Depression can be common with MS

 

Symptoms to watch out for

There’s a difference between depression and the sadness, grief, and other painful life events that everyone goes through in life. As a whole, most people with MS will experience grief, loss, and sadness due to having this disease in and of itself. For some, this can be considered a mild, tolerable form of depression and is considered quite common. For others, it can escalate into something more serious.

Depressive episodes can certainly ebb and flow when living with MS and/or other chronic illnesses. It’s normal, and everyone reacts differently to such feelings and emotions. However, if you find your thoughts, feelings, and behavior changes lasting beyond several weeks, this could be a warning sign.¹

Symptoms of depression might include:

• Lingering sadness, agitation, and irritability
• Loss of interest in activities
• Changes in appetite
• Sleep hygiene changes/insomnia
• Increased fatigue
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
• Decrease in focus or concentration
• Thoughts of self-harm or suicide

You're not alone

It’s important to pay attention to your mood changes and recognize when/if it’s time to seek help. Sometimes patients find cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or medication to be helpful. Creative expression, therapeutic outlets, interaction with others, and engaging in some form of physical activity can be healthy and helpful as well. Find something… whatever works best for you.

Lastly, always remember you’re not alone. There are many others who might be going through the same thing as you. They can relate and might be able to offer comfort. Support is out there!

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Seven Complications of MS

 

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that disrupts the communication between your brain and the rest of your body. MS can affect each person differently. You may have one or more symptoms while someone else could have many more.

You also can develop complications along with your MS. They can range from mild to severe. The problems may differ from person to person.

Muscle Stiffness and Spasticity

It’s quite common to feel tightness and soreness in your larger muscles. Spasticity may make your muscles so stiff that you can’t easily unclench your fist or bend your wrist. You also may get painful spasms. Stiffness and spasms can happen anywhere on your body. But leg muscles are affected most often. Your joints and low back also may hurt.

Medications can help ease your spasticity. So can treatments that relax your muscles, including exercises, stretches, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy.

Bladder and Bowel Problems

MS can disrupt the electrical signals to the muscles that control how you pee and poop. As many as nine out of 10 people with MS have problems with their bladder. The issues vary from person to person but may include:

• Trouble controlling when you pee
• Feeling the need to go right away
• Changes in often you may need to pee
• Difficulty urinating

About two out of three people have issues with bowel movements. The most common complaint is constipation, which is having trouble pooping or having fewer than three bowel movements a week. Some people may have trouble controlling when they need to poop.

Physical activity, diet changes, medication adjustments, and timed routines for bowel movements can help you gain more control over your life.

Vision Problems

Most people with MS will have issues with their eyes at some point. Some common vision problems include:

Optic neuritis. This can cause pain in your eye as well as dim or blurry vision. Optic neuritis also can take away your ability to see colors. You might even lose your vision temporarily. Usually, your vision returns after some time.

Nystagmus. This is also called “dancing eyes.” It’s when you lack control over your eye movements. This can happen consistently in some people with MS. For others, nystagmus can come and go.

Diplopia. This means double vision. It happens because MS can disrupt the nerves that control eye movement and weaken or damage them. You may see two of the same images side by side or one on top of the other. For some people, diplopia may be temporary, but others may have it for long periods of time. Medication and special eyeglasses can help you if your symptoms persist.

Balance Issues

Muscle weakness, spasms, and vision problems all can affect your balance and walking form. Treatments such as physical therapy can help you gain more control over your muscle spasms. Canes, crutches, walkers, and wheelchairs also can help you move around more easily.

Mental Health

Living with a lifelong disease can affect you mentally and emotionally. It’s common and normal to feel overwhelmed sometimes.

It’s important to talk to your doctor or health care provider if you feel depressed or anxious and it affects your daily life. Antidepressants, talk therapy, counseling, and other services can help.

Exercises, hobbies, getting outside, and connecting with loved ones also can boost your mood.

Sexual Dysfunction

The faulty nerve signals that happen with MS can affect the sex drive for women and men. It can make it harder to reach orgasm or get an erection. MS complications such as bladder and bowel problems, fatigue, and depression also may affect your sexual health. Side effects from MS medications can play a part too.

Talk to your doctor if you have issues with arousal or find sex painful or uncomfortable. Aids like vibrators and lubricants can heighten sexual sensation. Certain sexual positions may be easier. You also can learn ways to stay intimate with cuddling and other acts.

Epilepsy

MS raises your chances of epilepsy, a brain disorder that causes seizures. The episodes may be mild and temporary. Antiepileptic drugs can help. Sometimes, you may not need any treatments for seizures.

