Multiple Sclerosis Vlog: Treat MS Relapse During COVID19?

Would you treat an MS relapse during a global viral pandemic? Would you treat an MS flare up during COVID19? To learn what happened in clinic this past week, start watching right now!

The Boster Center for Multiple Sclerosis accepts all major insurance carriers and accepts consults from around the globe, both in office and via telemedicine. www.BosterMS.com or call 614-304-3444 to schedule!
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COMMENT with your thoughts and questions below! I look forward to reading and responding!

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NOTE: Make sure to talk to your provider before ANY treatment decision. We hope to educate, empower and energize those impacted by Multiple Sclerosis. This channel consists of a collection of formal lectures and informal video clips about MS to help education others. These videos do not provide medical advice and are for informational/educational purposes only. The videos are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen in any of our videos. They are just to help educate you about the condition guys!

[akcreamhorn]

Fascinating. Thank you for sharing patient experience. And running through your medical responses made with patient.

[louiseaugust]

Sounds like me right now. I'm having very bad cramps on one side of my body and sometimes both sides at the same time. I cannot do anything... It's very painful and it happens every 5 to 15 minutes. My neurologist doesn't do anything to help. Any other medication I get from my family doctor are not working. My MS Relapse started at about the same time as the COVID-19 crisis. (For the info, I live in The Netherlands)
So I'm glad that this young woman gets the attention that she receives.

[hackett]

Fantastic! Unfortunately, I do not have a doctor like you to work with. Not accessible, or up to speed on therapies.
You’re incredible and the videos so educational. 🙏

[sheridanrose]

Thanks for the report Doc! I have my fifth Ocrevus infusion on Friday May 8. I’m 65 and in pretty good health overall. I haven’t been sick or had a cold in approximately 35-40 years. My 10 day colds always turned into sinus infection for 2 months! Been a long time so maybe I’m playing the odds! 🤷🏻‍♂️Great numbers from annual complete blood tests. It’s a 400 mile RT and a14-15 hour day. I’m more worried about going into the “Big City” (Portland Oregon) and all the possibilities of contact. It’s a long trip/day! At least 8-12 restroom stopes. A lot of disinfectant sprays throughout the day. I refuse to give up on life no matter how challenging it is!

[leewaken]

I'm just really concerned about this young woman. Hope she gets positive results with the new direction. Thank you for treating her at a time like this. Maybe Dr. you can let us know how she responds to the meds in an upcoming video. Let's stay "healthy" everyone.

[DrBrandonBeaber]

Very nice video, especially the sound effects to conceal information. One idea I had was to do a video of me responding to an acute stroke via telestroke but bleeping out all the data/sound from the other side of the call and the identifying information. I'm not sure this is kosher, but I could release it several months later to avoid any chance of the revealing the person's identity.

[lw]

It is helpful to hear how you treat your patients for different problems. Seeing all the info you give in your videos put to action! Thanks and have a good day🙂🙋‍♀️

[roberture]

Thankyou for this video. It really hits home and Iwish the best for this lady, her husband and you. These are challenging times we are living in now. I know you will get this lady feeling better.

[natashapatterson]

Thanks Aaron, I recently had the same situation, also went with high dose steroids but IV. Just wondering what is the rough time frame for your immune system to recover from corticosteroid treatment? Thanks.

[nicolesaylor]

I am starting Gylenia asap. I have my eye doctor appointment. I am leaving my house today for the last time for awhile. I am curious about how long I should be staying in the house for after I start my medicine? And should I plan on wearing a mask and gloves for the long term? I have decided to make this my last day out because i figure that since my eye appointment is the 15 that if I am exposed i would know before I start Gylenia. I have been taking precautions like wearing a mask and gloves when I go to the store.

[crystalline]

How soon after the initial signs of a relapse should you ideally get treated?

[mariatuppergoebel]

Thank you for sharing that example. I'm in a similar situation but symptoms are not unbearable so doc and I decided no treatment with steroids at this time. I really appreciate your videos and have been back and forth on idea of switching neurologist and think I will call your clinic and see if you are taking new patients and if you would treat, me, who is out of state using telemedicine. I will continue with my current neurologist but would like a second option on my current status after living with MS for approximately 28 years from a doctor who specializes in MS. Again thank you for all the educational videos you share with the world to better inform. For me knowledge is absolutely power. I am going to contact your clinic in case you don't have chance to respond to me here. :)

[cindya]

Hi Dr Boster! thank you for the video - it’s very helpful content. One observation. I noticed you didn’t mention having an MRI done. Is that because of the pandemic, or another reason?

