G’day my ms family. If you are ever in any doubt who I am talking to, it is “YOU”. My ms sisters and brothers. My knowledge and comments are based on my 20+ years with Relapsing-Remitting ms (RRms) and she who must be obeyed 23+ years of experience. So in my house, there is a little ms knowledge. NONE based on classroom learning, all based on life experience. If “YOU” need hard medical evidence I am not the bloke to ask, Talk to your medical team>
Having said that here is some free advice.
Not every problem “YOU” have. Not every obstacle “YOU” encounter will be loved by somebody else or tablets, pills, infusions. This is coming from the bloke that STRONGLY says to start Disease-Modifying Therapy (DMT) as early as possible, if not sooner. No, I do not work for them, I am NOT paid to say this. I really dislike needles but I did my every other day interferon injection for years until an alternative became available. For the last decade or so I have taken Tecfidera religiously. I may have missed a dose or two in my travels back and forth to Australia, but never deliberately. All medicine has side effects I grew used to them and found ways around them. I ate before injections, I injected late in the evening and relaxed then went to bed. I found techniques so as to not give the interferon any chance to hurt me.
If I had any other problems, I looked first at other ways to solve my issue. I did not run to the doctor for a new pill. I slowed myself, thought about what I did and how I could remedy it. Of course, there are things that are easier with a pill but I tried to avoid becoming a walking pharmacy (Chemist). There are things that are easier with some assistance and I take it then stop it as quickly as I can. Before every Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI) procedure I take 5mg Valium to knock me out , but only 5mg once a year. Any other issue, I look for an alternative to drugs, and I might suggest “YOU” do as well. Think about what ”YOU” are taking and why. An antidepressant, WHY. Of course “YOU” are depressed. “YOU” have a chronic illness that can not be fixed. In my eyes that is rather depressing. I do not think “YOU” can solve that problem with one technique, “YOU” may need a lot. “YOU” may have to work HARD and use many different techniques to help with this. Let me make this clear. “YOU” and I have ms, we have to work and work hard to ensure that we live a beautiful life. It will be a long one, and if I can not be in the bright sunshine, at least I and “YOU” might live a life in the twilight instead of the darkness of despair and constant fear.
Think about what “YOU” are doing and why “YOU” are doing it. Find solutions for yourself first. Develop habits that make your life as good as “YOU” can. There are ways to make your life bearable, might I say good. There is no reason to rattle like a pill jar full of tablets that may or not fix what ails “YOU”. Search for your answers. Another pill may not solve everything.
Royce (your ms writer)
I still love my DMT, and will NEVER stop taking it
