Although each individual’s journey with MS can be incredibly varied, there is one common factor experienced by nearly all individuals with MS at some point throughout their journey with the condition: relapse. Relapses are all too common for individuals across varying types of MS, despite common misconceptions. Contrary to the names of the various types of MS, relapses can Continue reading
Meagan Freeman
I am thrilled to join the MSAA organization as a guest blogger, and I would like to introduce myself. My name is Meagan Freeman, and I am a licensed family nurse practitioner, blogger, MS patient and mom of 6 from Northern California.
I was diagnosed with RRMS in 2009, after experiencing dense numbness of my right torso. This was numbness like no other I had felt, like my torso was not even a part of my body. I was in the middle of my Bachelor’s program in Nursing, working as a full time ER nurse, and a mom of 6 at this time. The diagnosis was devastating, and demotivating. Quitting school was something that I thought about almost immediately, and over and over for months. I tried to ignore those demotivating voices in my head. The ones that say, “you should just stop now. What is the point? Take the easy road, forget it.” I was halfway through my Bachelor’s program, should I quit? I was just going to end up in a wheelchair. Bedridden. Nonverbal. Just like my grandmother. What was the use of finishing school? What was the use of doing ANYTHING now? Images of my grandmother raced through my mind. My maternal grandmother was incapacitated in my memory, due to a long battle with progressive MS. These images were terrifying to me, and I pictured myself in that same state.I thought about quitting school many times, but fortunately I continued.
I finished by Bachelor’s degree in 2010, and began my Masters in Nursing/Family Nurse Practitioner program that fall. It was the greatest challenge I had faced since diagnosis, and I would not be allowed to take “short cuts” because of my MS. This was the first time in my life that I realized that my disease would not grant me any free passes. I would have to achieve and complete this program purely on my own, despite any illness.
An important lesson I learned during the 3 years of higher education I pursued as an MS patient was that we are capable of self -defeat. It would be so much easier to quit, right? On those difficult, painful, fatigue ridden days? It is so tempting to give in and take the easy road, and many people succumb to this path. It doesn’t require MS, either; many individuals find any excuse to give up and take the easy road. You must find that voice that encourages rather than discourages. Find that voice that will carry you through those days. Nothing worth doing is ever easy, so make the choice to be the hero of your own story. You have the ability, now you just need the psychological strength.
On my graduation day, in May of 2012, there was light. Spring, warmth, and brightly colored flowers surrounded me like a renewal, out of the cold winter and into the sun. Every detail of that day is frozen in my memory, never to be erased. The smell of the freshly cut grass, the slow march into the ceremony, the smiles. Like a wedding or the birth of a new baby, this was a day that would live in my mind for the rest of my life, though there was a sense of disappointment along with the accomplishment. There was a pre-graduation let down, and I knew that with the completion of this goal, I would need another. Yes, this was a successful endeavor, but what would be next? For now, I could not focus on anything but that moment. This was a day to spend celebrating, laughing, and feeling a sense of pure joy and relief. Why trouble myself with the future today? Today was a day just to be present.
After graduation, I began to practice in a primary care office as a nurse practitioner. I saw many patients during my day, managing chronic illnesses and performing physicals. I experienced the irony of being both a healer as well as a patient, and some days were not easy. I also began to write more frequently, which was always my lifelong passion. I started to blog, and it was incredibly therapeutic to get feelings down on paper. Today, I have the opportunity to blog weekly on my website, and guest blog for several wonderful organizations. I am happy to be able to pursue these things, and with the support of my husband and family, I hope to continue for many years to come.
Being the “hero” of your own story is the theme of most of my writing today, and I encourage every MS patient to think of life as a story that will someday be told. You have the power to make that story whatever you want it to be, so make it incredible, powerful, and positive. Make that story one that will inspire generations to come. You have the power to achieve anything and everything, regardless of a multiple sclerosis diagnosis.
