How often might I expect to have a relapse?

Without treatment, patients average a new relapse every 12-15 months. However, with treatment this frequency is thought to be considerably lower. If you think you might be having a new relapse, it is best to contact your doctor and discuss your symptoms with him or her. 

What is a relapse?

MS relapses are usually characterized by the development of new neurologic symptoms such as weakness, numbness, balance trouble, vision changes, etc. over a period of a few hours or a few days. These tend to result in impairment that lasts days to weeks and then improves. 

I think I might be having a relapse. What do I do?

If the relapse only causes a minor interference with your daily activities, it is best to discuss a plan of action with your doctor over the phone or in the clinic. However, if the new symptoms come on suddenly or if they significantly interfere with your daily activities, it is best to go to the nearest ER. 

I am running low on refills on my medications, what is the best way to get them refilled?

Have your pharmacy fax us a refill request at 205-975-6030. We will complete and return the necessary information to them by the following business day and within 24 hours during normal office hours. For controlled substance prescriptions, please allow 4-5 business days for completion. Unfortunately, we are not equipped to provide refills after hours or on holidays, so please plan accordingly; 1-2 business days should be anticipated for requests received beginning Friday at 1 p.m. through the weekend.

Do I need a primary care doctor?

Many patients with MS and related diseases are diagnosed at a young age and are quite healthy otherwise. It is strongly recommended that all patients with chronic neurologic disease have a primary care physician (PCP) that they see at least annually. This helps to screen for other diseases that may arise over time as patients with MS and related diseases are not immune to other common diseases such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

What is a pseudorelapse?

Relapses cause permanent damage in the nervous system but patients often experience significant improvement. If you become sick for another reason (such as the flu or a urinary tract infection), the reaction to the illness can cause some of your old symptoms related to MS to recur.  Once the infection is treated or resolves, the symptoms will go back to their state prior to the beginning of the infection.

How does MS affect pregnancy?

MS has no proven deleterious effect on a woman’s ability to become pregnant, carry out a full pregnancy, deliver her child and produce a healthy infant. There have been some studies to suggest that MS is associated with lower birth weight, higher rates of induced labor and operative intervention, and rehospitalization, but these findings have not proven reproducible. Annualized relapse rates are lower during pregnancy but are slightly higher during the post-partum months.  The average relapse rate during this time is comparable to a patient’s relapse rate when she is not pregnant, so pregnancy does not seem to expose MS patients to more disease activity than they would have otherwise encountered.

Is MS inherited?

The general population risk in the U.S. is thought to be 1 in 800 and we believe that MS has a significant genetic component. However, the child of a parent with MS only has a 1 in 50 (or 2%) risk of developing MS. This rate goes up if both parents have MS and is thought to be as high as 1 in 5 (or 20%).  A child with a sibling who has MS has between a 1 in 33 and 1 in 20 risk (3% - 5%). This shows that, despite the fact that a relative with MS raises your risk, family members are still at rather a low risk.

Is birth control safe in MS?

There is no evidence to suggest that oral contraception is harmful in MS. Some studies suggest a possible benefit, although this is not definitive evidence.