It is possible for multiple sclerosis patients to lead normal lives, discovers SUSHMA VEERA.ALTHOUGH she had heard of the idiom, don’t judge a book by its cover, Nazatul Aqmar Nazri never gave it much thought until two years ago.
Nazatul, who worked as a chef in Bahrain at the time, felt a numbness on her left side while waiting in a queue to order her food.
She felt dizzy. Her gait was unsteady and her vision was blurring. The police, who did not know that she was suffering from multiple sclerosis, almost arrested the 25-year-old for drunk and disorderly behaviour. “Although I wasn’t locked up, I was traumatised by having to wait six hours before a policewoman attended to me,” says Nazatul.
She was allowed to go home only after a breathalyzer test showed negative for alcohol.
“Each time I recall the incident, I remember the phrase that I learnt in school. If you see someone acting in a strange way, do not judge that person immediately. They could be ill.” Nazatul first suffered from symptoms of multiple sclerosis when she was 14. However, she only underwent tests when she was in Bahrain. “I was admitted and diagnosed with the disease,” she says.
Farah Diana Mohd Amin has also been suffering from multiple sclerosis since her teenage years. “I feel weak and I tire easily. If I walk too much, my legs become swollen,” says Farah, who runs an online boutique.
The attacks became more frequent after her first child was born. She used to get one attack a year but it escalated to four.
“At first I was upset over my condition but I have now accepted it. But my heart breaks each time my 19-month-old son cries. I can only sit and watch. I am afraid to carry him for fear that my hands will become numb and I will drop him,” says Farah, 25. “I will only pick him up if my husband is beside me.” According to consultant neurologist Dr Joyce Pauline Joseph, multiple sclerosis affects the central nervous system, causing the body’s immune system to destroy a substance called myelin.
“Myelin serves as a nerve insulator and helps the transmission of nerve signals. When myelin is damaged, communication between the brain and other parts of the body is interrupted.” Dr Joyce says early symptoms of myelin breakdown include fatigue, dimness of vision, forgetfulness or difficulty concentrating, weakness in the legs, numbness or tingling in the face, arms and legs as well as numbness in the chest and abdomen.
“The symptoms vary widely, depending on the location of affected nerve fibres,” she says, adding that the cause of the disease is unknown.
Dr Joyce was speaking at the recent launch of the A Wake Of Hope campaign organised by the Multiple Sclerosis Society Malaysia. The five-week campaign is aimed at creating awareness of the disease. Also present at the launch was consultant neurologist Dr Shanti Viswanathan who advised patients to consult their doctors regularly and to update themselves on the disease.
“It usually affects those aged 20-40. Women are twice as likely to develop it as men,” she says.
According to Dr Joyce, the disease is common among Caucasians and those living in the Northern or Southern latitudes.
“These people are less exposed to sunlight, which increases the probability of having the disease. There seems to be a link between multiple sclerosis and Vitamin D metabolism.” Both doctors say there is a need to dispel the misconception that multiple sclerosis only happens in Western countries.
“Many think we are not susceptible to the disease, not realising that there are 500-600 multiple sclerosis patients here.
“Diagnosis is often done through blood tests, spinal tap (lumbar puncture), visual tests or Magnetic Resonance Imaging which will show white spots on a patient’s brain and spine,” says Dr Joyce.
There is no cure for multiple sclerosis. Besides oral drugs and steroids, treatment typically focuses on strategies to treat symptoms, which can slow the progression of the disease. “Although it is a life changing disease, with proper treatment and support, patients can lead a normal life,” adds Dr Joyce.
Main symptoms
* Numbness or weakness in one or more limbs, which typically occurs on one side of the body or the bottom half of the body
* Partial or complete loss of vision, usually in one eye at a time, often with pain during eye movement (optic neuritis)
* Double vision or blurring of vision
* Tingling or pain in parts of your body
* Electric-shock sensations that occur with certain head movements
* Tremor, lack of coordination or unsteady gait
* Fatigue l Dizziness
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