needs a number of components - some tangible, some not so tangible.
Don’t weight for wellness! Build your MS team to help you focus on what you can control! Recruit a physical therapist or exercise physiologist who understands MS to help you establish an exercise and/or physical activity routine that suits your ability levels. We also suggest seeking the guidance of a registered dietitian (RD or RDN) who understands the challenges of MS to help you make manageable and sustainable changes to your diet.
When trying to determine whether and under what conditions you can work with multiple sclerosis, it is key that you understand the laws that govern accommodations in the workplace.
Following the diagnosis of MS and during periods of change in your MS, it is not unusual to feel your personal GPS is out of whack and not working as well as it had in the past - or not as well as you were hoping it would. This is true whether you are the person with MS or someone who cares about you. You may feel lost, without direction, and overwhelmed with multiple choices and decisions. You may feel that little is under your control. On the other hand, MS often becomes the motivation - the “kick in the butt” so to speak - that people have needed to pursue effective wellness and healthy lifestyle strategies.
Sleep is a surprisingly complex process that is essential to maintaining health and wellness. Unfortunately, problems with sleep quantity and quality and the negative impact of poor sleep on daily functioning are particularly common among people with MS, affecting 50% of the population.
he Paleolithic Diet. The Mediterranean Diet. The McDougall Diet. The Swank Diet. With so many diets being promoted, it is hard to fully understand each of their nutritional benefits, possible deficiencies, and effects on multiple sclerosis. However, it is clear that certain dietary factors are linked to the risk of developing MS, as well as to helping manage symptoms, support treatment options, and improve overall health.
As the relationship between diet and MS continues to be researched, Dr. Pavan Bhargava has emerged as the foremost expert on the topic, and will be the featured speaker on November 8th as part of our Webinar and Telelearning Series. In addition to explaining the impacts that our diet has on MS and offering evidence around some popular dietary strategies, Dr. Bhargava will answer your questions and guide you to make healthy eating choices that will benefit you and your MS!
Living with MS can be challenging not only for the person who has MS, but also for the support partner – whether he or she is providing assistance with everyday tasks, emotional support, and/or hands-on care. How do I help? Am I helping too much? I’m frustrated with this disease…I have no time for me…I’m exhausted…I feel stressed. Sound familiar? The support person – whether a spouse/partner, friend, sibling, or child – is “living with MS” too, but in a much different way.
Making sure you are enrolled in a health insurance plan at all times may be the single most important way to avoid debt and assure your ability to get the health care services you need. Many changes have been made to health insurance in recent years, including new protections for people with pre-existing and high-cost conditions like multiple sclerosis. Unfortunately, even comprehensive health insurance cannot guarantee full protection against high out-of-pocket costs or medical debt
Anxiety is an umbrella term that describes an emotional state of apprehension, worry, fear, or terror. Typically one’s body also responds resulting in: sweating, increased heart rate, muscle tension, shaking, dry mouth, or a flushed face. It is normal to occasionally feel worried or anxious. However, anxiety is considered problematic when it starts to interfere with your daily life. In such cases, you might notice that anxiety (1) impacts your ability to fall asleep or stay asleep, (2) causes you to avoid certain people, places or things, (3) causes arguments with friends or loved ones, or (4) compels you to perform certain actions or complete tasks in a particular way.
"Spasticity: Your Friend, Foe, or Indifferent Acquaintance " by Gail Hartley, MSN, NP, MSCN and Kathy San Martino, PT, NCS, MSCS, ATP/SMS, CLT
© Can Do Multiple Sclerosis
A cruise vacation is an excellent choice for people with multiple sclerosis. You can visit a lot of ports and only unpack once, which saves a lot of energy. Additionally, since todays cruise ships offer a variety of healthy menu options and state-of-the-art exercise facilities, it’s easy to stay in shape while at sea. Last but not least, if fatigue hits while you’re on a cruise, it’s easy to alter your schedule and enjoy a low-key day on the ship. That said, some ships are just more accessible than others. The good news is, with a little research and advance planning, you can design a relaxing cruise vacation that meets your specific access needs.
