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Because multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic (long-term) disease, managing the condition comes with the territory. This may mean different things for different people, depending on which treatments they use and whether they add complementary therapies to their medication regimen. MyMSTeam recently sat down with Jenny Gattone, a member who spoke with us about the twists and turns of her treatment journey.

Jenny is a screenwriter who lives in the Los Angeles area. After she was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), she began sharing her story with others who can identify with the ups and downs of life with MS.

Finding Treatment That Works

New treatment options are helping people with MS continue to live healthy, productive lives. Jenny was grateful that her neurologist worked with her to find a treatment that keeps her symptoms at bay.

“Medication is incredibly important because it’s all we have,” she said. “It’s a degenerative disease that there is no cure for, as of right now. So all they can do is slow it down, and the only thing slowing it down is medication — the disease-modifying treatments.”

Adding Lifestyle Changes to Her Routine

Jenny also adjusted her diet and worked on reducing stress to try and reduce the likelihood of having a relapse (also called a flare, a period of worsening symptoms). Some studies suggest that stressful events may lead to a higher risk of an MS flare.

“I like to hit MS from as many sides as possible,” she said. In addition to taking her medications regularly, Jenny began exercising by walking and doing high-intensity interval training. She also cut dairy, gluten, and sugar from her diet. She makes sure she rests frequently and works hard to keep stress at a minimum so she can reduce the odds of having a flare.

Jenny believes that by combining these lifestyle changes with her treatment plan, she’s able to navigate life with MS more easily. She’s also hopeful for what the future may hold in terms of new treatment options.

“Progressive MS previously didn’t have any medications, but now there are,” she said. “They’re coming up with treatments that reverse the damage. There’s so much to be hopeful about.”

Find Your Team

On MyMSTeam, the social network for people with multiple sclerosis and their loved ones, more than 210,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with MS.

Do you ever add lifestyle changes to your treatment regimen to hit MS from all sides? Do you have any tips about reducing MS flare-ups? Share your story and tips in the comments below or by posting on MyMSTeam.

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