I N T R O D U C T I O N

A New Look
At a Well-Worn Road
It seems like the worst has happened. The symptoms you
have been having—the tingling in your hands, the numb-
ness on your left side, the vision problems—they aren’t just
in your head. They are real. They are there. They haven’t
just gone away, never to return. They’ve come back . . .
again. And they are much more serious than you thought.
Your doctor referred you to a neurologist who examined
you and had an MRI scan done to see what was going on
in your brain. It was what he expected, but what he wished
wasn’t so. . . .
You have MS. Multiple sclerosis. That disease that
Martin Sheen’s presidential character has on The West
Wing. That condition you’ve heard about, the one that your
aunt, or your distant cousin, or a friend of a friend lives
with. The disease without a cure. The disease that will not
go away. Never. Only get worse . . . and worse.
Stop!
Developing multiple sclerosis in today’s world does not
have to be a bleak, grim journey. It does not have to be the
start of a road that only spirals down. It does not have to be
a mystery that can’t be solved.
Today multiple sclerosis can be treated and stabi-
lized, its course altered.

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2     Multiple sclerosis: A new journey

MS: MORE COMMON THAN YOU THINK

When someone has a severe brain or spinal cord injury, it is
catastrophic. The world stops for the survivor, the family, and
loved ones near and far. Because these are such dramatic
events, they get a great deal of attention—from physicians,
hospitals, research facilities, and the press.
Multiple sclerosis is different. Its symptoms are subtle;
sometimes people aren’t even aware of anything more than a
slight discomfort or tingling sensation. It is an unpredictable
disease, often receding without any residual symptoms—and
sometimes not coming back for years. Other times, MS
recedes and reoccurs with great frequency.
Because of the subtle mysteries that cloak MS, it does not
get the same attention as a catastrophic accident or disease.
This might give people the sense that it is a rare condition—
and when you do get it, you might feel even more alone or
“picked on” than you would with a different disease.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Multiple sclerosis
is a fairly common condition, with approximately 350,000
people who have it living in the United States.
Some other truths—and other “multiple” myths exposed:

Multiple Myth #1: Multiple sclerosis is a fatal

disease. Once diagnosed, your fate is sealed.
Not true! Most of those 350,000 people who are diagnosed
with MS go on to live as long as anybody else and have a
nearly normal life span.
 Introduction     3

Multiple Myth #2: If you’ve been diagnosed with

MS, you will eventually be paralyzed and in a
wheelchair. That’s a guarantee.
Yes, it is true that half the people who have multiple sclerosis
will eventually have trouble walking. But that fate is not
etched in stone. Early detection and early treatment can help
improve the odds that you will either delay that time or be the
other half that walks independently.

Multiple Myth #3: With MS, it’s diagnose—and

adios. There’s nothing anyone—including your
doctor—can do to help.
Wrong again. It’s true that in the past doctors were at a
standstill when it came to multiple sclerosis. By the time
they were able to diagnose it, the disease was in place.
There was nothing anyone could do but hope it didn’t
­progress too quickly. That’s not true today. The new ABC + R
drugs (Avonex®, Betaseron®, Copaxone®, and Rebif®)
­aggressively treat MS nerve inflammation and help prevent
the disease from getting worse. And better diagnostic tools,
including today’s MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan of
the brain, mean that MS can be detected very early on.
Together, they are a formidable enemy that can keep MS at
bay! Add a healthy diet and regular exercise and there’s no
reason why a person with multiple sclerosis can’t have a
good quality of life.
4     Multiple sclerosis: A new journey

Multiple Myth #4: MS is contagious.

No way! There is absolutely no evidence that MS can be
passed on from person to person, either through sexual or
casual contact. It is not an infectious disease.

Multiple Myth #5: Once a woman is diagnosed

with MS, she can forget about getting pregnant
and having children.
Wrong again. Not only can a woman with MS get pregnant
and give birth, she can even enjoy sex! A severe disability
may make pregnancy more difficult, but not impossible.
Although relapses are more common in the first few
months after delivery, most women will not have a relapse
during the pregnancy itself. In fact, most people with mul-
tiple sclerosis can have a fulfilling sex life—despite a dis-
ability. (We’ll be going over sexuality and multiple
sclerosis later in this book.)
These are only a few of the “multiple” myths around. There
are as many myths about multiple sclerosis as there are for
other diseases and conditions.
As we all know, fear, especially of the unknown, breeds
false theories, and a victim mentality. Multiple Sclerosis: A
New Journey was written to help dissolve that fear with
knowledge and education. It explains what MS is and why it
creates its sometimes unpredictable symptoms. This book is
your guide to these different symptoms—and the problems
you might encounter. You’ll learn how to cope with MS and:
• Sexuality
• Your daily life and work routines
• Bladder and bowel function
• Mobility
 Introduction     5

• Fatigue
• Depression
• Problems with memory and other cognitive functions
• Visual problems
• Spasticity
• Pain

A NEW HOPE, A NEW JOURNEY

Consider Multiple Sclerosis: A New Journey your guide to a
new landscape, one that tells it “like it is”—while, at the same
time, providing real hope, real promise, and real treatment
plans.
You’ll learn all about the new, effective ways to diagnose
multiple sclerosis, biomedical advancements that enable
neurologists to better determine right from the start
whether  or not you have MS. It also details everything you
need to know about the new, exciting treatments for multiple
sclerosis. You’ll discover the facts about the disease-modify-
ing drugs (called ABC + R), the medicines that make it possi­
ble to fight back aggressively. Between the new diagnostic
advances and the ABC + R drugs, your condition can be
caught early—and aggressively treated.
You’ll also find important information about rehabilita-
tion—and why it is important in promoting a good quality
of life. You’ll learn what makes a good MS rehabilitation
center, the “A-team” health care professionals that work
best, even about new alternative therapies that people have
tried.
You’ll also hear true-life stories of people who have MS—
and how they have handled the progression of their disease.
You’ll find people who have had only two episodes; others
6     Multiple sclerosis: A new journey

who have gotten progressively worse; still others who were

never bothered by MS again. You’ll feel their hope, their
strength, and find real solutions to the real problems that you
may have.
Finally, the unique Multiple Sclerosis: A New Journey
wants you to have the most up-to-the-minute information
about MS diagnosis, treatment, research, and symptom man-
agement. With that in mind, this book will be updated and
revised periodically so that the newest facts and figures will
never be more than a page away.

A NEW LOOK AT MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

FOR PATIENTS AND THEIR LOVED ONES
Statistics show that MS is the leading disease-causing dis­
ability in young people. They also show that within 15 years,
half the people with MS will not be able to walk without an
assistive device.
Change these numbers. Learn everything you can. And, if
you have symptoms of MS, don’t let them rule you.
This book shows you how to become master of your own
disease, your own guide on a journey of hope.
Don’t be afraid: be armed.
Let’s begin. . . .