Research is the driving factor in understanding the cause, management, and, hopefully one day a cure for multiple sclerosis. What we know about MS has come a long way over the years, particularly its profound effects on the critical nerve protectors known as myelin. This article will also provide a real-life look into exercise rehabilitation and its impacts on cognition, as well as the promising treatment options offered through mindfulness and meditation that can help people with MS manage stress, improve physical and mental health, and enhance their overall quality of life.
Every day you are faced with countless decisions. What should I have for breakfast? What clothes should I wear? Other decisions, of course, are more complex, such as which bill to pay first or how to strategize with a work team to impress a potential customer. Some decisions are reflexive, requiring minimal thought; others require thoughtful consideration of the implications and a process for arriving at the choice or plan that works best for you. The challenges of multiple sclerosis can make even the simplest decision feel more difficult. For example, selecting what clothes to put on or what to make for breakfast can be complicated by MS fatigue or problems with cognition, balance, or fine motor coordination. And with MS, your challenging decisions are not limited to your daily routines. You must also make decisions related to the management of your MS and the symptoms it can cause. These individual decisions, while seemingly isolated, can have a snowball effect on your overall health. This requires a multidisciplinary approach to decision making. For example, you may be considering ways to manage the spasticity and decreased sensation that are interfering with intimacy…or trying to figure out how to manage the fatigue and cognitive challenges that are affecting your performance at work. Perhaps, you’re struggling with the decision to use a mobility device – Should I...? Shouldn’t I...? What will people think? Do some or all of these challenges and scenarios sound familiar? Do you feel confused or uncertain about the best treatment options and management strategies for your MS? The good news is that you don’t need to make any of these decisions on your own. In addition to the healthcare professionals who help you manage your MS, Can Do MS and other MS organizations can offer valuable information and consultation and point you to helpful resources. Others living with MS can share their experiences, hard-earned wisdom, and “best practices” with you. When making a decision, it’s important to consider what options are available, who in addition to yourself may be impacted (your support partner, other family members, colleagues at work, etc.), and how this decision will improve the situation. The best place to start when making a decision about managing your MS is with your healthcare team. Each member of the team can offer a valuable perspective because different disciplines may have different strategies for managing a challenging symptom. For example, MS related fatigue can be managed by a physician with medication and by a physical therapist with exercise and energy management strategies. With stress, a mental health professional may offer mindfulness strategies to reduce the stress that can contribute to feelings of fatigue, while an occupational therapist can make adaptations to your home to make daily activities easier. The goal of any discussion with members of your healthcare team is to arrive at a decision or plan that works for you. They can help you individualize a framework of priorities, which are the core values that guide your decisions. Roy Disney once said “When your values and goals are clear, making decisions becomes easier.” All decisions should help you achieve or move you toward a functional, attainable, personal goal. If the chosen treatment or management strategies don’t move you closer to your goals, you can work with your healthcare team to identify plan B.
If you have been diagnosed with MS, some of your initial thoughts might be around how your work life may be impacted. Don’t panic! Don’t make any decisions too quickly. Allow yourself the time to review your situation and explore the various resources available. Many people continue to work with MS, and while some changes may need to be made, managing your career with MS is really not that much different than managing your career without MS.
Pain is a common and complex symptom for people living with multiple sclerosis. Creating and maintaining strategies for managing pain is an important component of wellness. It is estimated that approximately 65% of the MS population experiences some form of pain, which is an internal experience that others cannot see. Pain is a complicated symptom to address because it has many causes and many treatment approaches. For these reasons, it is important for people to develop a useful and common vocabulary when discussing pain with their health care team and planning their best course of treatment. Often times, the focus of treatment is managing rather than eliminating pain. However, pain left unmanaged is often associated with poor quality of life with respect to emotional well-being, personal relationships, concentration, and physical functioning.
As the holiday season approaches, we look forward to fun times with family and friends—and food as the centerpiece to all celebrations. But if just the thought of holiday entertaining seems overwhelming and exhausting, don’t despair. These four simple strategies can help you relax more and stress less.
Many people find fatigue to be one of the most complex and challenging of the symptoms they face with MS. It is often called an “invisible” symptom since it cannot be seen on its own. To make matters worse, friends, family, and associates may not understand the severity of MS fatigue and expect you to simply “push through it.”
