Can anyone on this blog tell me anything about MSA-P? My husband was just diagnosed with this disease by the doctors at Mayo's.

My husband now has been diagnosed with MSA-P. First it was PSP then CBD now the Doc's are saying MSA-P. What is the difference? What should we expect that will happen to him, that would be different then the other two diseases (PSP & CBD)?

[Kathy]

They have many similarities. I would suggest you contact the MSA Trust as they will be able to give you more information

msatrust.org.uk/

[Hidden]

Hi Sluxford

As well as Kathy's advice, may I make another quick suggestion. For your information, as well as other health professionals who may be involved with your husbands care, go to the CurePSP site (psp.org/) and then click on the "PSP/CBD/MSA Education" (it's the green panel at the top of the page). Then click on MSA, then click on one of the titles under this heading called " What every SW/PT/OT/SLP should know about PSP/CBD/MSA"

Hope you can find it....because it may answer most of your queries.

All the best.

T.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Sorry the link to the CurePSP site doesn't seem to work, so you may need to Google "CurePSP".

[coleen]

My Dad had PSP and MSA. As Kathy stated there are many similarities. The life-span is also shorter for MSA patients. My Father was totally paralysed at the end, could not communicate with us at all, and could not even blink. At one stage his Neuro Surgeon was hoping he would be able to treat his MSA, but his next MRI showed just how quickly MSA progresses. My Dad was only diagnosed in 2011, but going back over photographs today, we can see signs dating back to 2006. One of the first symptoms my Dad had was loss of eye sight, slurred speech, and his head would be pulled back involuntarily. Then the falls began. He sadly passed away April 2013. I agree with Kathy that the MSA Trust will answer a lot of your questions, as both diseases is a degeneration or loss of nerve cell in certain areas of the brain, and with MSA the spinal cord.

[jimandsharynp]

Sluxford, I'm in the USA and our national organization is CurePSP.org They have published three separate booklets on PSP, MSA, and CBD that describe the differences well. You might go to their web site and check it out. I'm sure the UK PSPA.org can also help you out. I think the difference that says "PSP" is the eye movements vertically. For CBD it usually affects one side of the body more than the other. MSA I just don't know. Google "What are the symptoms of MSA" and see what you get. Here's one link I found that might help. mayoclinic.org/diseases-con...

Jimbo