What is NMO?

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO), also known as Devic's disease, is an autoimmune, inflammatory disorder in which a person's own immune system attacks the optic nerves and spinal cord. This produces an inflammation of the optic nerve (optic neuritis) and the spinal cord (myelitis).

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What is it like to have NMO?

Common Symptoms Patients' Latest Severity My Current Severity  
Severity
Severe
Moderate
Mild
None
Bladder problems None Mild Moderate Severe
Bowel problems None Mild Moderate Severe
Brain fog None Mild Moderate Severe
Emotional lability None Mild Moderate Severe
Excessive daytime sleepiness (somnolence) None Mild Moderate Severe
Mood swings None Mild Moderate Severe
Sexual dysfunction None Mild Moderate Severe
Stiffness/Spasticity None Mild Moderate Severe

What do patients take to treat NMO and its symptoms?

Commonly prescribed and frequently used treatments

Treatment name Efficacy Overall rating of side effects # of Evaluations
Rituximab
(Rituxan, Mabthera)
13
Mycophenolate
(CellCept)
12
Azathioprine
(Imurek, Azasan, Azapress, Imurel)
12
7
Prednisone
(Encorton, Deltasone, Pronizon)
6
Methylprednisolone
(Urbason solubile, Methylprednisolon AL, Advantan, Medrol DosePak)
5

These charts show data from NMO patients' latest treatment evaluations

Who has NMO at PatientsLikeMe?

<20 20-29 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70+
Current Age
Distribution of females vs. males
Gender
76% Females
24% Males
Age at first symptom
Age at first symptom # of patients Proportion
0-19 yrs 11
20-29 yrs 31
30-39 yrs 56
40-49 yrs 40
50-59 yrs 21
60-69 yrs 3
70+ yrs 2
Types
Condition Types # of patients Proportion
Asian Optic-Spinal MS 2
Monophasic NMO 5
NMO Spectrum Disorder 11
Relapsing NMO 52
Diagnosis status
Diagnosis status # of patients Proportion
Diagnosed 162
Not Officially Diagnosed 32

These charts show data from NMO patients who have completed their condition history