Everyone has down days and times of feeling sad or blue, but people living with MS have more than their fair share. In fact, the rate of clinical depression is higher in MS than in the general population, as well as higher than in most chronic illnesses. The numbers are similar to those seen in other neuro-inflammatory diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease), suggesting that the inflammation itself plays a role, along with changes in the brain and the psychosocial challenges of living with a challenging, unpredictable illness. Today, we know that depression is one of the most common symptoms of MS. Like all of the other symptoms of MS, it deserves to be diagnosed quickly and treated effectively. The good news is that depression is very treatable.
Living with multiple sclerosis demands incredible patience and resilience in both the person living with MS and his/her support partner. Symptoms may change from hour to hour, day to day, or month to month. The continuous process of adaptation that the disease requires can be both emotionally and physically exhausting, as one is constantly working to achieve the “new normal.” The demand for adaptation can be particularly challenging during times of “transitions.” These transitions may include disease progression, transitioning to an assistive device, leaving the work force or transitioning to disability, or dealing with worsening fatigue.
Feelings of frustration, annoyance and outright anger are common occurrences in everyday life. Add MS to the equation, and it’s even more likely that people will have differences of opinion and conflicts. Some examples of these conflicts can be about how things are done, division of responsibilities, activities and making decisions. Under these circumstances, it would be the rare person who never loses his or her cool.
Adaptations during exercise and sport can become very useful when living with MS. Often times, we are not able to exercise the same. Maintaining an exercise program with MS is important as research suggests, but it is how one exercises that is imperative. As the saying goes, it is easier said than done. When we think of exercise, many automatically think the gym, but there are many resources that can be used outside of a gym setting.
Cognition and communication challenges affect approximately 50-66% of those with MS. Impairment can range from mild to severe, but most MS-related cognitive changes fall in the mild to moderate range. However, even subtle changes in cognition can be distressing and can have a significant impact on daily function. Cognitive changes and fatigue are more common reasons for people with MS to leave the workforce than mobility issues.
The words “progressive MS” can set off alarm bells. No one wants to hear that his or her MS is, or has become, progressive. The term “progressive MS” applies to different aspects of the disease, and it helps to know how it is being used.
Are falls an integral part of your MS experience? They don’t need to be. Are you afraid of falling , and therefore, avoiding activities? Do people tell you you’re overestimating your abilities and being unsafe?
Some people with MS fly solo by choice, some by circumstance and others for a combination of reasons. In whichever way people find themselves flying solo with MS, it seems to help if they view this unanticipated life event as a series of challenges (rather than threats). MS provides opportunity (and a kick in the butt) to pursue a healthier lifestyle, plan ahead and exercise more control over various aspects of life. Coping with MS in these proactive ways helps people maintain greater independence. During this process, many people discover strengths and abilities they didn’t know they had or they under-appreciated. For example, people discover they are good problem-solvers who can deal with stressful situations in ways that build their self-confidence and self-efficacy over time. They work on being more assertive to cope with family and friends who may try to take over too much, too little or not offer support at all.
There are few things as discouraging as feeling like you cannot keep up with your daily life and the mountain of “stuff” you have to do. These days, people live busy lives, and people living with MS have even more to organize – such as appointments, paperwork, medication schedules, to name a few. On top of that, MS fatigue can make it even more difficult to keep up. The good news is: There are many ways to become more organized and become more productive!
Managing your MS is more than making doctor appointments, taking medications and using your energy to perform the activities that “should be done”. Making time for the activities that bring joy and fulfillment are important to improve health and overall well-being. Finding solutions that help you reclaim the things you love and enhance the manageability of everyday life can be easy as ABC.
‘Intimacy’ isn’t just about sexual feelings and sexual activity – although that’s one important part we’ll talk about later. Intimacy is about effective communication, trust and respect, shared values and expectations, and a balanced give-and take. Maintaining intimacy can be difficult in any relationship, but the stresses of MS – its unpredictability, progressive nature, complex symptoms, and financial impact – can challenge any couple. Feelings of loss, anxiety, anger, and guilt can interfere with communication, connection, and effective problem-solving; physical changes can interfere with everyday activities and sexual intimacy. So where to begin?
