Advanced Multiple Sclerosis

[sr71blackbird]

My friend has a sister with the advances stages of MS, and we visit her on the weekends. She is getting worse each time I see her and I wonder if there is anything that can be done for people with MS? Is there a cure coming at some point? If something were to become available, would it help someone with advanced stages of it? It tears my friend up each time we see her sister wasting away and I wish there was something that I could do to help her. She doesnt seem to be in great pain, but I think she is and hides it well. She can barely sit without curving over. She gets delusional. Cant see. Its really rough. Thanks

[Dr Steve]

My friend has a sister with the advances stages of MS, and we visit her on the weekends. She is getting worse each time I see her and I wonder if there is anything that can be done for people with MS? Is there a cure coming at some point? If something were to become available, would it help someone with advanced stages of it? It tears my friend up each time we see her sister wasting away and I wish there was something that I could do to help her. She doesnt seem to be in great pain, but I think she is and hides it well. She can barely sit without curving over. She gets delusional. Cant see. Its really rough. Thanks

MS, or Multiple Sclerosis, is a chronic illness that involves the sheath of nerve cells. Basically, the immune system for some reason starts to eat away at the insulating "myelin" sheath of nerve cells in the central nervous system, causing kind-of short circuits. The result can be weakness in limbs, visual changes, numbness, fatigue, and dizziness.

Although the majority of people have an intermittent "relapsing" form of MS, where they have periods of normal nerve function, some people have a progressive form that leads to significant debility and loss of function.

There's no cure for MS, but there are a lot of treatments, and some of them work very well.

Mitoxantrone is a drug that's used for advanced illness; I'd want to know if your friend has been tried on it. Hopefully, a neurologist (nerve doctor) is in charge of her case; they are the most experienced at dealing with advanced MS.

Tysabri is also used in advanced disease. It's an antibody that tags certain immune cells and keeps them from eating the myelin sheath. It has a crapload of bad side effects, but if you're faced with debilitating MS it may be worth the gamble. Again, only a neurologist will prescribe this stuff.

Let me know if she's tried any of these things. Mayo clinic has some info here: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/multiple-sclerosis/DS00188/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs

your friend,



steve

[sr71blackbird]

Thanks, I will ask them and get back to you. Thanks for your time!