MS question

[akv23]

My mom was diagnosed with ms a while back but doctors wont really tell us much as what it really is. So not to sound ignorant but what really is ms?

[Lulu54]

Dementia is not normally part of MS but I would guess it could be.  The right parts of the brain being affected could cause these types of problems.  Could you or your dad put together a list of questions to ask her doctors?

[akv23]

Thank you all very much all the information you have given me has helped me understand a lot of things. I have another question my mom will sometimes say that she sees her grandparents which ofcourse they are already dead is that also part of the ms. Or she will also confuse my dad with her father i wanted to know if that is also part of the ms? Really all i want is yo understand what she is and will go threw.

[Lulu54]

Unfortunately many doctors feel that they don't have the time to do these indepth discussions or think the patient gets their information in other ways.  The MS Society is a great source of information.  So is MSAA and MSF.  They all have a slew of accurate fact sheets on various parts of the disease.

What is MS?  In a very simple explanation, our immune system gets confused and doesn't recognize the beneficial part of myelin and starts attacking the myelin, causing the damage.  Our immune system is over active , not suppressed, with MS.

If you have specific questions, be sure to come around and ask. We have lots of helpful people here.

best, Lulu

[TLC_31]

This is where I always direct people: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-multiple-sclerosis/index.aspx

I also encourage MS patients to attack the disease with one of the many disease-modifying drugs that are available. The sooner the better. Their side effects usually can be mitigated, and they are usually far more tolerable than disease progression.

Those diagnosed today not only have more treatments available, but there are great resources on the internet such as this one (although what is shared in online forums, whether MS-related or not, is not always 100% accurate, so check the sources). Ask questions anytime!

[akv23]

Thanks

[kwarendorf]

For more information about specifics you can read the Health Pages here:

http://www.medhelp.org/tags/show/7687/Multiple-Sclerosis?section=health_pages

[kwarendorf]

Hi - Sorry to hear about your mom. This would be a good place to start...

http://www.medhelp.org/medical-information/show/1854/Multiple-sclerosis

Kyle