Weight changes are common with multiple sclerosis (MS). The number on your scale might go up or down, depending on things like fatigue, depression, or medicine you take. But there are tips to try that can help keep your weight on an even keel.
Symptoms such as fatigue, spasticity, depression, and anxiety often intertwine to contribute to weight gain. People who are tired or can't move easily may become more sedentary and may consume more calories than they burn off, says Costello.
You might find you lose weight because of the way MS affects you. For example, problems with posture, swallowing, fatigue and tremor can all make shopping for, preparing or eating food more difficult. And your appetite can also be affected by stress, anxiety and depression, as well as certain drug treatments.
Obesity and MS risk
Researchers have identified a handful of genes associated with obesity that are also associated with MS. This means that if you are genetically more likely to become obese, you are also more susceptible to MS.
MS patients are also characterized by other defects in lipid metabolism. A lipidomic analysis of CD4+ lymphocytes from MS patients identified altered phospholipids and elevated cardiolipins, potentially reflecting mitochondrial dysfunction (91).
MS can have debilitating effects, such as paralysis, blindness, impaired thinking and loss of bladder and bowel control. That's because scar tissue forms around the nerve fibers, preventing them from sending electrical impulses to and from your brain.
The most prevalent chronic digestive symptom in those with MS is constipation, affecting about half of those with MS. Individuals who experience constipation have infrequent bowel movements that are difficult to pass, and often accompanied by significant bowel pain and bloating.
Swollen feet and ankles are common in MS, and are caused by an accumulation of lymphatic fluid (lymphedema). They are considered to be a secondary symptom of the disease, because they most often develop due to a lack of mobility instead of arising as a direct result of demyelination.
Fatigue. Feeling fatigued is one of the most common and troublesome symptoms of MS. It's often described as an overwhelming sense of exhaustion that means it can be a struggle to carry out even the simplest activities.
While there are no definitive blood tests for diagnosing MS, they can rule out other conditions that may mimic MS symptoms, including Lyme disease, collagen-vascular diseases, rare hereditary disorders, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Research summary. People who have MS sometimes have swollen legs. This leg swelling can occur for a number of reasons, particularly if it has become difficult to walk. In these circumstances, excess water may build up in the tissues and cause the legs to become swollen.
Existing evidence indicates that nutrition and diet may play a role in MS pathogenesis and course. These factors may affect gut microbiota function, enzyme activity, and risk factors of vascular pathology in MS patients.
Many people with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience gastroparesis, a feeling of fullness, nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain shortly after consuming food. Women are more likely to develop gastroparesis than men.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the central nervous system that can affect the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves.
While facial drooping is often a sign of other disorders such as Bell's palsy, Lyme disease, or even stroke, it may be an early sign of MS. No matter what is causing the facial paralysis, you should get immediate medical help to address the problem.
A common visual symptom of MS is optic neuritis — inflammation of the optic (vision) nerve. Optic neuritis usually occurs in one eye and may cause aching pain with eye movement, blurred vision, dim vision or loss of color vision.
The study found that people with MS lived to be 75.9 years old, on average, compared to 83.4 years old for those without. That 7.5-year difference is similar to what other researchers have found recently.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) appears in the NDIS List B disabilities. These are permanent conditions where the functioning capabilities of the person diagnosed are variable.
How long can MS go undiagnosed? MS is usually diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, but it can go undetected for years. In fact, a 2021 study suggested that many people with MS experience disease symptoms several years before being officially diagnosed with the disease.
“MS affects the central nervous system, meaning the brain and the spinal cord, but it does not cause hair loss,” says Asaff Harel, M.D., director of the Comprehensive Multiple Sclerosis Center at Northwell Health and assistant professor of neurology at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/ ...
MS fatigue is very different from the feeling of being tired or exhausted that people without MS may experience following heavy exercise or a busy day at work. It involves a sudden loss of energy and not being able to continue an activity.