Berwick & Eastern
Borders Branch
0131 335 4082
MS Society
MS Helpline – 0808
800 8000
Mon-Fri, 9am ‘til 9pm
MS National Centre
372 Edgeware Road
London NW2 6ND
Tele: 020 8438 0700
MS Society, Scotland
Ratho Park
88 Glasgow Road
Ratho Station
Newbridge EH28 8PP
Tele: 0131 335 4050
MS Society, Northern
Ireland
The Resource Centre
34 Annandale Avenue
Belfast BT7 3JJ
Tele: 02890 802 802
MS Society, Wales/Cymru
P.O. Box 126
Bridgend
CF35 5ZR
Tele: 01656 645 999
e-mail: mscymru@hotmail.com
MS Groups and Contacts
Asian MS
Support for Asian people with MS and their families
Tele: 020 8438 0700 or 07968 771576
e-mail: asianms_south@hotmail.com
or (women only) asianms_north@hotmail.com
Gay and Lesbian
MS Support Group (GLAMS)
GLAMS Helpline 0808 800 8000
e-mail: glams@mssociety.org.uk
Mutual Support (Armed
Forces)
Contact Richard Ludford on 01666 824 709
www.mutual.support.btinternet.co.uk
Rishon Multiple
Sclerosis Aid Group
Rishon provides a focus for Jewish people with MS and their supporters
Contact Harry Bibring on 020 8950 9212
e-mail: bibrings@ntlworld.com.
The Shane Project
Support, information and advocacy for African and Caribbean people
affected by MS.
Helpline (Tues: 10am 'til 2pm & Thurs: 6pm 'til 8pm 020 8805 1579
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Useful Information
A new web site has been
created by Northumberland County Council called Northumberland Life.
This site gives information about all community groups across
Northumberland and is well worth a visit. The site can be accessed from
the following address. www.northumberlandlife.org
New Publications
New publications in the MS
Society’s MS Essentials series.
These are:
Fatigue
Mood, Depression and Emotions
Sex, Intimacy and Relationships
and
Diet and Nutrition
Complimentary and Alternative Medicine
Pain and Sensory Symptoms
These can be obtained by writing
to MS Society Publications
PO Box 142
Bedford,
MK42 0FA
Please give your name and
address details clearly, including postcode.
Alternatively, copies can be download from the MS website
www.mssociety.org.uk
MS is an
abbreviation for Multiple Sclerosis which is the most common
neurological disorder among young adults and effects about 85,000
people in the UK.
Many things are
known about MS, and some things are still baffling. The forms that MS
can take are well known but we are not sure about the reasons why they
occur. There are treatments available to manage some of the symptoms
but, as yet, there is no real cure. The unpredictability and variety of
symptoms of MS can be very hard to live with but there is no need for
sufferers to 'just put up with it'
MS occurs when
the Myelin sheath, which covers the Nerve fibres in the brain and
spinal cord, gets damaged. The myelin sheath works like the insulation
around cables in an electrical circuit. These cables send messages
between the brain and the spinal column, to the rest of the body. If
this insulation (myelin) becomes damaged, then messages become jumbled
or even fail to get through. The result is the symptoms we get with MS.
MS generally
occurs between the age of 20 and 40 and is more common in women than in
men. It can, however sometimes occur in later life.
There are
different types of MS which include: Benign !!, Relapsing/Remitting, Secondary
Progressive and Primary Progressive.
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What's New
NHS
Borders Deny sidelining People with MS
19 July 2007
NHS Borders this week rejected claims that Multiple
Sclerosis sufferers in the region are being sidelined. Scotland is
widely considered to have the highest proportion of MS sufferers in the
world and currently the Borders is among the regions with the highest
incidences in the UK. However, while the number of sufferers in the
region is estimated to be around 300, the provision of specialist local
treatment is said to be trailing behind the rest of the country. This
week, a high-profile sponsored walk is taking place from Edinburgh to
London to raise awareness of the condition and provide funding for
research and the provision of MS nurses across the UK.
Dutch
authorities ban Rotterdam stem cell treatment
The
Dutch health care inspectorate has ordered the PMC clinic in Rotterdam to
stop performing stem cell treatments for MS and other conditions.
