While visiting my mother on Christmas, she informed me she was no longer taking medicine for her Multiple Sclerosis. She cited the pain of the daily injection of Copaxone as her reason for discontinuing its use. As upset as I was with her for not taking medicine that WILL help her, I didn’t argue the point with her. I gently urged her to take the medicine and I didn’t bring the subject up for the rest of the visit. She has to be the one who decides she wants to be better.
So it goes with Multiple Sclerosis: It can be debilitating, but it is by no means a death sentence. If you are living with MS, there are many treatment options. The FDA has approved several drugs that help with the relapsing forms of the disease. In addition to these, doctors often prescribe antidepressants such as Prozac to combat the blues that may come with MS. And you don’t have to be limited to what the big drug companies offer. Well-known alternative treatments such as acupuncture and aromatherapy treat muscle pain and have been shown to improve mental well-being in patients. Similarly, Bee Sting Therapy has been reported to treat pain, loss of coordination, and muscle weakness, though it’s in the preliminary stages study.
Aside from what your doctor may prescribe, there are simple things you can do yourself such as exercising and eating a diet rich in antioxidants and beta-carotene. Exercise builds muscle and enhances mood and self-esteem, which in combination with a healthy balanced diet can greatly reduce the symptoms of MS.
For anyone who is reading this and struggling with the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, I urge you to fight back. Know that there is nothing that can stop you from living life except you.