What should a recently diagnosed Multiple Sclerosis(MS) patient ask his doctor

Sapna Punjabi, who has Multiple Sclerosis, has been deeply affected by the long Covid lockdown. Her limbs have become weak and stiff in the absence of physiotherapy leaving her a dependent again. Here she prays for an end to the pandemic so that she can reconstruct her dream and rebuild her confidence. 2015 is where my MS story begins. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in March 2015. Multiple Sclerosis is a disease in which the immune system eats away at the protective covering of…

Kavita Pawaskar, 38 had her first symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis when she was 10. She shares the effects of this condition and the impact the increasing disability has on activities of daily living.  #DayInTheLifeSeries In 1992, when I was 10 years old, I was going to school one morning for my exam. While I was writing my exam paper, suddenly my arms stopped working and I just could not continue. The next day, I had my second paper. I sat down in the classroom and the next moment,…

Four years ago, at age 40, Sapna Punjabi was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Though life changed in many ways due to growing disabilities, it could not quash her spirit. Read her courageous account. Ever since my childhood, I have been very bold, easygoing, bubbly and confident. After I completed my studies, I joined HCL Technologies. I was overwhelmed to join an Indian multinational IT firm. HCL not only added to my list of friends but also found me my soul mate. Over the years, I decided…

Today, with excellent diagnosis and medicines, Multiple Sclerosis patients can lead an almost normal life, was the message upheld by all participating neurologists and MSSI at a recent medical seminar. There was optimism that rang through at the Multiple Sclerosis medical seminar held at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital recently. All the speakers emphasised on how there has been a paradigm shift for the better in diagnosis, treatment and overall management of multiple sclerosis (MS) in…

Persons with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) have poorer quality of life due to a variety of issues. Dr. Shital Raval, with inputs from Sheela Chitnis, Founder MSSI, shares twelve ways to improve quality of life by avoiding triggers and managing symptoms effectively.  A study once found that patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) had poorer quality of life (QoL) than other persons with disability and that was due to issues such as fatigue, unemployment, and mobility limitations. Zwibel et al…

The focus for World MS Day 2019 is to raise awareness of the invisible symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and the unseen impact of MS on quality of life. We asked our MS contributors about the symptoms that most affect their daily living. And their advice to other MS patients. Arvind Sanghvi , who lives in Pune, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at 30. Since then, he has been diligently practising Yoga to control the many complications of MS. Smitha Sadasivan is a Chennai based Disability…

Mrs Jyoti Ronghe, 57 of Pune has been battling the crippling Multiple Sclerosis condition for more than 2 decades now. She talks of the challenges of tackling such a condition. Please tell us a bit about your condition, as in what you are suffering from I am suffering from Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis since 1998. I am a Mumbai girl. I moved to Pune after my marriage. My father-in-law being a doctor, I was taken to some doctors known to him after I was diagnosed with MS. My parents…

Persons with Multiple Sclerosis are often more likely to lose balance. MSSI Chennai explains the reasons why.  And six exercises that can help a person with MS improve balance.  Persons with Multiple Sclerosis who have numbness in legs/ feet may feel less than sure footed when walking or climbing stairs. This may cause them to lean forward to watch their feet as they move, and that puts further strain on back and neck. In a good posture, the head is centered above spine and chin is…

Swarnalatha, who lives with the chronic disease Multiple Sclerosis, needs hospitalization for 6-8 weeks twice every year. She wonders if the pain is worth it and through metaphors and the books she reads finds an answer. Read her reflections from the hospital bed. I am sure you have heard that when life throws lemons at you, make lemonade. Since there were too many lemons that we couldn’t consume, I started making delicious pickles. These lemons made several scratches on my glass house (…

A heart-stirring account by Kunal Mahajan as he watches his mother-in-law, Rohini Waikar, 52, affected by Multiple Sclerosis, gradually lose her ability to walk, talk, read, remember and a bit of her life every day. Every morning, she loses her life, one ounce at a time. She has already lost her ability to walk, talk and read. In the next two years, she will lose her ability to eat, taste, and see. Eventually, time will peel away every layer of life, reducing her living to a mere existence.…