Question about MS

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I have a brother-in-law who was diagnosed with MS a few years ago. Recently he has been acting completely out of character for him. A psychdoctor his wife talked to said maybe the MS was attacking his frontal lobe. I

was just wondering if anyone had heard anything about this.

He is actually seperated from his wife and 3 children the youngest will be 1 yr old in July. It is funny because just 2 months before he left his family he seemed truely devoted to his wife and kids.

We are all just baffled by his behavior. (by the way he is my husbands brother.) I have known him since he was about 10 yrs old. Now I am just confused I just want to shake him, or punch him; but what if it is disease process. I just don't know.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Case Mgmt; Mat/Child, Critical Care.

MS is a disease process that causes lesions along the spinal cord and/or the brain. It is very conceivable that his behavior is a result of the MS. I would try showing some compassion and perhaps he needs to visit with his neurologist, have a follow up MRI to see if there has been progression of the lesions. There are a couple of newer meds on the market now that may help him, if he's not already taking any...

Good luck, I know how hard MS can be for the patient and the family!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you Moondancer for your input.

My sister-in-law called my husband a few days ago and revealed all this medical stuff to us. She told him Randy (my brother-in-law) had a MD appt this week or next (I do not exactly remember ). Any how she is going to go to the appt with him wether he wants her there or not she told him. She is concerned if the disease is attacking his brain they do have 3 young children who have unsupervised visits with their dad.

I am trying to have compassion now that I heard about the disease thing. Can this completely change his personalitity and behavior? I have never heard of that aspect of the disease; I have always just associated it with muscular stuff.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Case Mgmt; Mat/Child, Critical Care.

To what extent his MS may be affecting his behavior will be more for the neurologist to answer. It really depends on where the lesions are located, in the brain, and/or are they progressing...getting larger, etc. Of course, his behavior may be due to something else, perhaps he is depressed... Many chronically ill patients are or become depressed due to their disease process. I would just wait until he's had his appointment. It definitely needs to be brought up to the doc, however.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in HIV/AIDS, Dementia, Psych.

On my former unit, I had a lot of MS patients and there was a definite effect on the brain. A sort of MS related dementia and sometimes infantile behavior. I saw this moreso in my female patients, but there were males also that this happened to.

Whatever the case may be, I wish you and your family the best of luck. MS is difficult to deal with.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

:)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment