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Who Gets Multiple Sclerosis And What Is It Like?

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Kath Senior Profile
Kath Senior answered
Anyone can be affected by multiple sclerosis (MS). Around 85,000 people in the UK have MS. It is most likely to begin in people aged between 20 and 40 and women are more likely to be affected than men.

Noone knows what exactly causes MS but, for some reason, the body starts to attack its own tissues because they 'remind' the immune system of a foreign invading microorganism. The body starts to react against the myelin sheaths that surround nerves, removing this protection and leaving the nerves to become scarred and hardened. The word sclerosis means 'hardened'.

The symptoms produced depend on which nerves are affected. The most common are: vision problems, including eye pain, dim or blurred vision and double vision, problems with walking, balance and coordination, stiffness and spasm, numbness or "pins and needles, tremor (shakiness), speech difficulties, including slurred speech and poor memory. It is also common for sufferers to feel very tired and weak.
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Cynthia Porter
Cynthia Porter commented
I have MS,I am 58yrs.old,I was DX. 2002.For yrs. I had symptoms but ignored them,until I had some trauma in my life & just received Hep.B immunizations.I was a LPN for 33 yrs.& my last place of employment ,we needed to have the Hep B.I received it in 2000 & 2001 I was faced with trauma & became ill.I was DX.2002 & had to go on SSDI,due to severe fatigue,poor memory,spasms,numbness & SEVERE SEVERE PAIN,I have not stopped having pain in 9 yrs.MS is horrible.!!!!!!!!!!I can't make plans @ all,due to I don't know what that day will be like.
Anonymous
Anonymous commented
I have MS..4 yrs. Started w/vision. Very moody...hot w/sweats. Memory, what memory. Have had 3 MRI's. I really don't understand how I know if I am relapseing or remitting... I am 55. Work part time... Cannot take confusion. Not an option.. Cannot hurry. Terrible anixiey. My heart will just thump...so scarey. Have gained a huge amt. Of weight.... I am often nauseated... Have headaches... Just basically miserable . I can never plan an activity... I get so nerveous before leaveing that I get sick... It simply isn't worth the aggrivation... It is easier to stay home on the porch.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
It is a rare disease but anyone can get it. I have had it for 26 years - after the birth of my son. I never had any signs up to its appearance when I was 25 - I just woke up one morning and all the extremities on the right side of my body were numb with a "pins and needles" feeling. I thought I just slept wrong but it stayed that way for weeks, then gradually went away. About a year later, after having some spa treatments - sauna etc. I had difficulty speaking. Finally went to a neurologist and was given a spinal tap which came up with dx for MS then later a MRI which also confirmed MS. I get occasional attacks, am on Copaxone, but still feeling pretty well. Speaking is fine now - you never know whats coming next and thats the worst part of MS.

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