Narrator: A diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis may be overwhelming to some patients and a relief to others, ending a long period of uncertainty. So, what is MS and where does your journey begin?
Tiffany Curwen: I would suggest that you start with where your doctor starts you.
Tiffany Curwen: Don’t start with multiple sclerosis the broad picture, start with multiple sclerosis your picture, because that’s going to help you to navigate who you are in this disease, and what your situation might be a little bit more closely.
Dr. Douglas Stuart: I recommend to all my newly diagnosed patients that they learn what the disease is.
Dr. Douglas Stuart: Start a process of self-education. Establish a relationship with a very good neurologist who understands multiple sclerosis and has a number of MS patients and then start to learn about the medications that are available to treat the condition.
Richard Cordell: I would advise anybody who even thought that that diagnosis might be MS or a physician has even mentioned that to them that they would research it completely.
Richard Cordell: And know a little bit about what is going on in development of new drugs and treatments and what it means to you, how it can work for you in your life.
Richard Cordell: There’s a high probability of new MS patients today leading a very normal life with some of the drugs and treatments that are available to them today.
Dr. Douglas Stuart: Multiple sclerosis is not going away. This is not a disease that comes and leaves. This is a disease that you will have for the rest of your life.
Dr. Douglas Stuart: And you have to make the best of it. Your glass can be half empty or it can be half full.
Dr. Douglas Stuart: My patients do best when their glass is half full.
If you have that attitude, then you’re going to tolerate some of the downsides of multiple sclerosis and you’re going to do better I think because of that positive energy and that positive attitude.
