Livingwithss
Superficial Siderosis. Subpial Siderosis. Infratentorial Superficial Siderosis. No matter how your doctor officially labels your diagnosis odds are no one has the slightest idea of the battle you are about to face.
Due to the severe nature of the disease, in 2018 the Social Security Administration added superficial siderosis to the Compassionate Allowance list of conditions that allows for the fast-tracking of disability claims
What is Superficial Siderosis?
Explaining the process requires some big and complicated words. Not big as in real size or number of letters in a word but in the sense of consequences. Yes, it progresses slowly for those diagnosed, but what if those early years are spent searching for an explanation of random symptoms? Imagine living through a decade of endless testing and frustration with no answers.
Superficial siderosis develops when toxic iron molecules are curbed by a protein called ferritin. Together this forms a layer of hemosiderin that settles in various areas of the brain and spinal cord that are in contact with cerebrospinal fluid. Long-term exposure is toxic to the tissue underneath resulting in hearing loss, imbalance, dizziness, weakness, numbness and bowel/bladder dysfunction. Although easily identified by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), superficial siderosis is often confused for other progressive neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, or multiple system atrophy.
MY BLOGS
- LIVING WITH SUPERFICIAL SIDEROSIS https://livingwithss.com/
LATEST ARTICLES ( 148 )
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Deborah Hatch
Rare Disease UK “You’re quite a celebrity around here,” my neurologist says, as mum and I meet him in London for the third time since my Superficial Siderosis*... Read more
Posted on 28 February 2024 HEALTH -
Morrello Para-Triathlon 2023
Putting the ‘TRY’ in Triathlon Back in 2020 when I first start having neuro-physiotherapy at the Morrello Clinic, Allison my physiotherapist asked me if I... Read more
Posted on 24 September 2023 HEALTH -
Coping with Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is a medical condition characterized by the involuntary loss of urine. While we refer to incontinence as a symptom, it may be considered... Read more
Posted on 12 September 2023 HEALTH -
Captain Robert Cameron
A Nostalgic Look Back: Celebrating Success Stories for SS MonthOriginally published in April 2018, we’re taking a moment during Superficial Siderosis Month to... Read more
Posted on 07 September 2023 HEALTH -
The Psychological Journey with Superficial Siderosis
Living with Superficial Siderosis (SS) is not just a physical ordeal; it’s an emotional and psychological journey that affects not only the patient but also... Read more
Posted on 01 September 2023 HEALTH -
The Balance Struggle of Neurodegenerative Disorders
Understanding the intricate relationship between vision, balance, and neurodegenerative disorders like Superficial Siderosis is essential. Read more
Posted on 21 August 2023 HEALTH -
Embrace the Crunch: A Journey into Anosmia and Superficial Siderosis
The Unseen Influence of Smell on Taste Most of us take for granted how our sense of smell enriches our tasting experiences. The joy of savoring intricate flavor... Read more
Posted on 14 July 2023 HEALTH -
The Neurological Alliance Petition Hand-in
Department of Health and Social Care Members of The Neurological Alliance Co Production Group (a group of people from across the U.K. Read more
Posted on 18 June 2023 HEALTH -
Sundowning and Cognitive Decline in Superficial Siderosis
Managing the symptoms of sundowning and cognitive decline in late-stage SS can be challenging, but there are strategies that caregivers can use Read more
Posted on 15 June 2023 HEALTH -
A Year of Struggle and Change
; that’s what it has been for Gary, our family, and myself. Emerging from the isolation of the Covid lockdown, we were buoyed with optimism. Read more
Posted on 13 June 2023 HEALTH -
Regulating Body Temperature
Feeling Hot and Cold Here are a few reasons people with superficial siderosis may experience these temperature-related sensations. Read more
Posted on 31 May 2023 HEALTH -
The Cochlear Implant Journey
Prognosis Superficial siderosis can damage the cranial nerves which could prevent a cochlear implant from working. It wasn’t an easy decision to make by any... Read more
Posted on 29 April 2023 HEALTH -
Exploring Curcumin
The Role of Hemosiderin Hemosiderin is an iron-storage protein that forms when ferritin, a primary iron-storage protein, becomes saturated with iron. Read more
Posted on 18 February 2023 HEALTH -
Retrain Your Brain with Vestibular Therapy
Vestibular therapy exercises are designed to improve the vestibular system's function by challenging and retraining the brain to process information from the... Read more
Posted on 26 January 2023 HEALTH -
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
What is RBD REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) is a severe secondary condition to neurological disorders in which the pontine areas of the brain controlling REM... Read more
Posted on 25 January 2023 HEALTH -
What a Year! 2022 Summary
Overview 2022 has been a busy year on the awareness raising front, which is a brilliant feat for such a rare disease. With more awareness, there will likely be... Read more
Posted on 31 December 2022 HEALTH -
A Rare Reunion
From Tweetup to Meetup Rhys and Deb, 2019 It had been over three years since I’d first met my friend Deb, who also has superficial siderosis. We met on Twitter... Read more
Posted on 28 December 2022 HEALTH -
What the SSRA Means to Me
Nowhere to Go When I was first diagnosed with superficial siderosis (SS), there wasn’t much information around. It was a case of rummaging through Google to fin... Read more
Posted on 06 November 2022 HEALTH -
It’s OK Not to Be OK
It was RUOK day, but I was not OK. Yesterday was RUOK day, but I wasn’t. If I had been asked, I would have fallen to pieces. I did, anyway. On Tuesday, I had... Read more
Posted on 09 September 2022 HEALTH -
The Daily Frustrations of Superficial Siderosis
Making Plans Living with superficial siderosis is very frustrating, to say the least; it’s hard to plan anything due to the spontaneity of the symptoms, which... Read more
Posted on 01 September 2022 HEALTH