Have you wondered why your vision got so blurry, or why you feel tired all the time? Maybe you’re having trouble remembering things, and your mind isn’t as sharp as it used to be. These symptoms can be scary, and it can be frustrating when there are no clear answers about what they may be.… Continue reading Conditions Commonly Mistaken for Multiple Sclerosis
Tag: multiple sclerosis
How to Ask for Help
Everyone needs it, but sometimes the hardest thing to do is to ask for help. Opening yourself up to feeling vulnerable, especially when you are already feeling compromised by your condition, can be challenging. It is important to remember; you do not have to shoulder it alone. Your chronic health condition may force your hand… Continue reading How to Ask for Help
Lessons Learned on a Seventeen Year Journey to Diagnosis
Meet Trisha (@DXMS06) Before Trisha Bordelon, a 69-year-old PatientsLikeMe (PLM) user from Springfield, Missouri, officially received any diagnosis, she was guilty of what many of us in her shoes would do – spend hours going down a rabbit hole of internet searches to try and figure out what was going on with her health. She… Continue reading Lessons Learned on a Seventeen Year Journey to Diagnosis
MS constipation blues? See 12+ treatment options
Feeling “irregular” on the regular? Constipation is a common issue for people living with multiple sclerosis (MS), affecting as many as 40% of patients. Over 15,000 MS members on PatientsLikeMe report experiencing bowel problems and of those, about 47% have reported it as “moderate” or “severe” – take a look here. With help from our team of… Continue reading MS constipation blues? See 12+ treatment options
Staying mobile with assistive walking devices: Member Cathy weighs in
Do you have difficulty walking or getting around? Have you considered using a wheelchair, walker or cane? Making the decision to use a walking or mobility aid can be difficult. You’re not alone. Here, PatientsLikeMe member Cathy living with multiple sclerosis shares about how she overcame the fear of losing her independence and how using a cane is… Continue reading Staying mobile with assistive walking devices: Member Cathy weighs in
Putting together an MS emergency bag: What’s on your must-have list?
From managing incontinence to temperature changes and sudden muscle weakness, many people living with MS have items they can’t live without. Some PatientsLikeMe members have started carrying an emergency bag with all the essentials to deal with inconvenient MS curveballs. Check out their suggestions: If you had an MS emergency bag, what would be inside?
Shows and Movies That “Get” Chronic Illness
‘Tis the season for binge-watching — but the media often flops in its portrayal of people with health conditions. So we’ve gathered patient perspectives on Hollywood depictions of illness and who’s gotten it right (thanks, Bea Arthur). Golden Girls – When doctors doubted Dorothy A writer for The Mighty who has multiple health condition recently praised The Golden… Continue reading Shows and Movies That “Get” Chronic Illness
Breaking the silence on incontinence
A guest blog by member Shannon MS gives me a lot to write about, which is a wonderful coping mechanism when certain aspects of the disease are difficult to talk about. Initially, I wrote about stress and the heavy toll it’s played in my life, and on my body, in the last month. But, as often happens… Continue reading Breaking the silence on incontinence
From tomatoes to turmeric: Can foods fight inflammation?
Inflammation is a hot topic. What’s it all about? And what’s the scoop on certain diets, foods and supplements, such as turmeric, when it comes to fighting inflammation? What is inflammation? Not all inflammation is “bad.” Acute inflammation is part of the body’s natural way of defending itself from foreign substances like viruses, bacteria, cuts and splinters.… Continue reading From tomatoes to turmeric: Can foods fight inflammation?
Marijuana and MS: Get the scoop
From legality to availability, recreational use and potential use as treatment, marijuana is a hot topic. In the MS forum, members are talking about marijuana and its potential to relieve symptoms of MS like pain, tremor and spasticity. We wanted to know more, so we asked our Health Data Integrity team to take a look… Continue reading Marijuana and MS: Get the scoop