symptoms

I Give Myself 3 Tests Each Workday to Gauge My Symptoms

As a neuromyelitis optica (NMO) patient, sometimes I am under the impression that I am at a disadvantage compared with my healthy co-workers. Some of the daily routines that they complete effortlessly are a struggle for me. For this reason, at the end of my workday, I often feel as…

Chronic Pain: The Elephant in the Room

One of the most difficult aspects for me of living with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is dealing with chronic pain. It’s what most affects my quality of life, but in my opinion, it’s also the least addressed and treated issue. In 2012,…

This Prescription Includes Everything I Need for a Bad Day

In the years since I was diagnosed with NMO, I have had good days, and then bad days when I couldn’t even get out of bed. One summer, I spent 16 weeks in bed, likely due to major side effects from one of the NMO drugs I was taking.

For NMOSD Awareness Month, Let’s Separate Fact From Fiction

In the United States, March is Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Month, but did you know it’s also Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO) Awareness Month? NMO patients are most frequently misdiagnosed with MS, as these two diseases can look quite similar, so awareness is key. Let’s separate some facts from fiction. “NMO is…