My version of "Use it or Lose it" for My MS

[anaishunter]

You might or not be familiar with the "Use it or Lose it" concept (collinsdictionary.com/us/su...

I've always believed in it for the brain. It resonated even more after my MS diagnosis in May 2018 and became the basis behind My plan to tackle My MS:

(1) Get on the most aggressive DMT available to me. I got on Ocrevus as recommended by my neuro. The goal is to stop new lesions from appearing (I have a high lesion load but mild symptoms).

Stopping further damage as quickly as possible seemed good. But what about existing lesions? Could they create new symptoms or problems? This is why I added the second part to my plan:

(2) Use my brain as much as possible both physically and mentally: my neuro told me that my lesions were in highly redundant parts of my brain. And I believe it's up to me to take advantage of the brain plasticity and train it to create new pathways around the lesions and damage areas.

So I exercise a lot, try to get exposed to as many things as possible to make my brain work. I don't believe any medication can help with this. This is my job and only mine to fight this part of my MS and get my brain to engage all the neurons it has available.

The last part comes into play because I'm annoyed by the high cost of DMTs and I stay open to the idea that in the long run there will be better options. DMTs tackle the problem but doesn't get into the root cause of it. This is where I believe diet can make a difference. My mom having RA, I always heard about diet, inflammation and the various ramifications. I believe we are what we eat. So here is part 3 of the plan:

(3) Get on a healthy diet. As discussed often on this forum, this is not easy because of the lack of study and misinformation. This forum is a great place to get quick answers when in doubt. For now, mine is no meat, no sugar, no dairy and none of the food known to promote inflammation.

The above rant is just my plan. I use "I", "my", "me" a lot in this post because I also believe that we all experience MS differently, we all have a different set of circumstances and need to make our own decision on how we want to tackle our MS.

The next big stop for me in the next MRI in December which will tell me whether my plan is anywhere close to working. I am not fooling myself and I'm getting ready for the worst (many new lesions) while hoping for the best (no new lesions). I do count on MS to throw a curveball at me along the way. The best I can do is activate all the MS fighting tools I have available to me right now.

... and I am committed to give MS a good fight.

[Raingrrl]

Your plan is similar to what I’ve been doing. My career kept my brain working hard with new things to learn all the time. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that it became much, much harder to learn the things I needed for my job so I retired. I still keep my brain active though. Neuroplasticity is my friend!

In the summer of 2016 after moving into my condo, I challenged myself to get healthier physically. The stress of my job and a 4 hour daily commute didn’t give me much time to change habits but now that I’m retired, I can and have changed things. I do some form of exercise every day and have experimented with my diet. It’s all a work in progress but I’m healthier than I’ve been in decades despite having MS. I also feel much better than I have in very long time and can do more things.

I agree with you that we all experience MS differently and need to figure out our own individual plan of attack. It’s great to get ideas from others on a similar path but each of us has to figure out what works for our body and our spirit. And things will change with time and aging so the plan has to be a living thing that gets adjusted periodically. 🙂

[erash]

I’m on board with “the plan” and add #4 stress management via meditation and #5 positive positive attitude and inner strength (you exude this too 👊)

Wishing u the best with the December MRI

[erash]

P.S. I also view ‘‘this plan” as my “job” Heck, I put in more than a 40 hour work week focusing on “me” 😉

[livewell2 in reply to erash]

Erase, I too consider focusing on me getting better or at least not any worse my job. However, I think often feel guilty for not being able to focus on

The needs are if others. I try to take care of myself as much as possible and try to be independent (not bother or burden others with my needs. But, I just have to come to terms with the fact that u do need help. I am blessed with the support and understanding of my husband and others

[carolek572 CommunityAmbassador]

anaishunter I love your approach!

NEVER GIVE IN NEVER GIVE UP ~ I know that it sounds cliche but it works for me.

Carole

[anaishunter in reply to carolek572]

So agreed. But also know when to ask for help. It's ok to ask.

I'm very fortunate to have a group of people around me who are supportive - friends and family. And this forum as well. My inspiration is my mom. With RA, she never complained (almost to a fault), and exuded generosity before and after RA.

[carolek572 CommunityAmbassador in reply to anaishunter]

I am also surrounded by a loving family. My husband and daughters are a blessing to me ~ always!

So, stay Strong and Keep Smiling,

Carole