What is your favorite type of meeting at an MS support group

[Susan14]

I'm looking for some good ideas for support groups. What kind of speakers, or what topic was most helpful to discuss. Any ideas?

[lisa1014]

I have to say that my favorite meetings are the meetings that don't have planned speakers or topics. I really enjoy being able to talk to the other members about their experiences and getting ideas from people who are going though things similar to me.

That being said we did watch some of the video series sent to us from the national ms society and I found them very informative and they did spark much discussion.

[lemstar]

I wish we had local support groups with topics of interest to me. All the groups seem to center on medications (I am not on any DMT right now), or specific doctors speaking about their practices.
What topics would I like?
1. feeling alone with MS
2. coping with family members' and friends' reactions
3. tips for managing symptoms (balance, heat, exercise, diet, pain)
4. productive activities that go well with MS
5. a walking group for MSers to walk together, maybe followed by lunch?
Shall I go on? I wish it would happen here....

[CaroleL]

I agree with Lisa and Lemstar!

I've never been to an MS meeting but I'd love to have a meeting with other MSers. After all, they seem to know much more about MS than doctor's do.

Maybe if there was a doctor present who was there as a Listener instead of a Speaker! And of course available to answer questions.

Pot Luck snacks maybe? And available info on activities open to MSers.

[marti]

I must be getting to be anti social. I hate any kind of interaction anymore. I love to be left alone. I wish I knew how to get the MS Society and other organizations to stop sending me things in the mail. I just don't feel up to it anymore.

[Susan14]

thanks for the replys............

Lisa---I agree with you about being able to talk with people going through some of the same things. I know it helps me.

Lemstar---I love your ideas for topics. All of these would be a good way to get a discussion started.

Carole---I like your idea of having a doctor to listen and answer questions. And of course, snacks make it more fun

[marti]

P.S. I'm sorry to have sounded so crabby. Truthfully, I get the most help right here from all of you.

[Ga dancer]

I need information on whether MS contributes to increased emotional responses and what if anything can help. I am tired from crying at nothing really, I am sick about being angry towards my husband for things that are trivial or not his fault.

If any of the far too many drugs I take contribute to my being miserable to be around, then are there changes that can achieve results for pain, spasticity, etc. without causing me to be arrested for road rage or in need of a divorce lawyer.

Trust me, I don't want to go and "talk" to someone. I didn't use to be this way before and don't think I can be talked out of my misery. I don't have control over outbursts, it is a knee-jerk reaction. I would like to eliminate the knee so I don't become the jerk.

[MSer102]

I need information on whether MS contributes to increased emotional responses and what if anything can help. I am tired from crying at nothing really, I am sick about being angry towards my husband for things that are trivial or not his fault.

I don't have control over outbursts, it is a knee-jerk reaction. I would like to eliminate the knee so I don't become the jerk.

If your crying at nothing maybe you have pseudobulbar affect. Google it. People with MS can get it. The outbursts can happen when the front part of the brain isn't connecting the right way with the back part of the brain. I guess the emotional parts aren't balancing with the logical parts and people start crying or laughing over nothing because they can't control it. There's a medicine for it called Nuedexta. It came out a couple of years ago. Maybe you could ask your doctor about it? I don't know if it can help with the angry knee but maybe it will help with the crying knee.

[MSLazarus]

Crying for no reason

My oldest and best MS friend and I always called that symptom "emotional incontinence". We do not remember where we first read that but it described a very annoying symptom quite well.

Linda (diagnosed 23 years ago.)

[BigA]

I must be getting to be anti social. I hate any kind of interaction anymore. I love to be left alone. I wish I knew how to get the MS Society and other organizations to stop sending me things in the mail. I just don't feel up to it anymore.

Marti - I called them and asked them not to send me anymore mail. It worked.

But don't get too antisocial, you need to find something to get together with people about. I think meetup.com is great.

[marti]

Marti - I called them and asked them not to send me anymore mail. It worked.

But don't get too antisocial, you need to find something to get together with people about. I think meetup.com is great.

Thanks again. I love the internet boards for MS. Just don't have the energy to attend the local meets and I don't drive at night. They always seem to take place after dark. I find that I can only take my kids in small doses. It just wears me out sometimes. I love them, but...

I also still work 2 hours a day. My employer is very good about letting me set my own hours and limit them as needed. So I'm not totally alone. My husband is here, but he has his own health issues.

[3uph0riabunnyfac3]

Something I thought was neat about our group is that once a month is 'caretaker night'.
The group here meets once a week (well twice, but the other is a brunch group on a different day) and each week of the month is a specific theme. The first week is a guest speaker, the second week is caretaker night, the third is whine night and the fourth..I always forget what the fourth is...but if there's a fifth week, it's a potluck
The caretaker night is great, because caretakers can come every night, but on this night we split into two groups. Caretakers go into a different room and talk about anything and everything, while we stay in the room and have our own group. What goes on in the caretaker group never leaves the room. It's nice to have that space for them, and for us.

[Cat Mom]

Our MS Society chapter has a financial info session each year that's super informative. It covers such topics as applying for, and maximizing tax credits when filing income tax, tax free savings vehicles for disabled, renovating tax credits to make your house accessible, what can be claimed, etc.

As income tax rules change annually, it's good to go to these sessions to stay up to date. We are already taxed to the eyeballs so every credit counts.

If you have the opportunity to attend or arrange one of these, it's very worthwhile.
Jen