 Q: What is your general opinion of the use
of CAM by people with MS?
It is a well known fact that more than 50 per cent of the people suffering from a chronic condition such as MS will look for alternatives when most of the conventional care options have been exhausted. So I assume that many of my patients will be taking CAM too. As their physician I like to be informed about their use of CAM and I encourage them to talk about it.
The use of CAM can be seen as the patient’s valuable way of being in charge of his or her disease and the doctor’s job is merely to advise, so that people don’t harm themselves.
Q: Do people with MS commonly come to
you with questions about CAM? And do they ask questions before starting a CAM, or after?
If there is mutual respect and trust, the resulting good communication will mean that questions about CAM are openly discussed. There is however no rule. Sometimes it is only when I propose a CAM, such as acupuncture or herbs, that the patient reveals he or she has already tried it. Or sometimes when a CAM a patient has chosen fails, they then come to me for advice on
another one.
Q: What is your usual approach in talking
to patients about CAM?
When taking the history, the use of CAM should be addressed in a systematic way, just like questions about drugs, allergies and new symptoms. I routinely ask about CAM during clinic visits and record CAM use in my patients’ medical charts.
Q: Do people try to hide the fact that they
are using CAM from you, or from other healthcare professionals?
Interestingly many of my patients say they have not talked about CAM with their GP, fearing his or her disapproval.
Q: Do you find that people with MS are well-informed about CAM?
The internet has greatly broadened people’s knowledge on CAM. Some patients have very detailed information – usually they know more than we do. We health professionals should keep ourselves informed on this topic so that we can advise our patients well.
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