Fitness is often associated with exercise. While exercise or physical activity is now advised for everyone, having MS can make meeting recommended exercise guidelines challenging. But is it really that important if someone has a chronic disease like MS? The short answer is. . . YES! Lack of exercise is associated with heart disease, cancers, metabolic diseases, hypertension, low bone density, all-cause mortality, and numerous other health risks that affect people with MS. The latest catch phrase about exercise, “Exercise is Medicine,” implies that physical activity is just as important for someone with MS as it is for the general population.
Learning how to manage the physical changes you may experience as a newly diagnosed person living with MS can be a major challenge. An important key to handling these changes is to develop the right mindset. Your mindset helps you deal with the changes in your life and your lifestyle. A component of developing a good mindset includes understanding the importance of keeping a balanced lifestyle.
The demands of either MS or parenting can be challenging, but when experienced together, it is not unusual for people to feel stressed and overwhelmed. Add to this, unpredictable and fluctuating MS symptoms that can interfere with fun activities and make it difficult to carry out your daily responsibilities (even disciplining your children). The good news is that there is a lot you can do to limit the impact of your symptoms on your life and the lives of people you love. Keep in mind that in order to take good care of others including your children, it is important that you take good care of yourself.
The spring/summer travel season is fast approaching!! What are your plans? Perhaps attending a family reunion, dipping your toes in the surf and sand, or traveling to that “bucket list” location you have so long wanted to enjoy are your summer travel goals? Maybe you just want to relax and “get away from it all” with the family, or use up your well-earned vacation time from work? Wait no longer…..you CAN travel. With a little knowledge, preparation and planning, your travel aspirations can become a reality.
Have you ever wondered if there was a novel approach to manage one or more of your MS symptoms? Adequate symptom management is key is living well with your MS. There are a variety of approaches to managing your symptoms: prescription and over the counter medications, complementary and alternative medicine, rehabilitation, and other self-help strategies. In this article we are going to explore a few unique ways to manage some of the unique symptoms you may be experiencing.
Multiple sclerosis relapses may occur unpredictably, and sometimes, persons with MS aren’t sure whether they are having one. Generally, a relapse is defined as new or worsening MS symptoms that last for more than 24 hours that are not associated with any other illness or infection. It is important to report new symptoms to your health care provider so that the appropriate treatment can be initiated. Depending on the severity, not every relapse requires treatment with steroids, but treating early provides a better chance for quick recovery.
Some symptoms in MS such as changes in mood and cognition seem to be more challenging than other symptoms for individuals with MS and the people who care about them. There are several factors that likely contribute to the challenging nature of these symptoms. The good news is that there is much that can be done to reduce the severity of the symptoms and their negative impact and improve function.
Sometimes information communicated to you by your health care providers can be difficult to understand. When you don’t fully understand or are unable to act on information about your health care, you are more likely to develop poorer health. Developing a positive relationship with your doctor or nurse, and improving communication, are two keys which will empower you to live well with your MS. Communication is a two-way street. Learning how best to use your time, what to say, how to say it, and when to listen are important when you have a limited amount of time to spend with your doctor or nurse.
Healthy productive communication abilities are not inherent. They are learned and developed. Our life experiences frame the foundation for how we perceive each other and form relationships. Healthy relationships depend on good communication, mutual respect and trust. Communication is far more than the words we speak. The way we say the words and how they are received impact the success of the message. When we are able to communicate effectively, we connect, and these connections establish and strengthen our relationships.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease, which affects the function of the brain, spinal cord and/or the nerves to the eyes. Many patients who suffer from MS look for ways to improve and increase their quality of lives. Good nutrition is among the cornerstones of health-promotion activities. Maintaining a balanced diet and exercising regularly are essential for promoting wellness and well-being and enhancing quality of life. Diet recommendations for the treatment of MS have shown mixed results and specific dietary guidelines for people with MS have not been established. The same recommendations concerning a well-balanced diet apply equally as they do for the general population. Although there is no direct evidence that nutrition is involved in the etiology of MS, healthy eating can decrease the risk of developing other chronic diseases and secondary conditions, for example: diets high in calcium and vitamin D may reduce the risk of osteoporosis and the risk of MS, diets low in saturated and trans fat may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and maintaining an appropriate intake of calories reduces the risk of obesity.