Help Them Talk About Their Walking
What if someone doesn't want to talk about their walking
Talking about walking issues or the changes that might be starting to happen can be hard for some people with multiple sclerosis (MS). You can start a conversation by bringing up news about advancements in treatments for MS or walking.
Here are some strategies for talking about walking:
- Start simple — tell your loved one that you want the best for them, and that you have questions about their walking. They might be waiting for an opportunity to admit they have concerns
- Ask if your loved one will take a walking self-assessment, then share it with their healthcare team
- Remember that your voice doesn't have to be the only one asking about walking
- Suggest your loved one bring up any issues they're having with their healthcare team
- Establish your own relationship with your loved one's healthcare team. Make sure doctors know that you are there, and that you are able to help discuss sensitive issues
The Talking to Your Doctor Discussion Guide can help you both
One easy way to prepare for appointments is to write down questions and concerns ahead of time. This will help establish a dialogue. It will also make sure you don’t forget anything important.
Using the Talking to Your Doctor Discussion Guide — a free, printable checklist that you create — you can go to each appointment ready to get the information you need on behalf of the person you love.
As part of the Guide, your loved one can even take a simple assessment of their walking. This can help the healthcare team come up with the best treatment plan.
AMPYRA Conversations
Watch a one-on-one interview with a leading MS specialist as he talks about why the insight of friends and family may be helpful.
AMPYRA is indicated as a treatment to improve walking in patients with MS. AMPYRA improved walking in significantly more people with MS than placebo (sugar pill) in two clinical trials (34.8% vs. 8.3% and 42.9% vs. 9.3%). This was demonstrated by an increase in walking speed.
Not everyone responds to AMPYRA. Individual results may vary.
I think a valuable resource for the person with MS uh.. are would be their friends and family. Get feedback from friends and family members. Again, I can't tell you how frequently we will be sitting in the exam room, and the person with MS is saying "Everything is great, Doc! I'm doing wonderfully!"
And their spouse or significant other or friend is going, "No, not so much. And- and things really are not as stable as they're pretending they are."
First Step
