What is MS (Multiple Sclerosis)?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by destruction of myelin in the central nervous system. MS symptoms may include visual loss, extra-ocular movement disorders, paresthesias, loss of sensation, weakness, dysarthria, spasticity, ataxia, and bladder dysfunction.
What is it like to have MS?
| Common symptoms | How bad it is | What people are taking for it |
|---|---|---|
|
||
| Brain fog | Modafinil, Donepezil, Ginkgo Biloba | |
| Excessive daytime sleepiness (somnolence) | Naps, Armodafinil, Modafinil | |
| Fatigue | Amantadine, Handicap/Disability Parking Permit, Modafinil | |
| Stiffness/Spasticity | Tizanidine, Walking Stick/Cane, Baclofen | |
| Bladder problems | Oxybutynin, Tolterodine, Solifenacin | |
| Pain | Gabapentin, Ibuprofen, Hydrocodone-Acetaminophen | |
| Depressed mood | Duloxetine, Bupropion, Fluoxetine | |
| Mood swings | Fluoxetine, Escitalopram, Lamotrigine | |
| Bowel problems | Polyethylene Glycol 3350, Stool Softener, Fiber supplement | |
| Insomnia | Amitriptyline, Zolpidem, Trazodone | |
| Emotional lability | Listen to Music, Sertraline, Citalopram | |
| Anxious mood | Alprazolam, Clonazepam, Lorazepam | |
| Sexual dysfunction | Sildenafil, Tadalafil, Vardenafil | |
What do patients take to treat MS and its symptoms?
| Treatments reported by members | Perceived effectiveness | Overall rating of side effects | # of Evaluations |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Glatiramer acetate
(Copaxone)
|
1494 | ||
|
Interferon beta-1a IM Injection
(Avonex Pen, Avonex Prefilled Syringe, Avonex)
|
850 | ||
| 774 | |||
|
Natalizumab
(Tysabri, Antegren)
|
580 | ||
|
Interferon beta-1b SubQ Injection
(Extavia, Betaseron, Betaferon, Uribeta)
|
426 | ||
|
Baclofen
(DOM-Baclofen, Stelax, Mylan Baclofen, Spinax)
|
201 | ||
|
Methylprednisolone
(Wockhardt Methylprednisolone, Medrol DosePak, Medrol, Advantan)
|
175 | ||
|
Naltrexone
(ReVia, Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN))
|
172 | ||
| 163 | |||
|
Fingolimod
(Gilenya)
|
138 | ||
|
Modafinil
(Modavigil, Provigil, Modiodal, Alertec)
|
102 | ||
|
Prednisone
(Pulmison, Prednisone Intensol, Encorton, Deltasone)
|
76 | ||
|
Vitamin D
(Twin Labs Vitamin D, Country Life Vitamin D, Biocare Vitamin D, Vitacost Vitamin D)
|
65 | ||
|
Mitoxantrone
(Novantrone)
|
57 | ||
| 51 |
These charts show data from MS patients' latest treatment evaluations
Who has MS at PatientsLikeMe?
- 31,471 patients have this condition
- 240 New patients joined this month
- 30,933 say MS is their primary condition
| <20 | 20s | 30s | 40s | 50s | 60s | 70+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current Age | ||||||
| Gender | |
| 80% | Females |
|---|---|
| 20% | Males |
| Age at first symptom | # of patients | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| 0-19 years | 1,924 | |
| 20-29 years | 6,684 | |
| 30-39 years | 6,973 | |
| 40-49 years | 4,128 | |
| 50-59 years | 988 | |
| 60-69 years | 71 | |
| 70+ years | 9 |
| Condition Types | # of patients | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Progressive | 1,768 | |
| Progressive Relapsing | 807 | |
| Relapsing-Remitting | 17,173 | |
| Secondary Progressive | 2,835 |
| Diagnosis status | # of patients | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Not Diagnosed | 977 | |
| Diagnosed | 23,206 |
These charts show data from MS patients who have completed their condition history
Updating results…