I say this all the time, you can’t plan for things because you just don’t know. What doesn’t cause problems one day may be a gigantic obstacle the next day. One day you feel fine the next you can’t get out of bed. People around me always say it’s the weather or may say maybe you’re getting sick, I just know it’s the nature of the disease. A good example is when I was playing mahjong. I’ve had issues many…
Gabapentin is an anti-epileptic used to control some types of seizures in epilepsy. It is used in multiple sclerosis to control dysesthesias (pain caused by MS lesions) and the pain caused by spasticity. (As per the National Multiple Sclerosis Society) I’ve been taking this drug for years. I’ve had it in a wide range of dosages from 100mg to 600mg. Probably about 4 or more years ago my doctor started prescribing me 300mg to take daily. I took them every…
There are some days when I blog and I really have nothing to say and then there are some days, like last week, where I put up an embarrassing blog about my constipation issues with MS When the back door garbage chute isn’t working that I get a comment with a suggestion. Gary uses Nature’s Plus Oats n Honey Chewable wafers . What did I have to loose the chute wasnt working right. I placed an order for them. They…
I’ve been having such problems again going to the bathroom. This is an issue I’ve struggled with for years but continues to to get worse. Every time I think I found something that works it eventually stops working. My main problem is twofold. I can’t push and I can’t hold. Meaning I can’t get it out and if it’s coming out I can’t hold it in and I’m going to have an accident. Sorry to be so graphic but is…
I could have spent the day in bed. That’s the one thing two dogs and a nursing aid that comes early in the morning prevents. Not that my aid would mind or wouldn’t help me but my dogs would drive me crazy running between her and me. I can’t shake the exhaustion in the morning and the fatigue in the evening yet. I actually think this started from my rituxan infusion back in mid March, I believe I said I…
As the weather starts to get warmer I start to get more sluggish. It’s beautiful outside and I’m ready for a nap. Yesterday the temperature hit over 60 degrees for the first time, a gorgeous weather day but after physical therapy I was thrilled to be home. I was exhausted. Physical therapy was difficult. My therapist, knowing I hate this answer, said it’s weather changes as always the body has to adjust. Our symptoms get worse than hopefully level off…
It used to take me a long time to accept each stage of MS. Each relapse and each steroid treatment it would take time for my head to get on straight to get better. People use to tell me I was so brave but the truth is, I wasn’t, I was in denial. I tried to pretend it wasn’t happening to the outside world. To my immediate family, especially my mom, I cried and complained often. They heard it all….
This morning I was watching people get in their cars and head out for work. There was a part of me that was jealous. Jealous that their life was easy in a way mine wasn’t. I stopped working three years ago. Since then I had to get an aid to assist me 5 days a week, I’m in a wheelchair when I leave my house and I now drive a handicap vehicle. That’s a big change from the days when…
You’d think a simple game like mahjong would be easy for someone with a chronic illness. Any game card or tiles. After all you are just sitting at a table all day how hard is that? Well now add in a weakened core muscles and for some a hint of cognitive difficulty and the simple task isn’t simple. For me, it’s the core muscles. It’s those muscles that hold your body up helping you sit at that card table. It…
Yesterday I wrote about the seriousness of weakened chest muscles and multiple sclerosis I’m scared of this MS symptom. I haven’t seen my doctor yet but I received some advice from people that I thought I’d share that would also help. Purchase an Incentive Spirometer . There are many types of spirometers but this one is used to help increase patients lung function. 2. A humidifier A smart idea to keep moisture in the air to keep congestion as loose…
