I almost felt paralysed before scary MS diagnosis at 15 but here's how I'm symptom-free with normal life as a new dad
HEALTH PHIX I almost felt paralysed before scary MS diagnosis at 15 but here's how I'm symptom-free with normal life as a new dad
WHEN Dr Conor Kerley first started to feel unwell at just 15-years-old, his doctors thought he could have just had a virus.
But months later when his symptoms progressed rapidly, and his limbs started to feel paralysed, he was left with a life-changing diagnosis - multiple sclerosis.
3
Dr Conor Kerley was aged just 15 when he was diagnosed with MS
Credit: supplied
3
But now he has been symptom-free for over 23 years and lives 'a normal life'
Credit: supplied
The then teen was taken to Louth County Hospital on New Year's Eve in 2003 after his left arm became 'almost paralysed".
Conor was then referred to Beaumont Hospital for further tests - including brain scans - but after two weeks, he still had no diagnosis.
He told The Irish Sun: 'They told me it looked like a virus or something. So I started doing a lot of physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. I missed a lot of school.
'Then about two months later, I started getting symptoms in my face.
'I was put on medication for that and then that cleared up. A few months later, I got symptoms on my right hand side, so on my right leg and I was hospitalised again.
'I was admitted for about two weeks all together. This time, they had all of the findings from all of the three relapses and came back with a diagnosis of MS.'
MS is a chronic disease of the central nervous system that affects the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves.
It is an autoimmune disorder, which means the body's immune system attacks its own healthy tissues.
When Conor received the diagnosis, he and his family were left in shock trying to grapple with what it meant - and with "very little information" available, they were coming up short on answers.
Dr Kerley then decided it was time to take the research into his own hands.
Multiple Sclerosis explained
He said: 'The world was very different. [in 2003] It's hard to even imagine. There was no WhatsApp, there was no Facebook. We didn't have internet at home. So I used to go to my local library and get the books out.
'When I was diagnosed, I still remember being in the room with the doctors and the nurses and my mum was crying. She's actually got 12 siblings, six brothers and six sisters. It's a big family.
'It wasn't like a really strong genetic history or anything like that. From there, I started on medication, which was injections. But I got really, really severe side effects.
'I WAS MISERABLE'
'I was just miserable. I was feeling tired. I had sore muscles, sore bones. I was missing more school. At that time, I was in transition year.
'And I decided to stop the medications because I just felt so bad. I knew that MS was very serious, so I knew I couldn't just do nothing. I made it my mission to find out how to live healthy. But the reality is, at the start, I didn't really know what to do.'
The now award-winning researcher, who is originally from Co Louth but lives in Dublin, wanted to be a professional athlete but his diagnosis completely changed the course of his career.
'I was admitted for about two weeks all together. This time, they had all of the findings from all of the three relapses and came back with a diagnosis of MS.'
Dr Conor Kerley
He went to Trinity College Dublin to receive his degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics in 2010.
He told The Irish Sun: 'I learned skills of how to interpret science and how to read scientific research.
'I started by finding out specific research that had to do with MS. I was able to do that on my own.
NO RELAPSES
'And I still play sports. I'm still active. And I have not had any symptoms or relapses since 2003. And I don't take any medication.
'And now I try to help people with MS as much as possible all around the world with my own research and expertise.
'It's not just nutrition, but nutrition is important, as well as exercise, sleep and stress management. And then not smoking, not drinking excessively, and also some supplements as well.'
WHAT IS MS?
MULTIPLE Sclerosis is a complex and often unpredictable neurological condition affecting the brain and spinal cord.
In simple terms, it happens when the immune system mistakenly attacks the myelin sheath - the protective coating around nerve fibers.
This causes inflammation and damage that disrupt the messages the brain sends to the body, leading to a wide range of symptoms that can be overlooked.
Statistics show it strikes women two to three times more often than men, typically between ages 20 and 40 - the prime of their lives.
More than 9,000 Irish people are living with MS and it is the most common chronic disabling disease of the central nervous system affecting young adults in Ireland, according to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland.
But Dr Kerley said its symptoms can vary and people living with the condition can also experience a range of invisible symptoms, such as fatigue, cognitive issues, pain, bladder, and bowel problems.
FIRST SYMPTOM
He explained: 'For everybody it's different because MS affects any part of the brain and any part of the spinal cord. So, it depends on where the lesions are.
'If the lesions are in different areas, you can have different symptoms. For me, it started with loss of functional power of my limbs.
'But for other people, it can be vision loss. It can be bladder loss. It can be bowel issues. It can be fatigue. It can be so many, many different things. For everybody it's really quite different, but probably one common one is eye issues.
'The symptoms can vary. So a lot of people maybe don't look stable, so not in a wheelchair, but they may have a lot of fatigue. They may have eye issues, they may have mood issues, they may have bladder issues, for example.'
'And I still play sports. I'm still active. And I have not had any symptoms or relapses since 2003. And I don't take any medication."
