Can You Live With MS Without Medication?

Some people with MS do not require any medication. Their condition does not progress as rapidly as in other people and they do well without taking any medication. Once your condition is diagnosed, the two options that you have are either start medicine immediately after the diagnosis is made or wait for some time and see how the disease progresses.

However, while making either of these decisions, some points are to be kept in mind-

Your healthcare advisor may recommend starting medicines right after the diagnosis is made. This is because, even in the early stages of MS some really serious and long-lasting damages can affect the nervous system

Some people prefer to stay without medicines. This is because they want to see whether their condition worsens or stays stable without taking medication. Instead of medication, many people want to try other therapies like physical therapy, occupational therapy etc. these therapies can help in managing the symptoms.

Even after the diagnosis is made for MS, it is not possible to tell what course of development the disease will take over a period of time. Doctors cannot say for sure if your condition will improve, stay stable or worsen over time. Some people do not show very severe symptoms and do not need any medication. They still do just fine without any treatment. However, for some others, the condition may worsen over a period of time

Medicines can help in reducing the severity of MS episodes. They may also be helpful in managing the symptoms. Medicines may also help in decreasing the frequency of attacks. Medicines can also help reduce the degree of disability. However, medicines do not necessarily work for everyone. Also, there is no way to say whether medicines will work for you.

Medicines may have certain side effects as well. Though, this is again not the same for everyone. Many won’t show any side effects at all. The side effects may range from headaches, hot flushes, infections, chest pain etc. some medicines can cause a damage to the liver or even heart.

Cost is another factor to consider. The medication used in the treatment of MS can be quite costly. This can be a deciding factor for more people than we might think.

Whether to start medication immediately after the diagnosis is made or to wait and see how the disease takes its course, is entirely dependent on you. Most times, people trust their doctors completely and decide to do whatever the doctor thinks would work best for them. However, many choose to wait and watch. But, doctors all over the world usually recommend starting medication as soon as the diagnosis is made. This is beneficial in a number of ways like reducing and managing the symptoms, decreasing the frequency of attacks and also decreasing the duration of the episodes.

The good news with MS is that, though there is no cure for the disease, it is not exactly fatal. Most people diagnosed with MS can live almost as much a long life as other normal people. MS does not progress very rapidly, except in very rare cases. And as there is no cure for the disease, the main focus of the treatment lies on reducing the severity of the symptoms, decreasing the attacks, provide comfort from the symptoms and slow down the progression of the disease.

Whether you can live with MS without medication will be completely dependent on your condition and its severity. Also, it will depend on how the course of your disease goes. It will also differ from person to person and every individual with MS will have a unique experience with or without medication. It is best to consult your health care provider before deciding anything related to starting or stopping of medication or any treatment, whatsoever.

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Can You Live With MS Without Medication?