As we all know it’s hard enough living with multiple sclerosis (MS) on a day-to-day basis when dealing with the symptoms of this disease… but then we have to make all these choices on what medication we want to take (more than a dozen disease-modifying therapies, or DMT’s, are available) and what kind of diet we want to try. There are so many options out there these days, so I wanted to share my insight on this topic, since I’ve gone through it… A LOT. What Medication Is Best for Me? MS is what I like to call the ‘snowflake’ disease, meaning there are no two people who are identical in their d ..read more

  If you are anything like me, you use your phone or tablet for a lot of things to manage your daily life and to stay in communication with others. My usual routine also often includes doing a quick search for certain topics on multiple sclerosis (MS), and adding calendar reminders for doctor’s appointments and other aspects of my health that I want to keep track of to help me stay organized. Some of you might have seen or used apps for MS, but most of them are specific to the medication you’re taking. Well, good news! There is now a new app available that I have been using every da ..read more

Recently I came in to contact with someone from #MuckFestMS. I had heard about it before, and it looked like a lot of fun, but I was always telling myself I wouldn’t be able to complete it. It’s a 5K-obstacle course/mud run that raises money for MS. I decided to ask more about it and how it works… Turns out its designed so that people with all levels of fitness can take part, and you can also skip certain obstacles if need be. I haven’t done anything that required a lot of strength and endurance since my diagnosis, because I feel like just getting through the day sometimes wipes me completely ..read more

Recently, you have probably seen posts about a MS Blood Test Study in my blog as well as on Social Media, if you missed the original blog post, click here. I’m doing a follow up article talking about my experience participating in the EMPOWER study and just how easy it was to help make a difference with MS Research. I know some people out there don’t want to be ‘guinea pigs’ on clinical trials… However, this is one where you aren’t taking any medication. The process all runs very quickly and smoothly, also the company running the study, DxTerity, has multiple tools to help you along the way an ..read more

Are you interested in helping advance research for MS but don’t know where to start? You’re not alone. Taking part in a research study for MS can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. A new at-home study called EMPOWER (Evaluating Multiple Sclerosis Patients ShOWing A GEnomic Signature of Therapy Response) is seeking volunteers with MS nationwide to better understand how MS affects the body. The goal of the study is to develop a blood test to help monitor disease activity and treatment response for people diagnosed with MS. The study is being conducted by DxTerity, a genomics company d ..read more

Bottom line, Multiple Sclerosis is a game changer; at least it was for me. I didn’t know a whole lot about it and what to expect; I didn’t know how it would impact my day-to-day life. Usually when speaking about MS, or reading about MS… you hear a lot of the worst case scenarios, or you see all the pictures of people using assistive devices, and think that is going to be you. Yes, there are people with MS that are in wheelchairs, etc. But there are also large amounts of people that have a more ‘invisible illness’ aspect of it; where you can feel it, but others can’t see it. I’ve dealt with bot ..read more

When I was first diagnosed, I didn’t really know what MS was, what caused it… I didn’t know that there wasn’t a cure available. It seemed the more and more I learned after getting diagnosed, the more I didn’t want to believe it all. I’ve come to realize, and explain to others that get diagnosed with MS and their loved ones, it’s that we seem to go through a phase. It’s almost like a grieving process, because in a way you are grieving what used to be and trying to find your footing in this new journey. This can be said for many other illnesses out there, not just MS. I’ve come to give a slight ..read more

I’ve always been that person that believes that actions speak louder than words. I’m not sure if that’s how everyone feels, but it’s just a personal attribute I guess. I wanted to share just some experiences I’ve had in the past, both good and bad, just to get it out there and get it off my chest. Relationships change with MS I’ve been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis since August 2010; I was 22 at the time. I had so many friends and a huge social circle that has since dwindled down to a select few. I have no hard feelings against the friends I had that are no longer, I did at one point, but ..read more

You know how frustrating it is, when someone comes to you that does not have Multiple Sclerosis, or any other chronic illness, but tries to compare what he or she is going through to what we are going through. It’s annoying, at least for me. I know that I’ve touched base on this a few times in the past with, “You Can’t Compare”. However, I feel this is something that I need to touch base on again. I’ve heard it all before I wanted to write this article in more of a ‘scenario’ way, sort of like what someone says to you, and what I’m thinking in my head but try not to say out loud so that I’m no ..read more

Have you ever had someone look at you, and not believe that you have Multiple Sclerosis, or something similar? Have you ever had to show proof that you are, in fact, considered disabled, due to Multiple Sclerosis? I’m not talking about showing proof where it’s required, but just in your local community, with people you are around. This is something that I have had to deal with in the past. If someone doesn’t know that I have MS, and they are around me in a conversation, and my husband asks me if I’m feeling okay, do I need to rest, etc. They first off think I’m sick… but when they learn I have ..read more