b'Creating the Narrative for Your ComorbiditiesLiving with MS can feel like navigating a maze of symptoms that affect every part of your daily life, even with the right healthcare team by your side. On top of this maze, many people with MS also live with other comorbiditiesother health conditions can make managing MS even more challenging. Comorbidities such as heart disease, depression, or gastrointestinal (stomach) problems can all interact with your MS and make day-to-day functioning more complicated. Thats why its so important to have open, honest conversations with your doctor, making sure to discuss not only your MS symptoms but also the symptoms and challenges from any other health conditions you may be managing. But before you can discuss these challenges with your doctor, it helps to establish a mutual trust and understanding of your health concerns. On one end, you, as the patient, are relying on your provider to understand your unique needs and identify which symptoms belong to which health condition. On the other end, your neurologist relies on you to provide accurate information that will help them to identify if a symptom is related to MS or if they need to refer you to a specialist for something else. For example, if you are exhibiting fatigue but also have sleep apnea, you may not be able to identify if the fatigue is due to your MS or due to your sleep apnea not allowing you to have proper rest. When these symptoms, among the countless others, overlap, documentation is important. Having an accessible form of note-taking can help in this situation. Whether it is a journal, an app on your phone, or a voice recorder, anything helps, because it can be difficult to recall everything that has happened since your last doctor visit. Use the table below for suggestions on what to jot down when new symptoms occur.Symptom description What is the symptom?Start DateWhen did the symptom rst appear?Was it sudden or gradual? FrequencyHow often does the symptom occur?Is it constant or intermittent? Duration How long does each episode last? Has this changed over time? TriggersWhat seems to bring on the symptom?Are there specic activities, foods, or environments involved? Relief methodsWhat, if anything, helps alleviate the symptom? Have you tried medications or lifestyle changes? SeverityHow intense is the symptom on a scale of 1-10? Has it worsened or improved over time? Associated symptomsAre there other symptoms that occur when this occurs? Effect on daily life How does this symptom affect your ability to work, exercise, or engage in hobbies? Previous occurrencesHave you experienced this symptom before? If so, when, and how was it managed?23'