[beverly]

I realize I’m a bit late in seeing This video, but it hits so close to home that it’s a bit of believable. I am the woman that was always asking about Rituximab. I was on it, and I was not happy. I repeatedly got infections I just didn’t feel good.. I kind of dropped off the map after a pretty severe relapse in May 2019, That essentially took away my ability to walk. Thanks to watching your videos, I insisted on Nuero rehab, And I was making progress, but I just kept getting sick, which interfered with the whole process. I had enough PT to work on at Home, And we mutually decided that I would continue working at home until I’d goals we had set, and was ready for more. At home I wasn’t making much progress, continued to be sick over and over again, And even considered stopping that DMT. But I went ahead with The next infusion because I want to be on the highest tier DMT possible. Life went on, Except I started getting opportunistic infections, and was on many courses of antibiotics. In early January, this year, I had another relapse. It was so bizarre. It felt as if someone had injected my thighs with helium it felt they were moving up and down. I put my hands on my thighs and they were right on the chair where they should’ve been. I take my hands off and they would feel like they were floating up and down in the air. I thought it was just rather funny and my MS was acting up. My husband came in the house that I started telling him about it, and he immediately noted that I was severely slurring my speech. I immediately called our emergency triage system and they had me do a delightful 911 (delightfully sarcasm LOL) The paramedics showed up with a chair Gurney that you had to lift your legs up to get your feet on the step To get up onto the chair. The only problem was was that I could not lift either leg high enough to put my foot on the step. It was just one of those indignities of having MS. I got to stay in the hospital for three days to rule out stroke. It was a good thing that I have been working on all that Nuero rehab, Because I had been doing the exercises with both legs. This exacerbation affected the Other side of my body, in a very similar manner to the earlier exacerbation. It was a much easier process To be able to walk again; it helped that I trusted that the muscles would still hold me up from all that PT! It is time for DMT change, so I started Gilenya. Unfortunately, my body over reacted to that as well and my white blood cell count plummeted what is that

[jenniferpacker]

Can you please do a video on pseudobulbar affect

[NasaArt]

This pandemic has GOTTA end soon. I’m going through an attack now effecting my eyes and I had an MRI 2 weeks ago and my MS clinic isn’t picking up or calling me back which is soooo unlike them. 🙃

[chrisc]

Dr. Boster, Is the amount of time you are delaying starting a new DMT dictated by the current DMT this patient is currently taking. Or are you wanting to stop the patient’s current flare up before starting a new DMT.

[beverly]

Ha my comment was so long, I didn’t get to finish it. So my WBC was very low. I was told to stay at home before California shut down. My allergist/immunologist Got involved, because my immunoglobulin levels were all way below normal, I couldn’t make antibodies, and I was Again told to stay home, No visitors. It’s all probably a blessing In Disguise as I wasn’t exposed to the community spread that’s been going on. I have gone in to clinic once a month to have my port cleared. That’s considered essential apparently, and I was told to go with my N 95 mask (i’m asthmatic, we are in high fire risk area, I had 10 already and emergency supplies) And goggles. Most departments are still essentially shut down, So the exposure risk is limited. It’s pretty scary to go in though.... but it’s my once a month field trip LOL. The DMT switch was wonderful. I take My new DMT every other day, and my WBC is rising as well as my immunoglobulin levels. I’ll be tested again next month, and hopefully will have recovered enough to be able to make antibodies again. But it looks like I’ll be at home for the long-haul. That’s OK. Even though I have not had a complete recovery neurologically, I’m still working on it and getting better. Getting off the Rituximab was the key for me. Life is good, even in the middle of this crazy pandemic. I used to be a teacher, With a regular and a science credential. Unfortunately, the lack of science education and understanding in the American public is coming home to roost As as We are seeing incredible rise in cases of the virus, hospital and ICU Admissions as people have ignored public health you so much for your informative videos, and your positive Support Of MS patients. All over the world! Stay safe! Someone should write a book...MS in the Covid-19 Pandemic!

[rickjillson]

I have a question about the idea of a cytokine storm taking place with some COVID-19 sufferers and how similar this might be to what happens in MS. In others words, does this cytokine connection make MS sufferers more likely to have an immune system overreaction if they contract COVID-19? I realize it’s off the topic of this video but thought perhaps It could be part of a future video. I think a lot of MS sufferers are trying to figure out whether the fact that their immune system goes haywire with MS makes it more likely the same would happen with COVID-19. Thanks.

[bakingandpreserving]

I m in the same situation but I'm a diabetic so I can't take steroids I'm in severe pain to in my back I'm thinking about going to the emergency department so I can get relief