Actress Selma Blair Says ‘I’m Stiff All the Time’ – 25 Years Since ‘Cruel Intentions’ Hit Theaters, the Highs and Lows

@selmablair Health update 💛 Living with MS #InBedWithSelma ♬ original sound – Selma Blair

“I don’t live in fear of this condition,” Blair once said on the “Today” show. Her stubbornness to let the chronic disease control her is among the many admirable traits of the mother of one.

Blair underwent chemotherapy as part of her treatment for MS. She shared a photo on her Instagram post-chemotherapy of her hair regrowth after losing it during treatment, a common side effect of chemotherapy.

“A large amount of our chemotherapies do cause hair loss, not all of them,” Vivian Rusziewicz, a Nurse Practitioner for Ohio Health, told SurvivorNet.

“Generally, in terms of hair loss, it would begin about three to four weeks after your first chemotherapy treatment. Generally, people will start to see some regrowth about four to six weeks after their last treatment. As long as you aren’t being treated with another medication that might cause hair loss,” Rusziewicz added.

Blair found solace in a bone marrow transplant to help her manage MS symptoms. More specifically, she underwent an autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) (also called bone marrow transplantation). This form of therapy helps “reset the immune system.” It involves taking stem cells from the bone marrow or blood, wiping the immune system clean with chemotherapy, and reintroducing the cells to grow a new immune system.

Research published in Frontiers in Neurology last year says autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) (also called bone marrow transplantation, with autologous meaning a patient’s own cells) used for multiple sclerosis therapy helps “reset the immune system.” Several studies and clinical trials using AHSCT have shown promise.

“In a meta-analysis of published studies using AHSCT for MS treatment, the pooled estimated transplant-related mortality was 2.1%, two-year disease progression rate was 17.1%, five-year progression rate of 23.3%, and a pooled 83% of patients with no evidence of disease activity at two years. Patients who had the most benefit and least mortality rate were patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS).”

Additional research published by NEJM Journal Watch says that AHSCT helps MS patients with relapse reduction better than some other forms of MS treatment.

More recently, in an Instagram story, she indicated that although she got her MS symptoms under control, she still occasionally deals with pains “Today” reported.

“I still get tired. I still am stiff all the time,” Blair said.

She also revealed she’s living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. According to the National Organization of Rare Diseases, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is “a group of related disorders caused by different genetic defects in collagen,” which is the connective tissue in the body. Symptoms of EDS can range from hypermobility to stretchy skin, muscle or joint pain, and muscle weakness.

“Ehlers Danlos will make you really stiff because I’ll pull my muscles too easily…so I get some injuries, but this is nothing that’s like horrible scary stuff or anything,” Blair said.

Understanding Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis causes the immune system to attack cells that form the protective sheath that covers nerve fibers in the spinal cord. The disruption leads to communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body. Once the protective barrier is damaged, the spinal cord struggles to communicate to the body’s arms, legs, and other parts to function normally.

Symptoms often associated with multiple sclerosis may include numbness, tingling, or sudden limb weakness that affects just one side of the body. Common symptoms include vision problems, lack of coordination, unsteady gait, and fatigue.

There is no cure for MS; however, managing symptoms is doable.

Common tools MS patients use to improve their quality of life include wheelchairs, canes, leg braces, and some medical treatments called disease-modifying therapies (DMTs).

A study in American Family Physician found that DMTs “has been shown to slow disease progression and disability; options include injectable agents, infusions, and oral medications targeting different sites in the inflammatory pathway.”

DMTs help stave off attacks of the disease and prevent relapses, which are triggered when the central nervous system becomes inflamed.

The drug mitoxantrone, which has been used as a DMT, is currently the only chemotherapeutic agent approved for the treatment of MS in the United States. An injection is usually given once every three months for about two to three years. The drug only helps control the disease and does not cure it.

While chemotherapy is widely known as a cancer treatment, it is also effective at slowing down or stopping disease activity in MS.

Questions for Your Doctor

If you are facing a multiple sclerosis diagnosis, you may be interested in learning more about treatment options to help you best manage your symptoms. Below are some questions to help kickstart a conversation with your doctor for solutions.

• What forms of treatment do you believe would be most effective based on my MS symptoms?
• Are there any side effects I should expect if I started the recommended treatment?
• How likely am I to be eligible for HSCT chemotherapy to help treat my MS?

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