Known personalities that suffer from Multiple Sclerosis, exploring symptoms, & options for addressing MS.
Do you have Multiple Sclerosis (MS)?
So does a popular Sopranos actress, a well-known country musician, a politician’s wife and others you may recognize….
In our past blogs, we have brought attention to celebrities who have certain conditions to let you know that there are people out there with power and influence who are raising money for a disease that you or a loved one may have.
- Lady Gaga (Fibromyalgia)
- Venus Williams (Sjogren’s Syndrome)
When celebrities go public with their disease, it can sometimes help others patients accept and cope with the symptoms of their disease. Jack Osbourne, son of famous rock star Ozzy Osbourne says of his MS diagnosis, “I felt a weird obligation,” says Osbourne. “I’m in the public eye, and I thought it would really benefit people” if multiple sclerosis were talked about a bit more.
Known Celebrities and Athletes With MS
Jamie-Lynn Sigler
Meadow from The Sopranos, Sigler was diagnosed with MS in 2001 when she was 20, but was worried it would affect her career so she stayed quiet about it until early 2016.
She wants to help MS sufferers by sharing her personal experiences using the hashtag #RemainMySelf. “I want to be somebody who says, ‘I get it, I feel you, I hear you, I go through what you go through and I understand.’”
Selma Blair
Actress Selma Blair announced her MS diagnosis in an Instagram post. She wrote, “I am disabled. I fall sometimes. I drop things. My memory is foggy. And my left side is asking for directions from a broken GPS. But we are doing it. And I laugh and I don’t know exactly what I will do precisely but I will do my best.” A goal of hers is to give hope to others.
Clay Walker
MS struck country music star Clay Walker in his mid-20s. At first he couldn’t hold a guitar pick in his right hand or stand. Treatments helped Walker regain use of his right hand and leg — and forge ahead with an active career and a new passion for volunteer work. In more than 15 years since his diagnosis, Walker has worked tirelessly to raise awareness about multiple sclerosis.
Jack Osbourne
Although Osbourne is doing well physically, he is not immune to the anxiety that often accompanies living with MS. “A lot of the challenge of living with MS is fear, the mental health aspect of it — worrying if a symptom is being caused by MS,” he says.
Osbourne adds, “The most commonly shared symptom of MS is depression; that is the through line of most people living with the disease. It’s the least sexy thing to get spoken about with regard to MS, but in my experience, it’s probably the most important.”
Linda Elsegood, Founder of the LDN Research Trust
Finally, the Founder of the LDN Research Trust, Linda Elsegood, has a truly remarkable story of her own. Her illness and life changing experience with LDN led her to create the LDN Research Trust. Read her story
At Town & Country Compounding we do the best to work with the patient and the practitioner to offer other options for patients.
Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease of the brain and spinal cord in which the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues (an autoimmune disease) that affects more than 400,000 Americans. With MS, the immune systems mistakes the protective covering on the nerve fibers (myelin sheath) as a foreign invader and therefore attacks it. An over-active immune response and inflammation leads to lesions in the brain and spinal cord.
Common Symptoms of MS: numbness, pain, tingling, vision problems, the feeling of brain “fogginess,” spasticity and tightness, imbalance, extreme fatigue, depression and numbness or tingling in the extremities, among other issues. Some patients may develop problems walking and my need assistance.
MS can also frequently cause forgetfulness or difficulty concentrating as well as problems with bladder and bowel functions (More Information). The changes that MS brings can be life-altering, affecting both quality of life and relationships with others.
There is a different kind of hope for patients with Low Dose Naltrexone. Town and Country can help with any questions you may have or talk to your doctor.
Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) Titration Kit Using Oral Capsules
The titration kit enables a patient to start their low dose naltrexone therapy and slowly ease into the dose that is appropriate for them.
The kit contains a combination of 0.5mg (Green Vial) and 1.5mg (Amber Vial) capsules allowing the patient to start at a dose of 1.5mg and increase their dosage weekly by 0.5mg until they reach their personal effective dose typically somewhere between 3mg to 4.5mg. We can communicate during the titration period with the patient and physician as needed to help determine the maintenance dose that is right for the patient.
When smaller doses such as microgram dosing is necessary, sometimes a liquid dosage form is desirable for easier titration for the doctor and patient. However, customized microgram strength capsules are also available.
Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) FAQ
It’s important to ask questions when researching medications, especially when it comes to pain relief. Many individuals looking for alternatives to addictive opioids have found Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) can be the solution. Town & Country Compounding’s John Herr, RPh., has become a national expert by studying and connecting with global experts in LDN, and has helped a vast amount of patients get through chronic pain. Contact Town & Country Compounding to get more info.
Up the Creek with a Paddle: Beat MS and Many Autoimmune Disorders with Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) 1st Edition
After years of battling with the onslaught of her husband’s Multiple Sclerosis, Mary found a doctor in New York City, Dr. Bernard Bihari. People were claiming that Dr. Bihari knew how to stop every type of MS from progressing and could also help patients with various autoimmune disorders by using LDN. LDN worked for Mary’s husband’s MS and also for her uncle’s Parkinson’s. They felt it stopped the disease from progressing. Interesting book!
Check out the book here!
Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) and Multiple
Sclerosis (MS)
Can naltrexone help with multiple sclerosis (MS)? Read about it here.
Check out the Town & Country Compounding’s titration kit to help allow yourself or you patient to find the most appropriate dose. Our pharmacists have much experience in helping patients get started and with adjusting doses.
Low-dose naltrexone may cause the body increase endorphin production over time.. They natural endorphins can help reduce pain.
Naltrexone may work for MS because endorphins help reduce inflammation which leads to lesions and it is proposed that that may be an underlying cause of MS symptoms.
