For the newly diagnosed - from a (sorta) old timer
Posted: Sun Jul 01, 2018 12:37 pm
This post is for the newly diagnosed. I remember being where you are and feeling scared as hell, thinking that my life as I knew it was over. My mother also had MS and it was very severe. She couldn't walk, feed herself, take care of any of her needs, and could barely talk. She was almost bed ridden. She died from MS four years after I was diagnosed. That was 18 years ago.
I just wanted to give some reassurance to the newly diagnosed. Your life isn't over. Treatments today are so much better than they were even five years ago. When I was diagnosed, there were three options: Copaxone, Avonex, or Betaseron. Today, there are over a dozen and some really promising ones fairly far into the pipeline.
I got on medication almost right away and have stuck with it. I am doing very well. I have always worked full-time in a more than 40 hour a week job. We had only one child when I was diagnosed and we went ahead, on faith, and had a second child. She is now 15 years old and we are so glad that we did. I have had a few flare ups over the years, but they were all manageable and they have all mostly resolved. In addition to taking a disease-modifying treatment, I took care of myself with diet, exercise, and stress management. Nothing in particular - just tried to live as healthy a life as possible.
This is far from a scientific observation, but the people I have known who did not take any DMT have not fared well. Don't fool yourself into thinking that doing nothing or just doing "natural" treatments is going to keep this disease at bay. It might, but the odds are not with you. Why not do all that you can to keep yourself well, including those things that have evidence-based information to back them up? I am not against natural treatments, but I wouldn't do them without also doing something that a controlled, clinical phase III trial has shown to be effective. Just my two cents for what it's worth. Take it or leave it.
I just wanted to give some peace and hope to the newly diagnosed that this disease can be managed and you can have a full, wonderful life even with MS being along for the ride. Keep your chin up, educate yourself, advocate for yourself, take your medication, and give the rest to God. You will be okay.
I just wanted to give some reassurance to the newly diagnosed. Your life isn't over. Treatments today are so much better than they were even five years ago. When I was diagnosed, there were three options: Copaxone, Avonex, or Betaseron. Today, there are over a dozen and some really promising ones fairly far into the pipeline.
I got on medication almost right away and have stuck with it. I am doing very well. I have always worked full-time in a more than 40 hour a week job. We had only one child when I was diagnosed and we went ahead, on faith, and had a second child. She is now 15 years old and we are so glad that we did. I have had a few flare ups over the years, but they were all manageable and they have all mostly resolved. In addition to taking a disease-modifying treatment, I took care of myself with diet, exercise, and stress management. Nothing in particular - just tried to live as healthy a life as possible.
This is far from a scientific observation, but the people I have known who did not take any DMT have not fared well. Don't fool yourself into thinking that doing nothing or just doing "natural" treatments is going to keep this disease at bay. It might, but the odds are not with you. Why not do all that you can to keep yourself well, including those things that have evidence-based information to back them up? I am not against natural treatments, but I wouldn't do them without also doing something that a controlled, clinical phase III trial has shown to be effective. Just my two cents for what it's worth. Take it or leave it.
I just wanted to give some peace and hope to the newly diagnosed that this disease can be managed and you can have a full, wonderful life even with MS being along for the ride. Keep your chin up, educate yourself, advocate for yourself, take your medication, and give the rest to God. You will be okay.