Women with MS: Navigating Life With Strength and Resilience

On this week’s episode of The Wellness Conversation, Marcus Thorpe and Lindsey Gordon discussed Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and celebrated the strength, perseverance and achievements of the women living with it.

The hosts spoke with OhioHealth System Chief of Neuroimmunology & Multiple Sclerosis, Jacqueline Nicholas, MD, and Public Health Commissioner, Mysheika Roberts, MD, about treating MS and daily life with the diagnosis.

It’s a well-known fact that MS affects more women than men, but why is that, and when does the risk increase?

“We know that there's a hormonal role here, and we see that when women or girls go through puberty and become women, that that's really where that risk takes off, and there's that higher incidence in females compared to males,” said Dr. Nicholas.

Dr. Roberts experienced her first MS symptom directly after graduating medical school in her 20s.

“I was on call one Sunday morning in the medical ICU, and all of a sudden, as I was finishing rounds with the team, I realized that my vision was blurry and I couldn't really isolate it to one eye versus the other,” explained Dr. Roberts. “They diagnosed me with optic neuritis, which is a common condition for individuals with MS.”

Many patients do not know what to anticipate after their initial diagnosis and are unaware of the options available to them.

“They've made significant strides in treatments for MS. Our first treatment actually came out in the 1990s,” said Dr. Nicholas. “Since that time, treatments have skyrocketed. There are over 25 treatments at this point for Multiple Sclerosis.”

To listen to the full episode, click here.