How long does MS shorten your life?

Question

I know it's not a great or bad disease to have.. but it just happens. My aunt and my boyfriends mom have been diagnosed years ago with it, and he's sad about his moms deteroriating health. She walks w/a cane, she's losing some sight and hearing.. and now she's having lower back pains.

How long have you known ppl to live w/MS?

My aunt is great after living with it for about 10 years. She has a normal everyday life except for those days she has to take her shot.

Answer 1

What we now define as *MS* is a widely-varying range of symptomology, SO diverse that my personal belief is that once we know MORE this category of illness will be subdivided into multiple categories or condition definitions.

It is nice of you to be considerate of those around you and be concerned for their wellbeing. I can understand a degree of fear for their futures, but the best thing you can do is what you are doing here, seek to INFORM yourself to be part of the SOLUTION in their lives, rather than contributing to their problems.

You can find a wide range of MS info HERE

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/multiplesclerosis.html

I highly recommend the National Institutes of Health Info Sheets

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/multiple_sclerosis/multiple_sclerosis.htm

to inform you on the basic factors POSSIBLE with this condition (as noted above, however, the symptomology of the condition varies WIDELY with the individual--and even from one day to another, one hour to another sometimes!).

Regarding walking with a cane: I do it every day. It is interesting, actually, I see other people sometimes and am concerned for THEM, wondering "where IS their CANE?" ;) For me, it is simply a part of life, that specific part of life that gets me AROUND to where I CAN PARTICIPATE in OTHER parts of life! :)

Informing yourself will ease your fears--and make life easier for others as you come to better understand them and not treat them any different from other mere humans, which--after all--is what they ARE, and what they DESERVE to be TREATED LIKE! ;)

Best wishes to you and your loved ones.

Answer 2

It is very variable. It may not shorten life at all.

Answer 3

They may have normal life span.