What the Heck is Inactive MS? (The MRI Part 4)

If you’ve been following the MRI series, you will know that Doomandgloom described the state of my MS as being “inactive,” after looking at the results of my MRI scan three months ago. It means pretty much what it sounds like: my disease hasn’t been active for a while.

For the benefit of my readers who don’t have MS, here’s a brief explanation. I have/had Relapsing Remitting, the most common type. Attacks or flareups come and go, during which a certain body part doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to. It can affect your left arm, your legs, your bladder, your speech. Pretty much the sky’s the limit. The attack lasts a certain amount of time – in my case it was about six weeks – and then it ends. Afterwards, the part can return to normal functioning, or there can be some residual damage. I usually got about 90% back.

Here’s my attack history: 1996, legs; October 1997, diagnosis; November 1997, left arm; May 1998, eye muscles; June 2010, hands. Ten years before I was diagnosed, way back in 1987, I had a six-week period of unexplained dizziness, that I now think was probably my very first one.

Most people with RRMS transition to Secondary Progressive, when new symptoms develop steadily but there’s no remission. In my case, it’s inactive because there’s no change on my MRI compared to the last one in 2011. No new symptoms. And that’s a good thing. The beast inside me is asleep, for now. Let’s hope it stays that way. When Doomandgloom confirmed what I had suspected for the last nine years, I allowed myself to do a small, mental happy dance. I didn’t want to celebrate too big and jinx myself.

Unfortunately, my existing symptoms will continue to get worse. I could be passive about it and let the process unfold naturally. It will happen no matter what I do. But, that’s not my style. There’s a fitness room here as well as several physiotherapists. I “work out” with weights and thera-bands twice a week to use my body parts that still function: my guns and my torso. My left arm and side are weaker than the right. (I tend to lean to the left politically, so I guess it’s a weird kind of symmetry.) I quite enjoy the precious few little endorphins my workouts generate. It makes me feel like less of a sitting duck.

MS is a sneaky, shape-shifter of a disease. It manifests differently in everyone. Is it inactive because of something I do, or is it just dumb luck? All I know is, since my last flareup 11 years ago, I’ve been taking omega 3-6-9 fatty acid supplements for their anti-inflammatory benefits. I also take about 2000 IUs of vitamin D every day. My “progression” has been slow. I have continued to work out to the fullest extent possible. My range of motion is still good because of working out and because of passive stretching.