MSA - Part 2: Symptoms
“spilling the tea about how I am impacted by this rare progressive disorder”
Dear friends,
So if you’ve been following me, you would have seen and read Part 1 of my MSA Awareness campaign.
If you haven’t read Part 1 - please check that out here;
And so I step into delving deeper into how MSA is affecting me. I do this because from what I’m reading and seeing from other patients, we are all being impacted so very differently.
My main symptoms include:
low blood pressure does and is impacting many areas of my life more and more particularly with unsteadiness on my feet and when walking around.
incontinence of the bladder has affected me for about ten years now and involves me having to self catheterise approximately four times everyday .
ataxia or incoordination of movement
slowness
stiffness or rigidity
poor balance and unsteadiness when walking
tremor of the hand/fingers or feet/toes in some people
dystonia of the trunk, neck or face (sustained abnormal muscle activity and postures)
poor coordination of walking and limb movements called ataxia
Other symptoms beginning to be a problem is swallowing and speech. As well as sleep disturbances.
With so many symptoms to manage at this stage it is a range of different therapists that are actively involved in assisting patients that have neurological/movement disorders such as MSA helping them to find ways to improve safety, both inside and outside the home.
The physiotherapist has been excellent in how she has developed an exercise program to improve, maintain flexibility, strength and fitness within my body.
The speech pathologist has helped me find ways to strengthen my swallowing and digestion. Because of this I have not had to have feeding tube inserted.
It’s an ever changing situation living with MSA so it is a never ending process to live fully with purpose and passion. What I am learning the longer I walk with this rare disorder, is that living more and more simply means I have so many more good days.
What does impede me is the fact that I have two other serious health conditions to deal with as well.
But instead of getting down and negative about my health and life, I stand up each time I fall to shine a light about never giving up.
If you would like to know anything else about how MSA affects me, please let me know in the comments.
xox