Q: I was diagnosed as having multiple sclerosis 6 months back. It started with acute optic neuritis in my right eye and numbness in my feet. I got IV solumedrol for 3 days and started with the Betaseron injection every other day. I am doing fine right now and my eye sight has improved to a great extent. There is no numbness also. Please advise.

A:I hope by now you have done your own research about multiple sclerosis (MS), which is generally a disease of temperate countries and therefore, much less common in India. 20% of cases present with eye (Optic nerve) involvement. The disease is called Multiple Sclerosis which means one gets multiple areas of affection and multiple times. Sometimes one nerve, sometimes another. Even if you don't treat it, it gets better after sometime and affects another at different time. You can not do anything to prevent it but you can prevent the frequency by not tiring yourself too much. Whatever you are doing, if and when you get tired, give up and rest. Also any activity like exercise, hot bath or shower, which raises body temperature, will tend to precipitate the recurrence of the disease. Treatment by steroids or Betaseron cuts the recovery time but eventual recovery is similar with or without treatment. It varies from person to person and therefore, whatever you read about it, may not be same in your own case. Keep a relaxed and positive attitude of mind.