Hello my name is Mary Lou Lunger and I am from Scranton Pennsylvania. If you are from Northeast PA let me know I would like to hear from you.
What is Multiple Sclerosis? You first need to understand how your central nervous system works and how it is affected by Multiple Sclerosis. The central nervous system is made up of your brain and spinal cord. The central nervous system contains millions of nerve cells joined by nerve fibers. Myelin a fatty substance coats and protects the fibers. Multiple Sclerosis attacks myelin causing inflammation, swelling, and detachment of the myelin from the nerve fibers. The detached myelin when destroyed causing scar tissue to form over the fibers. Thus you get the name Multiple Sclerosis.
The initial symptoms of MS are difficulty in walking, abnormal sensations such as numbness, pins and needles, pain, loss of vision. Less severe symptoms include tremor, slurred speech, stroke like symptoms, and some memory loss.
MS when diagnosed by milogram EEG, and MRI's is aggressively treated with a wide range of drugs. Among the different types of drugs being used are lioresil, prednison,cortisone, betafuron, dantrium, valium and believe it or not some people have even tried and sworn by snake venom and bee stings as well as accupuncture.
The first signs or symptoms of MS are weakness, dizziness, fatigue, loss of balance or coordination. If you have any of these symptoms please get checked out as soon as possible. It may be MS or it may be anyother disease.
As the disease progresses you will find marked differences in some if not all of the following body functions. Ability to concentrate, walking, blurred vision, speech problems, difficulty in swallowing. Along with muscle spasms which you cannot control. MS also causes problems with the bowel and bladder functions of the body. This is caused by weakening of muscles which control these functions. It could and often leads to catherization for urine output, and in some cases ostomy for fecal output. MS also affects in some, but not all cases the sensations in sexual relationships. This is due to nerve interruptions. There are treatments and medications for this available. One of the least mentioned effects of MS is Cognitus and Emotional Distress. This has to do with how a person handles his/her MS condition. From first being diagnosed up to and including their current condition. Physicians are just becoming aware of this and know that is some MS cases a psychologist, or Neurophyshologist can be helpful. Along with certain medications to treat depression. It is strongly recommended that a person when first diagnosed with MS get in touch with a support group in their area, and also get their family involved with support groups. The more one understands about MS and how it acts the better the chances are that they can deal and cope with this illness.
I have lived with MS for over forty some odd years now and you can read all about me in the my own story link below.
The message I wish to convey to you is the earlier you get treatment for this debilitating illness the better your chances of remaining in remission for a longer period of time. You can live with MS it is up to you as an individual and your family members who must support you as to how you deal and live with your MS. A lot of people have MS and live full and productive lives in spite of it. Others just give up and let the disease win. I choose to fight this will all my strength. I have done a very good job of fighting this disease so far. I am not about to give up even though I have been fighting for over forty years now.
You will find links to MS help organizations, medical advice on line etc below. One word of advice please use the medical advice only as a support system in conjunction with your own physician. There is hope out there for all of us no matter how young or how old. Be brave face this monster headon and trust in God and yourself. Remember as long as you have hope in your heart you'll never walk alone.
My husband will be updating these pages soon. He has purchase a new computer from dell, and he will be making changes shortly.
Vist my other sites listed below.
I took some images off my page so it would load faster. Please take the time to check them out and what I have written about them. You won't be sorry.
Help links for Multiple Sclerosis
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