I cannot believe that it has been three years since I started fighting the dreadful disease! Though, apart from a few hiccups, it was a smooth ride.  

To recapitulate, the MS diagnosis has affected my life tremendously in many ways. I have changed my diet and become more focused and consistent with my exercise routines. I think that my self-determination and focus have improved as well. On the downside, especially in the beginning, right after my diagnosis, I was more anxious and afraid of what lay ahead of me. The future of the disease progression and my health was unknown, and I was frightened. Slowly, I learned how to handle the pressure a little better and became more appreciative of anything positive happening in my life at that moment.

I think that today, I can say that I am lucky and that my future appears brighter than it was three years ago. The way I see it, it’s much less likely that my MS will transform into the secondary progressive type and start accumulating permanent disability. That is a relief! Of course, I have to continue with the therapy, see a neurologist twice a year, and undergo an MRI  every year or two, but this is manageable if there is no progression and I do not have any significant symptoms.

Moreover, I feel better than ever. The year 2024 was amazing for me;  I have hiked three fourteeners, and I have mountain biked hundreds of miles over very challenging and rugged terrains. I have learned many new skills with the bike, too, and I feel my balance definitely got better than it ever was. One thing changed, though. As somebody who struggled with vertigo and balance a few years back, I appreciate these achievements today more.  

Here is a summary of what I thought contributed the most to my success at halting MS :

1. DMT -Kesimpta has worked great for me so far. The only difficulty was the high price and needing prior approval whenever insurance was switched.
2. Supplements – Vitamins (D) and B complex (vitamin B and multiple other key nutrients) and CellBB – bioactive phospholipids with NK cells activator- (here is a detailed post on this)
3. Diet – Predominantly Mediterranean-focused diet with lactose-free and anti-inflammatory angle – less meat and red meat in particular. (here are details)
4. Exercise – balanced, high-performance exercise plan with occasional short-term extremes (here are details)
5. Staying mentally and socially active – focus on brain exercise, reading, and involvement in social events and interactions.
6. Luck – I guess I should not forget that part of my success is pure luck and that the future of my health is partly determined by circumstances beyond my control.

Let me elaborate on what may lie ahead of me now. While I am very optimistic, I still have a chronic condition of MS for which there is currently no cure. The DMT has only slowed MS down, and the disease might still be progressing in the background and keep causing yet undetectable damage. The success of DMT comes with an increased risk of infections (like upper respiratory, pneumonia, and so on). So far, I have been able to counter this quite well with CellBB, so I am no longer worried about this risk as much. But it is something I have to deal with every day, and I have to keep track and take a lot of pills.

On top of that, I still worry about the future of my health due to aging. My focus is on staying mentally strong and slowing down any general cognitive decline associated with aging. Brain mass volume naturally decreases as we age. However, it is known that this natural degenerative process is faster for people with MS. The probability of dementia is higher for people with MS, too! How can I preserve my brain fitness and keep my cognitive function and memories intact? Exercise!

 I have been touching on this topic in my blog since the start, but I have been expanding my activities in this direction a little. For example, I read many books that are not connected to my work. I found it incredibly relaxing, and it is also connected to my sleeping routine. I sleep much better if I read a novel at least 30 minutes before I sleep! I think it just switches the focus of my mind to something much less stressful. Also, I am testing online brain exercise tools like Lumosity. I want to dedicate a separate article focused on brain health and exercise soon. Please stay tuned!

And yeah, this should be the occasion to celebrate, as I promised myself three years ago! Confetti time! Woohoo.

And a milestone for the next celebratory loop? No MS progression in the next three years? Ascending five fourteeners in one year? I hope so, but being happy and mentally present would do just fine.