what you know about Multiple sclerosis?

Hi Sharda, I have had MS for 20 years. Most of us who have the disease live relatively normal lives. We raise families, have careers and enjoy a social life. We also do not die of complications of the disease or wind up in wheel chairs. There is a progressive form of the disease that is the exception and not the rule for MS. While the progressive form can be horribly disabling, the relapsing/remitting form of the disease, which most of us have, is far more benign.

The most reliable source of information on MS is the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS.ORG). Since Yahoo Answers is a public forum, it is not particularly reliable.

MS is not a fatal disease. The cause is unknown and there is no cure. There are FDA recommended drug therapies as well as alternative therapies and off-lable drugs to treat the disease. There are also many new drugs on the horizon, and many pharmaceutical that treat the symptoms of the disease. Neurologists sometimes use chemo to treat the progressive forms of the disease with varying success.

While most people think of MS as a disease that causes major physical problems, the truth is that the neurologists list tingling in the extremities, feelings of exhaustion and problems with balance as our major complaints.

How am I doing? Out of twenty years that I have had this disease, five months were hell. During the rest of the time, I went back to school for postgraduate work to change careers, moved a couple of times, took up gardening and went to the gym three times a week or more to work out. I am going to Europe this summer to visit my brother and I am concentrating on learning golf as a summer project at the expense of my gardening. I have an active social life, co-moderate an on-line MS group and stay active in my community. Since MS is a highly unpredictable disease, I keep in mind that all this could change. This fact is the most difficult to live with-----not knowing if the course of my disease will take a different path.

During the five months that my disease was truly horrible, I went blind in my left eye, could barely walk and suffered from severe cognitive difficulties. But since I have the relapsing remitting form of the disease, all the symptoms went away. My left eye slowly returned to normal, my balance came back as did my cogitive abilities. In all there are a total of some 50 symptoms that are indicative of MS. No two cases of the disease are the same. Hence, MS has many "faces".

I'm a personal care attendant to people with disabilities.. I've known 5 people with MS.. 3 are old clients of mine who I no longer see, one is a current client, and the other is the mother of a friend who I haven't seen for about 3 1/2 years..

The only man I do still have contact with who has MS is in his late 50's, and he has very severe MS.. it has progressed quite significantly in the last 6 years, and he has no control over anything below his neck. Hiis arms, legs, torso and neck are nearly all affected.

I must stress though, he is the worst case I have ever seen.

He still gets around though, using a chin controlled wheelchair.

One of the other ladies I saw, before she went into a nursing home, was 85, and had MS since she was 25. She was still walking when she went into a nursing home (obviously because of her age, not her MS necessarily).

MS itself is not fatal - MS patients can experience a lifespan now of 90-95 % of the average lifespan if they seek appropriate medical assistance. Most patients will die of a "related" illness - eg pneumonia, and 15% suicide.

Having been dealing with MS for 10+ years I know its sucks and continues to on a regular basis

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MS is different for everyone who has it. I am constantly reminded by the daily injections I do and the bouts of fatigue and pain.

The thing is most people with MS look healthy so it's difficult to recognize it when you see it.

I have a limp and use a cane but work full time and enjoy my life. I miss the things I can no longer do but that's life.

There is so much info on the web and it is easy to find out about the causes and effects.

Yes. My ex Husband had it and died at 53.