dr. drew/phil keoghan interview about MS

[doublevision1]

check out this interview that aired a couple of weeks ago.  I'm surprised that Dr. Drew mentioned "la belle indifference;"  I thought that was an outdated notion with respect to MS?

http://drdrew.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/26/phil-keoghan-talks-multiple-sclerosis/

[doublevision1]

Lucky you to meet Phil K!   I  agree, he is great, and how fantastic that he raised so much $$$ and awareness for MS.  

Good suggestion re: writing the networks about the inaccuracies; I just might do that.

[Lulu54]

Do you ever write to these shows and let them know the errors and the harm they are doing?  I sure would if I caught them.  I'll go back and look at the clip.

BTW Phil Keogan is wonderful - sincere, and good looking too.  He has no personal connection with MS but still did his bike across the US to raise over 500,000 for MS.  I met him last month in Cincinnati for a charity showing of THE RIDE.  You can download the film at amazon for a fee or even order the dvd.  It is a wonderful documentary.

best, Lulu

[doublevision1]

I forgot about House!  You're right, I think they mention MS in nearly every episode.  I remember one in particular when they thought MS and started treating the patient with inferon (stat!) and figured they must be mistaken when said patient wasn't responding the very same day!  If only it were that easy.  If they'd said IVSM and not interferon, it *might* be plausible.

I think some of our friends and family quietly wonder what the big deal is, those of us that look 'normal' and are fully ambulatory.  This Dr. Drew interview unintentionally supports that way of thinking.  And if we aren't all happy and chirpy all the time it's a personality / coping deficit.  Then again, some go to the opposite end of the spectrum and try to handle us with kid gloves.  For the longest time, one friend assumed MS and ALS were the same disease until I realized and cleared it up for him.  Others believe that if I'm not being treated for a relapse, I am fully in remission, and free of all symptoms.  

There have been a few programs on TV on MS, usually on PBS, that did a decent job on the topic.  Granted these were hour long programs, not 3 min segments.  

[essdipity]

I so agree. And it doesn't help that House and his staff are constantly sure it's MS or not MS, all based on MRIs or LPs. Then he orders double interferon which starts working instantly.

I often wonder what friends and family think of this disease, based on what they see on TV.

ess

[doublevision1]

Incidentally, the other 'celebrity' docs, Sanjay Gupta and Mehmet Oz, have also gotten it wrong when it comes to MS.  

Dr. Gupta said Ampyra is the first ever oral medication to treat MS, inferring that it is in the same class of drugs as the injectable DMDs, when it only treats symptoms.  The uniformed viewer would have interpreted this to mean no more needles for MS patients.  

Dr. Oz said MS hug can be fatal.  Yikes.

It`s good to see MS in the spotlight and efforts are made to raise awareness, but not helpful when they get the basic facts wrong.

[doublevision1]

Well said Karen.  MS is so complicated, and I have yet to see it explained sufficiently and accurately in these 3 minutes sound bites on TV.

[Karen99]

"la belle indifference;"????  Sometimes you can, sometimes you can't.

We all pull up our bootstraps when we can.  Most often we can.  Sometimes though, the "indifference" is quiet despair.

A good attitude is desired, but I'm not so sure glossing over the very real debilitating effects MS can have on us without telling "the rest of story" serves us well.