Multiple Sclerosis in men will tell you

what you should know

If you are a guy

Multiple Sclerosis in men is not seen as frequent as in women. My understanding is that we have a 3 to 1 ratio, meaning that there are 3 times more women with MS than us guys with MS.

SHARING A PIECE OF MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

When I received my diagnosis of MS my wife and I were married a little over a year. We were starting to talk about having children and raising a family so you could imagine that the heredity question was promptly at the top of our list of topics to discuss with my neurologist.

My doctor’s response was that Multiple Sclerosis was not hereditary. Or so the doctors think back in the 80’s because later on, studies performed by the Mayo Clinic in San Francisco in association with UC Berkeley and Kaiser Permanente have determined that men are more likely to pass the condition on to their offspring than women.

This was something I found out – and not from my doctor but my own research on Multiple Sclerosis in men - after we have had our only daughter. Today she is a bright and happy 5 year old who loves to help me care for my MS and is the light of our lives. Please keep in mind that this is not meant to suggest that heredity alone is a cause for the development of MS, it is just another factor that guys with MS should discuss with their wives and families.

WHAT ARE SOME TYPICAL MS SYMPTOMS SEEN IN MEN?

One of the most common symptoms seen in Multiple Sclerosis in men is a slow but constant loss of ability or function in the muscles. This is the result of the disease process working in different ways and at different speeds in every person. A lot of men may believe they are merely undergoing normal aging processes.

Another common symptom is manifested in vision problems. Double vision, for example, is common, as is decreasing eyesight, which could easily be attribute to our getting old.

Multiple Sclerosis in men could also starts showing in Problems with cognitive functions such as memory loss. Normally with Multiple Sclerosis in men this begin to happen as the electrical signals and communication pathways in the brain become damaged by the progressive nature of the illness.

A very scary symptom of MS is experiencing an increasing difficulty in your movement of a leg, foot, arm or hand. For some men with Multiple Sclerosis, the paralysis may be slow in progressing or may appear quite fast. Paralysis may also affect your speech, swallowing capacity as well as movement of the limbs.

One of the most common symptoms being reported in Multiple Sclerosis in men is numbness or tingling in the arms and legs. It is reported that many men go on without reporting this to anyone thinking that probably it is just a pinched nerve or overtired muscles since these particular symptoms often come and go.

Some men also feel what has been described as experiencing an electric shock running up and down their spinal columns when certain movements are attempted, such as bending or turning the head. However, only as symptoms worsen and strength and function is compromised do many seek medical advice.

One frequent problem seen in Multiple Sclerosis in men has to do with erectile dysfunction (ED). According to the New York School of Medicine, erectile dysfunction (ED) causes men (nearly 75 percent of those diagnosed with MS to lose feelings and sexual desire.

In addition to the anxiety levels most – if not all – MSers experience, the stress and the frustration of having to live with MS, men often find themselves facing the psychological impact of having erectile dysfunction (ED) and that can undermine any men’s self-confidence.

Some guys that have MS may experience erectile dysfunction (ED) as a result of the Multiple Sclerosis medications being taken to treat his MS symptoms. The good news is that erectile dysfunction (ED) can be treated in most cases and you should openly discuss this with your doctor. For example, you might want to ask your doctor if alprostadil or papaverine may help you with your erectile dysfunction (ED). In addition to the existing drugs available today, clinical studies are currently under way to find additional treatments for erectile dysfunction (ED) in MS patients.

COPING WITH ERECTILE PROBLEMS

The most common sexual problem seen in Multiple Sclerosis in men is erectile dysfunction (ED). The first orally administered drug approved in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was Viagra.

Sildenafil, the generic name for Viagra, works by blocking a chemical in the erectile tissues that causes erections to become flaccid. An important piece of information to know is that Viagra doesn’t improve your sex drive or desire for sexual activity but it would definitely help you maintain erections when they occur. It is recommended that men take it at least one hour before engaging in amorous activities and its effects should last approximately 4 hours or even a little more.

Viagra, used in Multiple Sclerosis in men, is linked with higher frequency of sexual intercourse and sustain satisfying erections in MSers. It is important to ask your doctor if you can or cannot take Viagra. Basically there are 2 very important reasons for doing this:

1. Only your doctor can prescribe Viagra. Your doctor knows what other medications you’re taking so there is no conflict with any other drugs.
2. Your doctor can make sure you are not taking any nitrate-based medications. Interaction may cause a sudden and dangerous drop in blood pressure, (occasional use of this type of medications could be dangerous too).

WHAT ARE POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS & ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS

In various clinical trials performed, there were some minor and rare headaches being reported, also some problems with indigestion, blushing – color of the face - and some dizziness.

There are clinical trials being performed on drugs like Vasomax and IC351 that will help men with erectile dysfunction (ED). These are also oral medications and they work by relaxing smooth muscles in the penis, which enhances the ability to develop and maintain erections.

Another possibility available for MSers with erectile dysfunction (ED) deals with injecting your penis with meds like alprostadil (Prostin VR) or Papaverine, to increase blood flow and volume in the erectile tissues. There are auto injectors very much like the auto injector we use with Rebif that work at the push of a button. Men that have used this alternative describe the moment of the injection as being “flick” with a rubber band.

Just make sure you follow you doctor’s instructions to the letter to minimize discomfort from side effects. As the information that is supplied with the drug Viagra explains, it is very important to call your doctor immediately or seek emergency help at your nearest hospital if you experience an erection lasting more than four hours.

An alternative to the penis injection that you might look at is the med. named Alprostadil via urethral suppository (MUSE). The way this works is that a small plastic applicator inserts the drug into the urethra. The drug is absorbed into the penile tissues, and provokes a satisfactory erection in most men with erectile dysfunction (ED). Some penile discomfort was experienced in one third of all the men that tried this method to deal with their erectile dysfunction (ED).

Currently, tests are being conducted on Aprostadil in cream or gel form that could be directly applied to the surface of the penis. Other medications like Alprox-TD or Topiglan are absorbed by the skin when applied directly to the penis. Preliminary reports indicate that it is helpful in non-MSers, although additional testing is needed and it is not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

One noninvasive device that can aid you in erections is the vacuum tube and constriction band. This works by fitting a plastic tube over the flaccid penis, and a suction pump or tube is then operated to create a vacuum that creates an erection. A latex band is slipped from the base of the tube onto the base of the shaved penis. The band maintains enlargement of the penis for sexual activity.

The band cannot be used for more than 30 minutes or you could end up damaging the penile tissue. If you are still able to achieve an erection but have trouble maintaining one, just the constriction band by itself can help you solve the problem. You can get it without a doctor’s prescription in the United States. It is strongly recommended though, that you seek the advice of an urologic nurse or that of your doctor.

Nowadays for all the problems in Multiple Sclerosis in men there are many alternatives you could choose from. As a last resource, if none of the previously listed solutions worked, you could ask your doctor about having the surgical implantation of a penile prosthesis. This simply means implanting a mechanical device designed to give a man with erectile dysfunction (ED) the opportunity of having an erection.

You should always discuss with your spouse or partner before deciding on any of the alternatives available today for Multiple Sclerosis in men with sexual problems.

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