Dr Conor Kerley
Dr Kerley commenced nutritional research studies at Connolly Hospital and the National Children's Hospital after he received a degree from TCD and earned a doctorate from the School of Medicine and Medical Sciences at University College Dublin.
In 2020, he set up his own nutrition products company, Phytaphix, based on his research and expertise in a bid to help millions of people around the world, including those living with MS.
Dr Kerley told us: "I've been able to do scientific research and find what individual nutrients have been studied, specifically in MS. And these are nutrients which sometimes are in the diet and sometimes aren't in the diet.
'And [based on] some nutrients, I have been able to formulate a product. So, for example, some of these nutrients have been shown to reduce brain destruction.
BRAIN SHRINKAGE
'What happens is as we get older, our brain starts to shrink a very, very small amount each year. But in people with MS, the brain starts to shrink a little bit faster. This is obviously a bad thing. We don't want this.
'These nutrients have been shown to help stop this brain destruction in [people living with] MS. I've been able to formulate a product which I take myself, and lots of people with MS [also] take it around the world, and have really felt its benefits.
'But it's not a medication. It's a dietary supplement which contains some really interesting nutrients. It comes from specific plant and animal products, which are generally not part of the diet.'
COMMON SYMPTOMS OF MS
Common symptoms of MS are: Fatigue: Not your average tiredness—this is bone-deep exhaustion.
Vision problems: Blurred or double vision, or even temporary vision loss.
Numbness and tingling: Often in the face, arms, or legs.
Muscle weakness: Making everyday tasks feel like climbing a mountain.
Mobility issues: Trouble walking or balancing.
Cognitive difficulties: Memory lapses or a 'foggy' brain.
Spasms and stiffness: Muscles that just won't cooperate.
Bladder and bowel problems: A less glamorous but common challenge.
MS is unpredictable - you might have periods of remission where symptoms vanish, followed by flare-ups when they return.
This 'on-again, off-again' nature can be frustrating and means people can be in anticipation of a flare.
While there's no cure yet, treatments like disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), physiotherapy, and lifestyle changes can help manage symptoms and slow progression.
Dr Kerley's Neuro Phix products are based on his own research with MS and is designed to support with nervous system, fatigue and inflammation.
He has been symptom-free for over 23 years and has continued to live 'a normal life'.
He added: 'I have a normal life now, thankfully. I run a business. I'm a new dad. My son just turned one.
'I don't have any symptoms. I don't take any medication.
"I think it's really important to eat healthy, to exercise, make sure you sleep well and try to avoid too much stress and tobacco - and some nutrition supplements are really, really important.'
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The Louth native wanted to be a professional athlete but his diagnosis changed the course of his career HEALTH PHIX I almost felt paralysed before scary MS diagnosis at 15 but here's how I'm symptom-free with normal life as a new dad WHEN Dr Conor Kerley first started to feel unwell at just 15-years-old, his doctors thought he could have just had a virus. But months later when his symptoms progressed rapidly, and his limbs started to feel paralysed, he was left with a life-changing diagnosis - multiple sclerosis. 3 Dr Conor Kerley was aged just 15 when he was diagnosed with MS Credit: supplied 3 But now he has been symptom-free for over 23 years and lives 'a normal life' Credit: supplied The then teen was taken to Louth County Hospital on New Year's Eve in 2003 after his left arm became 'almost paralysed". Conor was then referred to Beaumont Hospital for further tests - including brain scans - but after two weeks, he still had no diagnosis. He told The Irish Sun: 'They told me it looked like a virus or something. So I started doing a lot of physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. I missed a lot of school. 'Then about two months later, I started getting symptoms in my face. 'I was put on medication for that and then that cleared up. A few months later, I got symptoms on my right hand side, so on my right leg and I was hospitalised again. 'I was admitted for about two weeks all together. This time, they had all of the findings from all of the three relapses and came back with a diagnosis of MS.' MS is a chronic disease of the central nervous system that affects the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. It is an autoimmune disorder, which means the body's immune system attacks its own healthy tissues. When Conor received the diagnosis, he and his family were left in shock trying to grapple with what it meant - and with "very little information" available, they were coming up short on answers. Dr Kerley then decided it was time to take the research into his own hands. Multiple Sclerosis explained He said: 'The world was very different. [in 2003] It's hard to even imagine. There was no WhatsApp, there was no Facebook. We didn't have internet at home. So I used to go to my local library and get the books out. 'When I was diagnosed, I still remember being in the room with the doctors and the nurses and my mum was crying. She's actually got 12 siblings, six brothers and six sisters. It's a big family. 'It wasn't like a really strong genetic history or anything like that. From there, I started on medication, which was injections. But I got really, really severe side effects. 'I WAS MISERABLE' 'I was just miserable. I was feeling tired. I had sore muscles, sore bones. I was missing more school. At that time, I was in transition year. 