Walk off Your Symptoms of MS

What is MS?

Multiple Sclerosis is a disease that is continual and chronic. It affects the brain as well as the spinal cord by causing scar tissue to be created in several areas due to nerve damage. Depending on where this damage is, it can cause muscular imbalance, loss of control, and speech or visual difficulties.                             

• There are four types of MS: relapsing-remitting, secondary-progressive, primary progressive and progressive relapsing.
• About 85 percent of those who are newly diagnosed have the relapsing-remitting form of MS.
• The disease is unpredictable, and each individual will not experience the same set of symptoms.
• Without disease-modifying therapy, about 50 percent of those diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS will become progressively worse at 10 years after diagnosis.

Living with Multiple Sclerosis isn't the easiest, especially when it begins to affect your mobility.   There are a variety of different symptoms of MS. Often times people who have MS become depressed and emotionally unstable. It is quite common that MS patients have muscle spasms. The bowel symptoms of MS patients includes diarrhea or constipation. Another common symptom of MS is chronic fatigue.   This picture mentions several symptoms of MS.

Though, as of yet, there aren't any permanent solutions for the symptoms of MS, great strides have been made in recent years in the development of new treatment options. Ampyra (dalfampridine) another form of fampridine (4-Aminopyradine) has shown exceedingly good results for those with walking difficulties due to MS. Low-Dose Naltrexone may also be helpful, as the National MS Society reports: 

"The investigators found that LDN significantly improved quality of life (specifically, mental health, pain and self-reported cognitive function), but no impact was observed on aspects of physical quality of life (such as fatigue, bowel and bladder control, sexual satisfaction, and visual function). Vivid dreaming was reported during the first week of treatment by some patients, but no other adverse effects were reported."
(http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Treating-MS/Complementary-Alternative-Medicines/Low-Dose-Naltrexone)

    Karli- Your undercover technician for everything pharmacy

Have you found something that relieves the pain? Help us understand your symptoms and find more answers. Comment below!

Take A Bite Out Of Lyme

We all love limes. They're great for cocktails and squeezed over rare meats. But it can also remind us of an important awareness. Take a Bite of Lyme is a wonderful trend going around to raise awareness for Lyme disease. Woodland Hills Pharmacy has been nominated to participate in the Lyme Disease Challenge! We would like to spread the word and nominate Jennifer Braunersrither, Tamara Bowen, Judy Advent and Zannie Liska! 
Show your support and take a bit out of Lyme!

Judy's Story

My aunt in law, Judy, was diagnosed with Lyme disease but she did not have the rash as the first sign of Lyme disease. Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium, Borrelia burgodoferi, which is transmitted to humans through the bite of a tick. There are several different symptoms that Lyme disease patients exhibit which include fever, headache, fatigue, and skin rash. Lyme disease can affect the skin, joints, heart, and the nervous system. The blood tests that doctors generally use miss 55% of the Lyme disease cases. Lyme disease is often hard to diagnose.
Judy (shown on the left) emphasized how it felt to have Lyme disease, "Your body aches, you have headaches, and you are very tired.  My worst flare up was when the Lyme disease went to my brain.  I couldn't speak, I had a stutter, I couldn't find my words.  I lost my memory for about 2 weeks." Judy could not recall how she was infected with Lyme disease, but assumed it was from a deer tick. Lyme disease didn't effect her life until she had one of her worst flare-ups. She was checked into the hospital and sent home with an IV PICC Line of antibiotics that she changed daily. Judy explained that she never let Lyme disease interfere with her family's needs. Judy, instead, used her talents and understanding to raise awareness in her community. This bracelet (pictured below) represents a few different illnesses she fights for. The green represents Lyme disease, while the other colors represent the various illnesses she supports. She continues to stay strong and lead a powerful, encouraging life.


There are a variety of different medications that can help with signs of Lyme disease.

• Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) is used to treat symptoms of Lyme disease including fatigue, muscle pain, and joint pain. LDN helps the immune system, lowers the inflammation, and releases natural endorphins. Borrelia burgodoferi releases a neurotoxin that is responsible for the symptoms that Lyme disease patients exhibits. 
• Cholestyramine binds the neurotoxin in the GI for excretion which over time reduces the symptoms to one's body. 
• Glutathione nasal spray helps Lyme disease patients replenish their cells with desperately needed Glutathione proteins.  

These medications help Lyme disease patients stay healthy and cope with their disease. If you are looking for these types of medications, or someone to speak with, the staff at Woodland Hills Pharmacy might be a good place to start! www.WoodlandHillsPharmacy.com/contact_us

Lyme Disease Awareness Month

May is Lyme disease awareness month.  Lyme disease organizations hold events as well as individuals all over the world are posting online in support of Lyme disease. The challenge consists of taking a picture or video taking a bite out of a lime, and posting a fact about Lyme disease. It is essential that we raise awareness about Lyme disease and it's symptoms. "Just by protecting yourself from ticks." Judy explains how to guard against the disease and why it's so prevalent, "The area in which I live has a high rate of Lyme disease because  we live in a heavily wooded area with lots of deer roaming around." It is important to be educated and support Lyme disease awareness. So do yourself a favor and take a bite of lime and join the Lyme Disease Awareness movement!

Jennie- Undercover For Your Everything Pharmacy

And the staff at Woodland Hills Pharmacy