Kristin woke up the morning of her 19th birthday with a startling realization: she was unable to speak. It was hard to describe the feeling, but when she tried to greet anyone, she just couldn’t put the sentence together. Kristin had big plans that day to meet up with a friend and go to Disneyland. Her mother became concerned and took her to the ER, and a CAT scan revealed an abnormality in her brain. Not long after, an MRI scan caused her neurologist to diagnose her with multiple sclerosis.

About Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disease which is characterized by damage to the myelin sheath, a fatty, insulating, protective covering that surrounds nerve cells and allows them to communicate effectively. Although a precise cause has not been determined, multiple sclerosis is considered an autoimmune disease, in which a certain trigger, such as an infection, may cause the immune system to mistakenly attack healthy tissue. Smoking and certain genetic variants are also considered risk factors for the disease. Symptoms include blurred vision, double vision, blindness in one eye, numbness, abnormal sensations, pain, muscle weakness, muscle spasms, difficulty speaking and swallowing, mood instability, depression, loss of coordination, and fatigue. There are a number of treatments available for the disease, but no cure. Life expectancy for patients is slightly reduced. To learn more about multiple sclerosis, click here.

Kristin’s Story

Kristin noticed a strange sensation she dubbed ‘zingers’ if she tried to tuck her chin to her chest. He handwriting took a turn for the worse as well. Needless to say, this was not the birthday experience that Kristin had been imagining. More than a decade ago, there were no oral medicines for MS, so she had to start therapy three times per week. Kristin had some hesitancy about using this treatment:

“Whenever I took it, I got the red welt at the injection site and I felt like I was making myself sick.”

After experiencing a relapse with this medication and with another type afterwards, Kristin was ready to give up on modern treatments and tried to treat multiple sclerosis with alternative medicines instead. She lived this way for eight years. After having her son, she suffered a severe relapse that left her unable to move from the waist down.

A two week stay in the hospital allowed Kristin to regain her movement. By then, there was an oral medication for the relapsing-remitting form of the disease, and after the severe relapse she was ready to give it a try. She would later be diagnosed with thyroid cancer that would require surgery, and Kristin had another relapse soon after. Now, she takes medication for both her thyroid and for multiple sclerosis. Her new treatment for multiple sclerosis is Kesimpta, the first and only monthly self-administered B-cell therapy for her relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS).

Kristin has continued to use non-Western approaches as part of her treatment alongside her RMS medication. She has used acupuncture, Chinese herbal tonics, and vitamin supplements.

Jacqueline Nicholas, MD, MPH, System Chief Neuroimmunology & MS, OhioHealth MS Center, Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, says that Kristin’s ‘zingers’ are actually a classic early symptom of the disease and are known in the scientific community as Lhermitte’s sign. Symptoms for the disease can appear very suddenly, often taking patients totally by surprise.

The injectable therapies that were first introduced in the 1990s can work well for some patients and have come a long way since their therapeutic introduction. In Dr. Nicholas’ view, Kristin took a significant risk being off treatment for eight years, as patients will continue to see disease progression without it. This can take place even during a period of symptom remission. Dr. Nicholas says that holistic approaches like acupuncture can be critical for improving quality of life, but she says that they should be safe and work in combination with oral or injection treatments.

The latest treatments can halt the progression of brain lesions, and the goal of treatment is to eliminate signs of disease activity. Many of the latest approaches can be taken less frequently as well.

“I am a problem solver and since I was diagnosed my goal has been to find a cure. I’ve been very persistent in trying to make myself feel better, get all the information, and make a plan. Just keep fighting and stay positive.” -Kristin