 

Top 7 benefits of having pets in our MS life

 

There is more to it than just the snuggles. Having pets in our lives has a wide range of benefits. They help us cope, lift us from feelings of loneliness and depression, and get us outside for a bit of sunshine and exercise.

1. Pets keep us company.

Living with a companion animal can help ease feelings of isolation. Having a buddy by your side can make such a big difference in minimizing the feelings of loneliness. Even if the conversation is only one way…

2. Pets can help us fight depression

Taking care of pets (walking them, grooming them, petting them, playing with them) takes you out of yourself and helps you feel better. Our pets’ love is unconditional so, good day or bad, they have a lot to give us. Well, that is unless your name is Hans who, when he doesn’t get the treats he persistently begs for in the morning, may not be spreading the love quite as far.

3. Pets give us a sense of support and pleasure

Our life with MS should focus more on the good parts, not the un-fun stuff, right? Having pets makes us feel good. They’re cute and they’re sweet and they’re funny and they’re snuggly. All good stuff that makes living with MS a bit more bearable.

4. Pets get us outside when we might not otherwise

When we walk Spot, we sometimes meet others along the way, stopping for conversation, watching dogs do the funny things they do. It’s a great social outlet. Plus, there’s the added benefit of soaking some of that sun vitamin!

5. Pets calm us and relieve our anxiety

This is a big one for me as I am slightly neurotic. Hans is chill so he keeps me chill, not an easy feat. Om.

6. Pets help us minimize stress

This is huge for us, as stress is often the culprit when our symptoms flare up.

7. Pets help us improve our physical fitness

After all, exercise is important for MSers and, taking your dog for short walks or tossing their favorite toy in the backyard, helps keep us moving. This includes basic stretching. I can’t tell you how many times Hans watches us at home, with keen interest and curiosity, as we stretch or do some yoga. Eventually, he gets right on the floor with us to do a bit of stretching himself. Kitty Yoga. Hilarious!

New Study Suggests People with MS are at Increased Risk for Depression, Anxiety and other Psychiatric Disorders

Summary

• A large-scale study from Canada suggests that people with MS have increased rates of anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, and schizophrenia compared to people without MS.
• Among people with MS, women were more likely than men to develop depression, anxiety disorder, and bipolar disorder, while men were more likely than women to develop schizophrenia. Although women with MS were more likely to develop depression than men, men developed depression at a much higher rate compared to men without MS. 
• This study provides new information about the risks of psychiatric disorders in people with MS. Recognizing and addressing issues related to mental and emotional health can greatly improve quality of life for individuals and families.
• The National MS Society is focusing a light on psychosocial issues and emotional health in MS as part of its commitment to drive research and programs in wellness.  
• The team (Ruth Ann Marrie, MD, PhD) published their results in Neurology (2015;85:1–8).

Details
Background: In scientific terms, having two chronic medical conditions at once is called “comorbidity.” There is growing recognition that comorbidities may complicate the diagnosis of MS and also influence disease progression, as well as an individual’s wellness and quality of life.  It has long been known that depression and bipolar disorder are more common among people with MS than in the general population. In a recent study from Dr. Marrie and others, psychiatric disorders (depression and anxiety) were among the five most prevalent disorders occurring alongside MS. The current study specifically looks at psychiatric comorbidities in people with MS.
  
The Study: The team identified 44,452 persons with MS and 220,849 controls without the disease in administrative medical data from four Canadian provinces. They examined medical records to determine the incidence (new cases) and prevalence (all existing cases) of depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia from 1995 to 2005 among these groups.

The results show that the incidence and prevalence of anxiety, bipolar disorder, depression, and schizophrenia were all higher in people with MS than in people without MS in the control population. Among people with MS, women were more likely than men to develop depression, anxiety disorder, and bipolar disorder, while men were more likely than women to develop schizophrenia. Although women with MS were more likely to develop depression than men, men developed depression at a much higher rate compared to men without MS.

Results were published in Neurology (2015;85:1–8).

Next Steps: This study adds to a growing body of evidence on conditions that occur alongside MS. The National MS Society is focusing increased attention on psychosocial conditions in MS as part of its commitment to drive research and programs in wellness. Read more

In the face of a chronic, often progressive illness like MS, people may tend to focus primarily on their physical health and neglect their emotional health -- which is an essential component of overall health and wellness. Recognizing and addressing  issues related to mental and emotional health can greatly improve quality of life for individuals and families. Read more about emotional health and MS