Anyone living with a relapsing form of multiple sclerosis (MS) is accustomed to anticipating, managing, and trying to prevent flares. This may take trial and error, since what works for one person may not apply to another. For MyMSTeam member Jenny Gattone, self-care is one item in her MS tool kit for preventing flare-ups.

Read on to discover three strategies Jenny uses to help prevent flare-ups of her relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Preventing RRMS Flares: My Goldilocks Checklist

One MyMSTeam member, Jenny, shares how she practices self-care to manage her flares.

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Transcript

00:00:00:00 - 00:00:27:03
Jenny
MS had turned me into Goldilocks. I had to be perfectly fine in order to not flare up. Like if I was too hot, too cold, too hungry, too thirsty, I would flare up, but if I fixed it, I was OK. It’s just a self-care system to try, and, you know, keep me feeling OK, and it was something I came up with going out.

00:00:27:05 - 00:00:49:01
Jenny
If I felt that way, and I tried fixing it and I still felt off, it was time to go home, but it’s something that I apply to my every day, and I play to work, too. You know, if I feel off, then I go through the checklist. If I’m too hot, I either take clothing off, put on cooler clothing, put the AC on.

00:00:49:01 - 00:01:10:18
Jenny
If I’m too cold, then I put on warmer clothing. If I’m hungry, I eat. If I’m thirsty, I drink water. If I’m too tired, I lie down. You know, unfortunately at work with that one, I just have to go home, but if I'm not, I lie down. I take a nap. This disease kind of does turn us into Goldilocks to an extent,

00:01:10:18 - 00:01:34:02
Jenny
so come up with your own self-care regimen — like, find your own way of saying, “OK, I feel a little off. How do we fix it?” So you don’t have to do it like I did. Everybody’s MS is different. It’s a very weird disease. It’s a very weird set of symptoms, and different things set off different people, and different things quell it,

00:01:34:04 - 00:01:44:05
Jenny
so find your own version of this. It will make your life easier. My name is Jenny Gattone, and I’m a member of MyMSTeam.

1. Tracking Triggers

After receiving her MS diagnosis, Jenny started an MS symptoms diary to track what triggered her flares and determine how to remedy them in the future. “If I was too hot, too cold, too hungry, too thirsty, I would flare up. But if I fixed it, I was OK,” she said.

It’s common for MS symptoms to worsen in heat or humidity — and even if it’s too cold out. Maintaining an optimal body temperature helps some people with the condition prevent these types of flares. “I joked with my roommates, my friends, and my co-workers that MS had turned me into Goldilocks,” Jenny said. “I had to be perfectly fine in order to not flare up.”

2. Checking for ‘Goldilocks’ Events

Jenny developed what she calls her “Goldilocks checklist” to navigate and manage her triggers. She can listen to her body to detect MS symptoms, refer to her notes in the checklist, and respond swiftly if one of her triggers is present.

“If I’m too hot, then I either take clothing off, put on cooler clothing, or put the air conditioner on. If I’m too cold, I put on warmer clothing. If I’m hungry, I eat, and if I’m thirsty, I drink water. If I’m too tired, I lie down,” she said. “It’s a self-care system to try to keep me feeling OK.”

3. Adjusting Routines

Jenny adds routines to help prevent flares, and she also removes triggers from her life when needed. For instance, she’s careful not to overexert herself when exercising — otherwise, she’ll experience cognitive symptoms and need to head home from work so she can rest. Leaving work means missing out on income, so she aims to anticipate her energy levels and avoid overexertion.

“My word of encouragement for people living with MS is to come up with your own version of the Goldilocks checklist,” she said. “Find your own way of saying, ‘OK, I feel a little off. How do we fix it?’”

Join the Conversation

On MyMSTeam, people share their experiences with multiple sclerosis, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

How do you practice self-care to prevent MS flares? Let others know in the comments below.

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