Hello friends --We're finishing up my favorite month - October. I love it because the leaves change, the temperatures and humidity go down (I can hear my MS taking a deep breath), and ECTRIMS happens.  What's ECTRIMS you ask??  ECTRIMS stands for the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis. It is a non-profit, independent organization that serves as the world’s largest professional organization dedicated to the understanding & treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS).  They host the world’s largest annual international conference in October and there are always studies presented and important discussions had and big news that gives me hope every year.  And it's happening RIGHT NOW!!

OK - let's dive in friends.  1.  I want to direct your attention to ECTRIMS and give you a couple of resources so you can follow along yourself.  They've introduced a podcast this year featuring all the top happenings at the conference!  Check it out right here:  ECTRIMS Podcast  Additionally, I like to follow them on Twitter for late breaking updates:  ECTRIMS on Twitter.  And finally -  all things ECTRIMS can be found on their website: ECTRIMS2.  This is an exciting one  - and out of my home state of Virginia as well: University of Virginia health researchers have discovered a molecule in the brain responsible for orchestrating the immune system’s responses to Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis, potentially allowing doctors to supercharge the body’s ability to fight those and other devastating neurological diseases.  YAY!!!  Learn more here: BRAIN DISCOVERY COULD BOOST BODY’S ABILITY TO FIGHT ALZHEIMER’S, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS3.  When MS patients stop their disease-modifying treatment, the risk of relapses and disease activity on MRI scans is higher among patients who are younger, have a shorter duration of disease, and have RRMS, a study from Argentina reports.  Interesting study. I talk to people everyday who are "non-compliant" with their DMT - either they don't take it as directed or just quit taking it altogether.  I did that for 4 years - had a great run - right up until I didn't and I had a HUGE relapse, the aftermath of which I'm still dealing with. I know my reasons for "taking a break" but I'd like to understand why other people make these choices.  I'd so appreciate if you'd just hit "reply" to this email and tell my why you either chose to quit your DMT or don't take it as directed.  I would really appreciate your candor.  Meantime - here's that study:  Risk of MS Activity After DMT Stop Greater With RRMS, Younger Age4.  Out of ECTRIMS: Use of DMTs found to help keep MS relapse rate for women low.  Good news: Fertility treatments do not significantly increase the risk of relapse in women with multiple sclerosis, even among those who undergo treatment protocols associated with greater levels of hormone exposure, according to a recent U.S.-based analysis.  Fertility Treatment Won’t Raise Relapse Risk for Women5.  Another ECTRIMS article: Treatment with Ocrevus (ocrelizumab) before or during pregnancy does not seem to increase the risk of major pregnancy or infant complications, with 79% of the pregnancies leading to live births, according to data from more than 2,000 women with MS.  Study Examines Ocrevus Use Before, During Pregnancy6.  Remyelination, or regeneration of the myelin sheath that’s progressively damaged and lost in MS, may be less effective for those who develop MS later in life, new research suggests.  Older MS patients have fewer oligodendrocytes, which corresponds to higher disability.  Poor Myelin Repair Offers Clues in Disease Progression

So that's all folks.  Hope you learned something that helps you in this little newsletter o'mine!  If there's anything I can do to help you, please, drop me an email at [email protected] or meet me over in the FUMS Facebook community and let's chat!  Thanks.

Warmly -- Kathy#FUMSP.S.  Want to hear what it's like to be a member of the Patients Getting Paid community - making #chronicpreneurs out of chronics??  Listen to my interview of PGP member Kathy Chester right here:  What's It Like On "The Inside" 

Sometimes it helps the stress, just to say "F-U-M-S"