b"Medicine & ResearchA s k t h e M S Nu rs eA s k t h e M S Nu rs eCherie Binns is a MS-certied nurse living with MS. She is the patient healthcare liaison for MS Focus and a member of the MS Lived Experience Advisory panel for the Foundation. Her quarterly column addresses the issues of living with MS.Dear MS Nurse,Dear MS Nurse, I'm a little freaked out. Last night I wokeIjustcamehomefrommydentist from a dead sleep three times, clutching myappointment. I have 11 cavities. A year ago, throat, feeling like I couldn't breathe. I felt likemy teeth were good. Im trying to gure out I was gasping for air, which caused me to wakewhy my teeth are deteriorating so quickly. I in panic. It felt like my body forgot how totried to think of what has changed in the last breathe. I cant recall any dreams, just thoseyear. My MS has progressed signicantly in the terrifying gasping moments. It scared the crapprevious year and a half after seven years of out of me. Should I be worried? I'm afraid tonoprogression.Itakebladdermedication, sleep now. Do you think it's MS-related? which causes dry mouth, which my dentist Monica M.told me is one of the main causes. I have also Binns: Nearly half of all people with MS oftenbeen getting steroid injections into my knee experience sleep disorders. Fortunately, sleepthis past year.Beth I. studies can now be done in your own homeBinns: Thereareseveralissueshere. Your andbed.Let yourprimarycarephysicianbladder medication dries your mouth, which know about this so they can order one andcan be a major contributor to dental decay. treat accordingly.Also, the steroid injections may have a negative effect on your bone and tooth health. Your Dear MS Nurse,primarycarephysicianneedstobemade Why is my heat sensitivity so much worseaware of this; they may order a bone density this year?Chad E.scan to see if you have bone thinning. Steroid Binns: Some medicationsspecically tricyclicuse is a signicant factor in tooth breaking, antidepressants, used to treat nerve pain intooth loss, or decay. Have you had an MRI MS, and SSRIs, used to treat depressioncansince the progression began? If not, one should increase heat sensitivity. They cause increasedbe done to see if a change of medication is sweating, which can lead to dehydration andindicated. a sense of overheating. You did not say if thereDear MS Nurse, has been a change in medication, but thisI was diagnosed with MS a year ago. I am may be a contributing factor. Also, drinkingtaking Tecdera to manage my MS. We want alcohol-containing beverages can often createto start our family, but my friends keep telling a sense of overheating, so if you are consuming,me I will give my MS to the baby, and it would limit those on days where the temperaturesbe selsh to want to get pregnant. My OB/GYN are elevated.told me I need to go off my meds when I get msfocusmagazine.org 34"