*Meagan Freeman was diagnosed with RRMS in 2009, at the age of 34, in the midst of her graduate education. She is a Family Nurse Practitioner in Northern California, and is raising her 6 children (ranging from 6–17 years of age) with her husband, Wayne. She has been involved in healthcare since the age of 19, working as an Emergency Medical Technician, an Emergency Room RN, and now a Nurse Practitioner. Writing has always been her passion, and she is now able to spend more time blogging and raising MS awareness. She guest blogs for Race to Erase MS, Modern Day MS, and now MSAA. Please visit her at: http://www.motherhoodandmultiplesclerosis.com.
In our September article we shared some of the key findings from The MS in America Study (MSIA), highlighting some of the ways that multiple sclerosis (MS) impacts the everyday lives of those with this condition. In addition to collecting information about the impact of MS, we also asked people with MS to tell us about their treatment, including what they’ve tried, if they were satisfied, and what they are currently taking for their MS. Because oral therapies are relatively new to the treatment armamentarium, we decided to take a closer look at the use of oral therapies for MS in our community.
As one would expect, infusions, interferons, and other injectables are still used by a majority of MS patients. However, results from MSIA, which was completed by more than 5,000 eligible respondents, demonstrated that oral medications for MS are used by nearly one third of patients who have relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), and more than 50% of people using injectables are considering switching to an oral medication!
We asked all survey participants how long they have been on their current therapy, and as one would expect, those who were taking oral medication for RRMS reported being on that treatment for a shorter period of time than those who were on other treatments (like injectables or infusion).
Interestingly, the vast majority (80%) of people who had ever taken an oral therapy for MS reported that they were still taking an oral MS treatment.
We also asked participants several questions about switching therapies. Most of those who reported switching from injectables noted that they did so due to needle fatigue and/or issues of tolerability. Other reasons included seeking better efficacy, convenience, safety, and cost, among others.
Many MSIA participants who had not recently taken an MS treatment reported that they had started anew with an oral medication due to a variety of reasons, including dislike of needles, and disease progression, among others.
Finally, of the MSIA respondents who were still taking injectables to treat their RRMS, nearly half (48%) said they have considered switching to an oral therapy. While much remains unknown about the long-term use of oral therapies for MS, it is clear that oral medications for MS play a critical role in how this condition is treated. For more results from the MSIA special report on oral treatments for MS, click here.
Health Union recently released results from the 2014 MS in America Survey, which included responses from more than 5,000 multiple sclerosis patients. The survey addressed a variety of topics that impact individuals living with MS, including diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, relationships, career, and quality of life.
A special section of this survey focused on the use of oral MS therapies. Historically, prescription treatment of MS has been dominated by injectable and infusion therapies. With the recent introduction of oral prescription drugs for the most common type of MS called relapsing remitting MS (RRMS), this paradigm is shifting towards orals, with nearly a third of RRMS patients reporting using an oral prescription.
Needle fatigue, tolerability, convenience and efficacy are the most cited reasons for people choosing oral therapies and respondents report being more satisfied with oral therapies than injectables. Of those currently taking an injectable, nearly half have considered switching to an oral, signaling a continued shift away from injectable therapies.
Overall, patients taking oral MS medications found their medications to be equally effective as injectable treatments. However, 58% of respondents felt that oral medications offered better tolerability.
More results from the 2014 MS in America survey can be found on MultipleSclerosis.Net, including the special report on oral MS treatments.
The MS in America Study was conducted online in early 2014. The goal of the study was to establish an understanding of the current state of people affected by MS. The survey included a total of 156 questions on a broad range of topics.
A total of 6,202 people started the survey. 5,710 met eligibility requirements, and 5,004 people completed the survey. To qualify for the survey, participants had to be MS patients over 18 years old and a US resident or US citizen living abroad. The study was solely developed and funded by Health Union, LLC which does not manufacture, sell nor market any product to diagnose, prevent or treat MS or any other disease.