Wife with MS and Breast Cancer
Posted: Fri Oct 14, 2011 4:11 am
Hi
My wife was diagnosed with MS in 1996 (though she probably had first symptoms in 1993) and at that time was told it was RRMS. We live in Asia so she did Chinese medicine for 8 years till 2004 during which time she felt quite good. In 2005 she had her first episode of breast cancer. Had lumpectomy and radiation (interestingly the rads did not affect her from an MS standpoint). In 2009 she had another primary episode of breast cancer on the other breast and finally decided to have a double mastectomy. Since 2009 she has been on Tamoxifen.
Over the last few years - maybe a couple or maybe more - her MS symptoms seemed to have worsened in that where she could walk for 20-30 minutes previously now it may be 10 minutes. In the heat she is definitely worse than she used to be (she was bad earlier too but worse now) and in the cold while she did not have much of an issue, she does now. In the last three months started feeling a weakness in her right thigh that made her feel like she was dragging her foot/leg - this is the only new symptom in the last many years - all other symptoms are just a little worse or have gone away. Have met many MS specialists over the last three months and they say it MAY be SPMS now. Given her breast cancer - even though it was easy stage - many MS meds like Tysabri, Novantrone etc. are ruled out. She has been suggested to try Rituxan so this site has been very helpful in helping me understand what people on it have felt.
I will search to see if there are others with breast cancer on this site but there is a similar site for breast cancer called breastcancer.org where there are many ladies with both MS and BC and usually the MS was diagnosed first with BC some years later.
It is great to have resources like these sites available since one hears directly from the people who have the condition. Helps to also learn peoples experience with various treatments - e.g. the discussion on CCSVI where people have put down how they have felt before and after the procedure.
Here's wishing everyone good health and hoping a cure is out there somewhere in the not too distant future!
My wife was diagnosed with MS in 1996 (though she probably had first symptoms in 1993) and at that time was told it was RRMS. We live in Asia so she did Chinese medicine for 8 years till 2004 during which time she felt quite good. In 2005 she had her first episode of breast cancer. Had lumpectomy and radiation (interestingly the rads did not affect her from an MS standpoint). In 2009 she had another primary episode of breast cancer on the other breast and finally decided to have a double mastectomy. Since 2009 she has been on Tamoxifen.
Over the last few years - maybe a couple or maybe more - her MS symptoms seemed to have worsened in that where she could walk for 20-30 minutes previously now it may be 10 minutes. In the heat she is definitely worse than she used to be (she was bad earlier too but worse now) and in the cold while she did not have much of an issue, she does now. In the last three months started feeling a weakness in her right thigh that made her feel like she was dragging her foot/leg - this is the only new symptom in the last many years - all other symptoms are just a little worse or have gone away. Have met many MS specialists over the last three months and they say it MAY be SPMS now. Given her breast cancer - even though it was easy stage - many MS meds like Tysabri, Novantrone etc. are ruled out. She has been suggested to try Rituxan so this site has been very helpful in helping me understand what people on it have felt.
I will search to see if there are others with breast cancer on this site but there is a similar site for breast cancer called breastcancer.org where there are many ladies with both MS and BC and usually the MS was diagnosed first with BC some years later.
It is great to have resources like these sites available since one hears directly from the people who have the condition. Helps to also learn peoples experience with various treatments - e.g. the discussion on CCSVI where people have put down how they have felt before and after the procedure.
Here's wishing everyone good health and hoping a cure is out there somewhere in the not too distant future!