If you have any concerns about your body weight and how it may be affecting your MS, don’t hesitate to bring it up at your next regular doctor’s appointment — whether that appointment is with your primary care doctor or a neurologist.
“Not enough neurologists are bringing up weight as an issue,” says Grebenciucova. “I think there has been a reliance on primary care doctors to manage weight, but it’s our responsibility as neurologists to talk about weight as a risk factor for progression of multiple sclerosis.”
Depending on your needs and concerns, your doctor may be able to help you in several ways, Grebenciucova says, including:
- Referring you to a physical therapist for a personalized exercise plan
- Referring you to a physical medicine doctor to evaluate your physical limitations
- Offering advice on diet and exercise
- Discussing or prescribing weight loss strategies
Many medical centers offer weight management clinics that use a variety of strategies to help people lose weight in a healthy way — including access to structured exercise programs, dietitians, and weight loss drugs when appropriate, says Christopher Lock, MD, a neurologist and MS specialist at Stanford Health Care in Palo Alto, California.
While GLP-1 drugs were developed to treat diabetes and obesity, “These drugs are now being tested for neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects in MS and other neurologic conditions,” says Dr. Lock. Generally, he says, real-world experience shows that people with MS tend to tolerate these drugs well, with no increase in disease activity.
Hou notes that doctors and nutritionists can offer evidence-based dietary advice, helping you lose weight while maintaining a healthy, varied diet. Physical therapists can help with issues that could be making it more difficult for you to exercise, such as improving your strength, balance, flexibility, and gait.
“It has been shown that working with a physical therapist or coach is motivating, and people tend to make greater gains in fitness when working with a specialist,” says Hou, adding that rehabilitation psychologists can help with mental barriers that often affect people with fatigue or physical limitations.
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