MS questions

[matrix123]

Hello,
as many others have posted here, I too have fears of MS. Since I don't want to google it, I though it's best to ask the questions here:

1. How common/rare is MS? I read somewhere that it was 1 in 600 which seems too much.

2. Who (age, sex, race, etc) is affected most by MS? I read also somewhere that it affect certain groups more.

3. Since it's feared so much I think it cannot be cured. Be can it be treated?

4. How long does it usually take to go in wheelchair? I read that there are people with MS that are active...

5. Does it affect life expectancy?

Thanx

[Magic]

Matrix,
Best not to google.
No1, Not as rare as you may think.
No2, It can effect any race,and any age,from teens to old age
No3, There are many treatments----- MS cannot be cured
No4, Many people are active
No5, don't know about that A person does not die of MS they die with MS
Does this help?

[matrix123]

Thank you for the reply....

no1 is not good :( I though it was rare...

[AnnieMags]

Dear Matrix, let's suppose it IS 1 in 600 - and that IS rare. If you turn it into percentage, it is an incidence of 0.17% (any mathematicians out there please correct me if I am wrong! :) ) and that proportion might sound a bit less scary, I hope. I used this tactic when my son was having spinal surgery for a herniated disc. The surgeon said there was 1 in a 1000 chance of complications, which to me sounded very high. A quick calculation turned that into 0.1% which sounded much better. (And of course he was fine!) Best wishes from Annie

[matrix123]

I though it was much more rare...because I had never heard of it before...Another reason may be that I thought all people with MS are on wheelchair...and it seems it's not true (I will not google it).

[nomorepanic]

Do you watch Neighbours at all ? The character Susan Kennedy on there has MS and leads a normal life.

Why are you worrying about this can I ask?

[matrix123]

I don't watch it...but you mean the character has MS...not the actress..

If it is possible to have a normal life with MS, why are people so scared about it? From what I have read in the forum it seems that MS = wheelchair and soon end of life...

I'm worried because, as many others here, I have a few symptoms like numbness of arm/fingers, weak arms/legs, tingling, etc (although I have a few other symptoms which I think are not related with MS like palpitations, missed beats, difficulty breathing, etc but the last weeks these are getting better)

[nomorepanic]

Yes the character.

I think you are mis-informed about it to be honest as it does not mean as soon as you get it you are in a wheelchair. It takes many years to progress that far.

All of those are anxiety symptoms as well though - have you read the symptoms page over there on the left on this page.

[matrix123]

Thank you Nicola for the reply...

Probably I'm misinformed of MS, but better this way....if I google the symptoms I know I'll get them....

I know that all my symptoms can be explained by anxiety...but as many of you know...it's difficult to accept it as "just" anxiety.

Currently I'm more worried about the numbness/weakness of my left arm (so MS worries). I get numbness/tingling in other parts of the body, but the left arm is more often. It can last for a few days and disappear for weeks, only to come back again :( (a more logical reason is a pinched nerve, because I sit all day in front of the computer...but I can't get my mind out of MS)

[Magic]

I know several people with MS. one of them is my daughter.
I am in the MS Society.
One person I know has had one bout of MS a few years ago and (touch wood)it has never returned.
Another lady leads a normal life. somedays she uses sticks and other days she does'nt.It differs from day to day.
Everyone who has MS is different.
My daughter has no pain, others do it just depends on the individual.
Take care xl