My MS is Making me Fat!

I became more timid about things I have always taken for granted.  I like to roller skate, for example.  But with feeling off balance at times, this seemed like a risky pleasure.  On most days I was fine to do everything I normally had done but on other days it was like I was a toddler just learning to walk again.  On any given day I had to re-learn my physical capabilities and stamina.  I could take nothing for granted.

It is easy to feel like giving up when you have this disease.  There are some days where I think to myself, "Why bother?" or even "I now have the perfect excuse for letting myself go."  But these statements do not hold up well to scrutiny.  It is all the more imperative that I do care and do try.  I know I will be better able to deal with my MS if I am strong and in good physical health.  Perhaps even more importantly, I don't want to suffer the mental anguish of giving up all that I have worked for if I don't have to. 

This time I was conscious that I was becoming depressed.  This time I understood when I ate things just to find some emotional comfort.  And this time I stopped myself before sinking too far into a pit of apathy and despair.  I recognized the road I was on and decided to take a different route.

I have to tell you that this time around is a lot harder than the first time I lost weight.  I am not always able to do all the things I want to do.  I have had to adapt to my situation by doing different things like stretching instead of vigorous exercise or resting a whole lot more between sessions.  I have learned to pay more attention to my body and to heed any warning signs of impending trouble. 

So far I have lost ten of the twenty pounds I had originally gained.  I am taking my time. It has been a slow process but I am getting there.  What is more important to me than losing weight is to become stronger and to have more energy. 

 I was just reading about a study reported in Science Daily that:  "After 35 years, they found that the people with MS had a decreased overall risk of cancer by 10 percent compared to people who did not have the disease."  One of the reasons given for this is that people who have MS quite often go through a lifestyle change after their diagnosis.  I can understand this.  My Multiple Sclerosis has made me wish to give up at times but it has also given me a reason to try harder.  I can no longer take my health for granted.  Exercise and eating healthy have become priorities in my life.  It is no longer just about losing weight.  Now I am trying to up my odds for living a longer and healthier life.

So how about you?  Has MS caused you to gain weight or to forego healthy habits?  Or has having this disease caused you to become more health conscious.  Tell us your story!  We want to hear what you have to say.