Questions about how multiple sclerosis may affect daily living

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Questions about how multiple sclerosis may affect daily living

Finding out that you have multiple sclerosis (MS) can be frightening. Even if you know a lot about MS, it is hard to predict how the disease will affect you. Some questions you might ask include the following:

• Will I have to use a wheelchair? About 25% of people with MS need a wheelchair within 25 years of their diagnosis.
• How will my MS develop? Some people will have wide fluctuations in symptoms and a modest degree of disability; a small number will have a mild disability that gradually disappears; some will become incapacitated. A handful of people report that they have such subtle symptoms, they are hardly bothered by the disease.
• Can I have children? MS usually does not affect your ability to have children, although it can cause some problems with sexual function. New mothers are at increased risk for relapses 3 to 6 months after delivery, which can pose problems in caring for the newborn. Pregnancy does not affect the long-term outcome of the disease.
• Will I lose my mind and be unable to think? Cognitive impairment (changes in thinking ability) may appear after many years, although you may sense subtle changes early on. Depression may accompany MS but can usually be treated with medications and counseling. It is impossible to predict whether mental changes will occur.

Credits

Last updated:	March 23, 2006
Author:	Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Barrie J. Hurwitz, MD - Neurology
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman