By Trevis Gleason
MS affects so many parts of our daily life. I wonder how much of our daily lives affect our multiple sclerosis…
There is proof that diet and exercise can help improve symptoms of MS and a growing body of evidence that what we do may change, on at least some small level, the course of our actual disease. Even if it’s written off as “a healthy body recovers faster”, that’s at least something!
Of course some things happen to our bodies, over which we have little to no control, which can have significant effect on our symptoms and disease.
Infection/fever and pregnancy come to mind.
My diagnosing MRI revealed a massive sinus infection; the fever from which made the flair so much worse (bad enough to make me go to the doctor).
The issue of pregnancy and its confounding effect on a woman’s MS has spurred research and some interesting clinical trials.
So, I wondered aloud this morning, how does menopause (and pre/post symptoms) change multiple sclerosis?
A quick Internet search left me sure of even less than I was before starting!
PERFECT!
Here is yet another topic where I and the entire MS community can benefit from your experience.
Sorry men, and I’m with you on this one, I know that MS is a disease which makes us a significant minority. It is the place, however, of this blog to ask the questions which might help those who have no one else to ask.
So, here we go again with a topic of which I know next to nothing, but intend on learning much from you.
Ladies, how have menopause symptoms (is “symptoms” even the correct word for it?) had an effect on your multiple sclerosis. For women who are younger; have you even considered how that part of your life may be “different” because of MS?
Let’s make this post a place where women searching for “MS and Menopause” on the Internet can come and find answers not from medical professionals, but from women who have experience and know of what they speak.
article Source: everyday Health
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5 comments:
“Ladies, how have menopause symptoms (is “symptoms” even the correct word for it?) had an effect on your multiple sclerosis.”
I am glad you have focused on this. I have had two contrasting reports on this from MDs. My gynecologist said he had noticed that his MS patients got worse. My then neurologist said he had seen no evidence of that. My experience has been more consistent with what the gynecologist reported. I have had MS since my 20s but except during intermittent flare-ups, I managed to escape most lasting motor deficits. Indeed most people who knew me did not know I had MS. That changed dramatically with the onset of menopause when my right leg developed serious neurological problems. I now have foot drop, limited range of motion, and loss of control. I walk with a cane always, a walker and wheelchair sometimes. My equilibrium is considerably more impaired. Hormone replacement therapy had no effect once the impairment emerged. I hope your question prompts more focus on this.
I am going through menopause at the moment, and but for one or two very brief hot flushes have had no problems at all, MS has been stable or slightly improved over the past three years.
Lucky me I have nothing to really compare it with. My MS was diagnosed right after my hysterectomy so I got a double whammy. I knew something was wrong about 8 years prior to diagnosis with numbness in my toes and just feeling off. I now remember that after my tubal ligation I suffered what I thought was a pregnancy (oh no!) with extreme nausea for about a year. No I wasn't pregnant and there was no cause for the nausea. It left and I was left with intermittent back spasms (thought it was from carrying around a 2 year old). Had fibroid ablation and foot drop set it. Had hysterectomy and all hell broke loose and MS diagnosed. Solu-Medrol and then copaxone. No hormone therapy as they made me sick so here I am 9 years later and my doc at Georgetown says I am status quo. haven't had an MRI since diagnosis (local doc is a loser) so am changing docs in 2 weeks and will have the MRI. More hugs of late and more intermittent numbness and oh yes, those lovely yeast infectons (I think suspiciously from vaginismus and Copaxone) but will wait to see. So I haven't seen a dramatic increase, but a slow and steady downward trend as expected. Cant wait to read your reports, especially from those who didn't get a diagnosis until menopause! So I am the lucky one with M&M diagnosed at the same time!
I am 50 and currently in Menopause and have not had any noticable change in my MS over the past year or the three years since I was diagnosed. Since you only go through Menopause once, I have no idea if the MS has affected my menopause.
ms & menopause
i turned 50+ AND MENOPAUSE has aged me to a women of 70. doctors test show MS - drop foot, heat -hot flashes, night sweats and no sleep makes me unstable and weak.I finally found a doctor that would allow hormone replacements Estradiol patches after going down hill 2 1/2 years later. this has stopped things from getting worse - but I think if a started this right away I would not be in this condition.heat still wipes me out and so do hot flashes. has any one- else the same problems? still dream of walking two miles daily likle i use too. anyh one try the new drug - ampyra?
linda r
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