In a statement it said it had concluded PMC was not providing responsible
care, because it is unable to demonstrate the origin, suitability and
safety of the stem cells it used. This jeopardised the health and safety
of patients. Among other things, it exposed patients to the risk of
infection with HIV or Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease, allergic reactions,
malignant tumours or rejection reactions. ...more
Tysabri
licensed for use in the UK
Tysabri has been licensed for use in
the UK today. The drug still needs to be reviewed by NICE and we await to
hear as to whether NICE will "fast-track" the appraisal through
the new Single Technology Assessment of sixteen weeks, or whether it will
go through the longer main stream appraisal which would not complete until
October 2007. We hope to hear from NICE on this around the 5 July...more
In the meantime, the drug can - in theory - be prescribed by neurologists
for people with certain types of MS, dependent on funding.
Tysabri
moves towards European approval
The European Medicines
Agency (EMEA) has recommended that Tysabri (natalizumab) should be made
available as a treatment for relapsing remitting MS, to delay the
progression of disability and reduce the frequency of relapses. The
recommendation will be considered for final marketing approval by the
European Commission. Its decision is expected during the summer...more
Is
Bee Sting Therapy Effective?
Some people
affected by MS believe that bee sting therapy can stabilise or improve
their MS related symptoms. Toxins from bee stings are thought to
contain substances that have anti-inflammatory properties and regulate
nerve cell activity. This is the first controlled study looking at
whether bee stings could be a helpful therapy for MS...more
MS
Society Launches New Website for Newly Diagnosed
The MS Society
has launched a website aimed at young people newly diagnosed with
multiple sclerosis (MS). The site - www.lifeandms.org.uk aims to
answer fundamental questions about living with MS, highlights sources
of information and support, and sends out the message that life doesn't
stop when MS starts. ...more
MS
Society addresses concerns about proposed changes to benefits
Many people have
contacted the MS Society concerned about recent news articles which
describe proposed changes to welfare benefits. People expressed concern
that it could have a detrimental impact on existing Incapacity Benefit
recipients...more
MS
and Sleep
A
common symptom of MS is general fatigue and this report disccusses the
relevance of underlying sleep disorders. Sleep disordersw as opposed to
general tiredness should be correctly diagnosed since the two
complaints require different treatment strategies. For example,
clinical studies have shown that the drug Modafinil used for excessive
sleepiness has no effect on fatigue ...more
Demyelination
and white matter injury in MS
This
study looked at the changes that occur in the brains of people during
the different stages of MS. The researchers used brain tissue taken
from 52 people with MS including those with RRMS and PPMS ...more
MS Society comments on stem cell therapy reports
Following further media
coverage of people with MS receiving stem cell treatment outside the
UK, the MS Society has again issued the following statement: ...more
Sativax can be imported
for private use
The import of cannabis-based medicine Sativex from Canada for
individual users has been approved by the Home Office, but as an
unlicensed medicine. ...more
What is Sativex?
The MS Society has produced the following information in response to
queries about Sativex, an oral spray containing cannabis extract. ...more
Positive results from Sativex pain trial
The cannabis based medicine, Sativex, is effective in reducing central
neuropathic pain and sleep disturbance in people with MS according to a
study published in the journal 'Neurology'. ...more
Real benefits from website interactivity
Interactive websites can help people with long-term health conditions,
say researchers at University College London. They said people
benefited from sites which linked them to people with the same
condition or supported them in other ways. ...more
Oral drug shows early trial promise
A novel oral treatment for people with relapsing remitting MS has been
shown to halve relapse rates over a 12 month clinical trial. ...more
Claiming Disability Living Allowance
You don't have to be 'disabled' to claim DLA. This benefit can make a
big difference to people's lives. Yet it is estimated that fewer than
half of all those who are eligible actually claim. Use this guide to
find out if you might be eligible, how to apply, and how to renew any
existing claims. ...more
Step-by-step guide through dla
assessment for people with MS
Disability living allowance (DLA) makes a big difference to the lives
of thousands of people affected by multiple sclerosis in Great Britain.
It helps to cover the costs of the care they need, of getting around -
or both. ...more
New approval sought for Tysabri
Elan Corporation and Biogen Idec have made a priority review
application to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Tysabri
(natalizumab) to be made available again for the treatment of multiple
sclerosis. ...more