(NAPSA)—Her friends kept telling her she was just depressed. After all, not only had 18-year-old college freshman Erin Morrow recently lost the sight in her right eye, but her closest pal had just been killed in a car accident. Her mother, a nurse, suspected that her depression andsightloss, coupled with recent onset of numbness in her fingers, might mean a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (M8). MSis a chronic, unpredictable disease of the central nervous system, and symptoms can include fatigue, vision problems, weakness, numbness, tingling, stiffness, dizziness, loss of bladder control and slurred speech. Erin’s mother was correct. After a confirmed diagnosis and researching appropriate MStreat- Erin Morrow (left) is one of many MS sufferers helped by a program involving specially trained nurses. treatment, but also gave her lessons to maintain a healthy diet. They have established an after enrolled in the MS Pathways ongoing relationship. “Sherry’s goal is to help people,” said Erin. “Her focus is to make MS as manageable as possible and trained nurses, called B.E.T.A for me.” The B.E.T.A. Nurse and MS Pathways programs were devel- ments with her physician, Erin began taking Betaseron, and soon program, designed to help patients manage the disease. The program provides a network of specially- Nurses, who help Betaseron patients learn proper injection techniques to help ease their start on medication, teach skills to help patients manage their MS symptoms, and offer ongoing support to patients and their family and friends through a toll-free number anytime, day or night. “Patients often just need someone to talk to about the problems they’re facing,” said Erin’s nurse, Sherry Adcock, R.N. “Support programs, such as those offered through the B.E.T.A Nurses and MS Pathways provide positive motivation and support to people living with MS.” Erin met with Sherry, who not only taught her how to inject her that’s exactly what she has done oped by Berlex, the marketer of Betaseron (interferon beta-1b), a medication approved for the treatment of relapsing forms of MS. Betaseron is a form of a naturally occurring protein produced in the human body, called interferon, which helps regulate the immune system. The most commonly reported adverse reactions for Betaseron are lymphopenia, injection site reaction, asthenia, flu-like symptom complex, headache and pain. For more prescribing information, visit www.betaseron.com. For more information about the B.E.T.A Nurse or MS Pathways programs,call 1-800-788-1467 or visit www.MSPathways.com.
