How do I help my husband thru his flares?

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lovinghelper
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How do I help my husband thru his flares?

Post by lovinghelper »

My husband was diagnosed with MS 13 years ago after a bout of optic neuritis. He was symptom free for 12 years. Now he has flares whenever he is stressed. His symptoms are mostly neurological. He will become emotional and then seem awake but not able to function. Sometimes he will just sit and it will pass, but other times he seems insistent on finishing whatever he was doing but he is not able to function properly physically or mentally. Afterwards he has no memory of what transpired. It can last from 30 min to 2 hours. I am concerned about his safety and how to handle him when this happens. Anyone else have similar symptoms or suggestions? Thanks
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cheerleader
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Re: How do I help my husband thru his flares?

Post by cheerleader »

lovinghelper--
the loss of memory is a bit concerning. Make sure to discuss this with his doctor.
This loss of short term memory also happens in transient global amnesia, and may be related to his cerebral bloodflow, specifically the jugular veins return of blood to the heart.

I began looking for answers for my husband when he was diagnosed with MS in 2007.
Here's what I learned about stress and how it contributes to flares, and how to deal with this thru breathing and stress reduction.
Hope this information helps.
http://ccsviinms.blogspot.com/2010/08/b ... -lots.html
take care,
cheer
Husband dx RRMS 3/07
dx dual jugular vein stenosis (CCSVI) 4/09
http://ccsviinms.blogspot.com
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NHE
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Re: How do I help my husband thru his flares?

Post by NHE »

lovinghelper wrote:My husband was diagnosed with MS 13 years ago after a bout of optic neuritis. He was symptom free for 12 years. Now he has flares whenever he is stressed. His symptoms are mostly neurological. He will become emotional and then seem awake but not able to function. Sometimes he will just sit and it will pass, but other times he seems insistent on finishing whatever he was doing but he is not able to function properly physically or mentally. Afterwards he has no memory of what transpired. It can last from 30 min to 2 hours. I am concerned about his safety and how to handle him when this happens. Anyone else have similar symptoms or suggestions? Thanks
Have you discussed these episodes with his doctor? What medication is he taking? Some medications, statins for example, can cause neurological symptoms such as temporary amnesia.
lovinghelper
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Re: How do I help my husband thru his flares?

Post by lovinghelper »

He is not currently on any statins, but a few medications for high BP, provigil for fatigue and he just started Rebif about 3 months ago. The neurologist he currently has seems capable enough but he is not very helpful. We are located in a rural area and are on a waiting list for a neurologist that specializes in MS that is over 2 hours away. But we hope he will have more answers and support for us. Thanks for the link, cheer, going to check it out now
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cheerleader
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Re: How do I help my husband thru his flares?

Post by cheerleader »

lovinghelper---
can you speak with his doctor who prescribed the BP meds and tell he/she about the memory issues?
NHE was wise to ask about meds--It may be more related to his cardiovascular health and these meds, than his MS.
Not every symptom is caused by MS. This is something we tend to forget.
(My husband thought he was having an MS flare a couple years ago, and it turned out to be shingles!)
While you're waiting to get him looked at by an MS specialist, do all you can to encourage good, healthy nutrition, exercise, stress relief.
A great cardiovascular regimen, worked out with his GP, will help his heart and brain health.
cheer
Husband dx RRMS 3/07
dx dual jugular vein stenosis (CCSVI) 4/09
http://ccsviinms.blogspot.com
THX1138
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Re: How do I help my husband thru his flares?

Post by THX1138 »

lovinghelper, I think magnesium would help with you husband's anxiety. It sure has helped me.
Here is a good video on it. There is also a lot of info on it at thisisms.com

Magnesium: The most powerful relaxation mineral available...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUWL1o2hSrs

THX1138
THX1138
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Re: How do I help my husband thru his flares?

Post by THX1138 »

The underestimated problem of using serum magnesium measurements to exclude magnesium deficiency in adults; a health warning is needed for "normal" results.
Clin Chem Lab Med. 2010 Mar;48(3):323-7. doi: 10.1515/CCLM.2010.077.
The underestimated problem of using serum magnesium measurements to exclude magnesium deficiency in adults; a health warning is needed for "normal" results.
Ismail Y, Ismail AA, Ismail AA.
Author information

Abstract
BACKGROUND:
A major use of serum magnesium measurements in clinical practice is to identify patients with deficiency. However, numerous studies have shown that magnesium deficiency is common and may be present in over 10% of hospitalized patients, as well as in the general population. An important cause for under diagnosis of deficiency is that serum magnesium, the most commonly used test, can be normal despite negative body stores. This article focuses on the limitations of "normal" magnesium results and highlights the importance of lifestyle or "modus vivendi" as a pragmatic means of identifying those individuals potentially at risk for negative body magnesium stores.
METHODS:
Researched peer reviewed articles on magnesium published between 1990 and 2008 in MEDLINE and EMBASE, using database keywords "magnesium, deficiency, diagnosis, treatment and hypomagnesaemia". Bibliographies of retrieved articles have been searched and followed. We have also performed a manual search of each individual issue in which most of these reports have appeared.
RESULTS:
In 183 peer reviewed studies published from 1990 to 2008, magnesium deficiency was associated with increased prevalence and risk in 11 major conditions. Similarly, in 68 studies performed over the same period, magnesium deficiency was found to predict adverse events and a decreased risk of pathology was noted when supplementation or treatment was instituted.
CONCLUSIONS:
The perception that "normal" serum magnesium excludes deficiency is common among clinicians. This perception is probably enforced by the common laboratory practice of highlighting only abnormal results. A health warning is therefore warranted regarding potential misuse of "normal" serum magnesium because restoration of magnesium stores in deficient patients is simple, tolerable, inexpensive and can be clinically beneficial.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20170394
shellyb21
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Re: How do I help my husband thru his flares?

Post by shellyb21 »

My ms dr put me on bp med even though I had low bp it was for my migrains it helped but caused me to pass out :( droped my pressure to low lucky I was not injured but could have been different I would have dr see if its the meds not all people tolerate each drigthe same good luck
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