The first thing we need is a basic understanding of Multiple Sclerosis.  I hope to give you an explanation as well as a personal glimpse into what it is like to have it.  As I said on the index page I will not be giving credit it here as that would be impossible.  I have collected this information over time from various sources, source types, and from personal experience as well. DEFINITION Multiple Sclerosis, or MS, is an autoimmune disease that damages the myelin sheath that coats nerve cells, impairing their communication.  Though rarely fatal, it is often progressive.  There have been some recent advances in treatment that can slow the progression of the disease. ETIOLOGY During an MS attack, inflammation occurs in areas of the white matter of the central nervous system in random patches called plaques.  This process is followed by destruction of myelin, the fatty covering that insulates nerve cell fibers in the brain and spinal cord.  Myelin facilitates the smooth, high-speed transmission of electrochemical messages between the brain, the spinal cord, and the rest of the body.  When it is damaged, neurological transmission of messages may be slowed or blocked completely, leading to diminished or lost function. The name "multiple sclerosis" signifies both the number [multiple] and condition [sclerosis, from the Greek term for scarring or hardening] of the demyelinated areas in the central nervous system.  An unpredictable disease of the central nervous system, MS can range from relatively benign to somewhat disabling to devastating as communication between the brain and other parts of the body is disrupted. Most people experience their first symptoms of MS between the ages of 20 and 40, but a diagnosis is often delayed.  This is due to both the transitory nature of the disease and the lack of a specific diagnostic test.  There has to be specific symptoms, and changes in the brain must develop, before the diagnosis is confirmed.   Although scientists have documented cases of MS in young children and elderly adults, symptoms rarely begin before age 15 or after age 60. Whites are more than twice as likely as other races to develop MS.  In general, women are affected at almost twice the rate of men.  However, among patients who develop the symptoms of MS at a later age, the gender ratio is more balanced. MS is five times more prevalent in temperate climates [such as those found in the northern United States, Canada, and Europe] than in tropical regions.  Furthermore, the age of 15 seems to be significant in terms of risk for developing the disease: some studies indicate that a person moving from a high-risk [temperate] to a low-risk [tropical] area before the age of 15 tends to adopt the risk [in this case, low] of the new area and vice versa. Other studies suggest that people moving after age 15 maintain the risk of the area where they grew up.  These findings indicate a strong role for an environmental factor in the cause of MS.  It is possible that, at the time of or immediately following puberty, patients acquire an infection with a long latency period.  Or, conversely, people in some areas may come in contact with an unknown protective agent during the time before puberty.  Other studies suggest that the unknown geographic or climatic element may actually be simply a matter of genetic predilection and reflect racial and ethnic susceptibility factors. SYMPTOMS Symptoms of MS may be mild or severe, of long duration or short, and may appear in various combinations, depending on the area of the nervous system affected.  Often the first symptoms of MS are vague feelings of weakness, clumsiness, or exhaustion.  Your vision may become blurry, or one or more areas of your skin may feel numb and tingling.  Usually these symptoms come and go unpredictably.  The times when you are having symptoms are called episodes or exacerbations.  The episodes may last a few days or weeks at a time.  Complete or partial remission of symptoms, especially in the early stages of the disease, occurs in approximately 70% of MS patients. Muscle weakness Clumsiness Spasticity Impairment of pain, temperature, touch senses Pain [moderate to severe] Ataxia Tremor Speech disturbances Vision disturbances Bladder dysfunction Bowel dysfunction Sexual dysfunction Depression Euphoria Cognitive abnormalities Fatigue Memory loss TREATMENT There is not yet a cure for MS.  The most common treatment for episodes of symptoms is steroids.  These drugs seem to improve symptoms and shorten the episodes.  Drugs known as the ABC's are currently used to treat MS as well. The three products that are available are Avonex, Betaseron and Copaxone. Avonex and Betaseron are two forms of beta interferon.  What we're basically doing is administering these medications by injection on a regular basis to keep the immune system under control. Very similar to how a diabetic gives themselves an insulin shot to keep their blood sugars under control.  Copaxone, is also an injectable protein, slightly different in nature, but the overall goal of these three therapies is to modify the auto immune response that's occurring in multiple sclerosis and reduce the frequency and severity of MS attacks. MY POINT of VIEW Multiple Sclerosis has been the most devastating of all my diagnoses.  I have many diverse symptoms that can be classified as MS but they can also be caused by other autoimmune diseases or disorders.  They have left me with little resemblance of my life or myself.  At this point I have symptoms of MS, a positive MRI, and positive spinal tap, however the best the doctors will say is I have probable MS.  I am not undergoing any treatment at present because of fears that treatment could cause problem with my other diagnoses.  I am hoping that will change. 2000 UPDATE I was started on Betaseron shots in April.  It is not a *cure* but a treatment that is supposed to help control the rate and amount of decline.  It is given subcuatenously every other night at bedtime so you sleep through the worse of the side effects.  Luckily, I have little to mild side effects except for the shot marks it leaves.  They are about the size of a quarter and take a little over 2 months to disappear.  That means at any given time you can count almost 60 little red spots.  LOL... Started using the autoject for administering the shots.  It has nearly completely eliminated any of those topical side effects. 2001 UPDATE MS continues to be the worse diagnosis by far.  It is basically the only diagnosis I have that is not *fixed* with a pill.  Because of this, I have decided I need to devote a site just for MS and its affect on my life. So, for a more detailed look, visit JO's MS Journal.

Destination JO | Home
My Story |  Story Index
Diagnoses Index | Update Index
Websites | Email Me

Disclaimer:
The author of this page does not promote, support, or recommend any
particular treatment or medication for any medical condition. The opinions
expressed in stories or links are the responsibility of their authors.
No treatment should be undertaken without the supervision of a physician.

Website created, designed and maintained by JO
© 1998 - 2007 Jo Trackler
All Rights Reserved

This site may be freely linked to but not duplicated in any fashion without my consent.