M.S. & I: January 2015

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Why I'm doing what I'm doing...

So I figured today after getting treatments and since I've been posting pictures of me getting these "steroid treatments" I thought I would make a post of what steroid treatments are and why get them.

So the type of MS I have is called Progressive-relapsing multiple sclerosis (PRMS) it is the least common of the four disease courses, occurring in approximately five percent of people with MS. Like those with primary-progressive MS (PPMS), people with PRMS experience steadily worsening neurologic function — disease progression — from the very beginning, in addition to occasional relapses like those experienced by people with relapsing-remitting MS.

So when I experience these relapses my doctor sends me in for steroid treatments or in this case they came to me! The medication I received is called
Solu-Medrol it is a potent steroid that ease inflammation and is often used to treat an acute attack of multiple sclerosis.

As the many times I have gotten this treatment over the past 5 years, I do see that it helps but the side effects are not the greatest! they include:

• acne
• High blood pressure = I'm always hot!
• insomnia
• Lots and lots of energy ( I clean at 3am)
• I get the munchies and eat everything and anything (weight gain)
• headaches/migraines
• Stomach pain & back pain

It can take about two weeks for me to see the benefits of getting the steroid treatment. And sometimes it's better than other times! This exacerbation included double vision and migraines so hoping this helps the pain/2 of everything that I see! lol

What is MS?

It is a disease in which the myelin sheaths around the axons of the rain and spinal cord are damged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms. disease onset usually occurs in young adults, and it is more common in females. MS affects the ability of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to communicate with each other. Nerve cells communicate by sending signals called action potentials down long fibers called axons, which are wrapped in an insulating subtance called myelin. In MS, the body's own immune system attacks and damages the myelin. When myelin is lost, the axons can no longer effectively conduct signals. the name multiple sclerosis refers to scars in the white matter of the brain and spinal cord, which is mainly composed of myelin. Although much is known about the mechanisms involved in the disease process, the cause remains unknown. theories include genetics or infections. Different environmental risk factors have also been found. Almost any neurological symptoms can appear with the disease, and often progresses to physical and cognitive diasbility. MS takes several forms, with new syptoms occuring either in discrete attack or slowly accumulating over time. Between attacks, symptoms may go away completely, but permanent neurological problems often occur, especially as the disease advances. There is no cure for MS. Treatments attempt to return function after an attack, prevent new attacks, and prevent disability.

M.S. & I

MS & I

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Why I'm doing what I'm doing...

My Guardian Angle

What is MS?

MS and I