'And I decided to stop the medications because I just felt so bad. I knew that MS was very serious, so I knew I couldn't just do nothing. I made it my mission to find out how to live healthy. But the reality is, at the start, I didn't really know what to do.' The now award-winning researcher, who is originally from Co Louth but lives in Dublin, wanted to be a professional athlete but his diagnosis completely changed the course of his career. 'I was admitted for about two weeks all together. This time, they had all of the findings from all of the three relapses and came back with a diagnosis of MS.' Dr Conor Kerley He went to Trinity College Dublin to receive his degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics in 2010. He told The Irish Sun: 'I learned skills of how to interpret science and how to read scientific research. 'I started by finding out specific research that had to do with MS. I was able to do that on my own. NO RELAPSES 'And I still play sports. I'm still active. And I have not had any symptoms or relapses since 2003. And I don't take any medication. 'And now I try to help people with MS as much as possible all around the world with my own research and expertise. 'It's not just nutrition, but nutrition is important, as well as exercise, sleep and stress management. And then not smoking, not drinking excessively, and also some supplements as well.' WHAT IS MS? MULTIPLE Sclerosis is a complex and often unpredictable neurological condition affecting the brain and spinal cord. In simple terms, it happens when the immune system mistakenly attacks the myelin sheath - the protective coating around nerve fibers. This causes inflammation and damage that disrupt the messages the brain sends to the body, leading to a wide range of symptoms that can be overlooked. Statistics show it strikes women two to three times more often than men, typically between ages 20 and 40 - the prime of their lives. More than 9,000 Irish people are living with MS and it is the most common chronic disabling disease of the central nervous system affecting young adults in Ireland, according to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland. But Dr Kerley said its symptoms can vary and people living with the condition can also experience a range of invisible symptoms, such as fatigue, cognitive issues, pain, bladder, and bowel problems. FIRST SYMPTOM He explained: 'For everybody it's different because MS affects any part of the brain and any part of the spinal cord. So, it depends on where the lesions are. 'If the lesions are in different areas, you can have different symptoms. For me, it started with loss of functional power of my limbs. 'But for other people, it can be vision loss. It can be bladder loss. It can be bowel issues. It can be fatigue. It can be so many, many different things. For everybody it's really quite different, but probably one common one is eye issues. 'The symptoms can vary. So a lot of people maybe don't look stable, so not in a wheelchair, but they may have a lot of fatigue. They may have eye issues, they may have mood issues, they may have bladder issues, for example.' 'And I still play sports. I'm still active. And I have not had any symptoms or relapses since 2003. And I don't take any medication." Dr Conor Kerley Dr Kerley commenced nutritional research studies at Connolly Hospital and the National Children's Hospital after he received a degree from TCD and earned a doctorate from the School of Medicine and Medical Sciences at University College Dublin. In 2020, he set up his own nutrition products company, Phytaphix, based on his research and expertise in a bid to help millions of people around the world, including those living with MS. Dr Kerley told us: "I've been able to do scientific research and find what individual nutrients have been studied, specifically in MS. And these are nutrients which sometimes are in the diet and sometimes aren't in the diet. 'And [based on] some nutrients, I have been able to formulate a product. So, for example, some of these nutrients have been shown to reduce brain destruction. BRAIN SHRINKAGE 'What happens is as we get older, our brain starts to shrink a very, very small amount each year. But in people with MS, the brain starts to shrink a little bit faster. This is obviously a bad thing. We don't want this. 'These nutrients have been shown to help stop this brain destruction in [people living with] MS. I've been able to formulate a product which I take myself, and lots of people with MS [also] take it around the world, and have really felt its benefits. 'But it's not a medication. It's a dietary supplement which contains some really interesting nutrients. It comes from specific plant and animal products, which are generally not part of the diet.' COMMON SYMPTOMS OF MS Common symptoms of MS are: Fatigue: Not your average tiredness—this is bone-deep exhaustion. Vision problems: Blurred or double vision, or even temporary vision loss. Numbness and tingling: Often in the face, arms, or legs. Muscle weakness: Making everyday tasks feel like climbing a mountain. Mobility issues: Trouble walking or balancing. Cognitive difficulties: Memory lapses or a 'foggy' brain. Spasms and stiffness: Muscles that just won't cooperate. Bladder and bowel problems: A less glamorous but common challenge. MS is unpredictable - you might have periods of remission where symptoms vanish, followed by flare-ups when they return. This 'on-again, off-again' nature can be frustrating and means people can be in anticipation of a flare. While there's no cure yet, treatments like disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), physiotherapy, and lifestyle changes can help manage symptoms and slow progression. Dr Kerley's Neuro Phix products are based on his own research with MS and is designed to support with nervous system, fatigue and inflammation. He has been symptom-free for over 23 years and has continued to live 'a normal life'. He added: 'I have a normal life now, thankfully. I run a business. I'm a new dad. My son just turned one. 'I don't have any symptoms. I don't take any medication. "I think it's really important to eat healthy, to exercise, make sure you sleep well and try to avoid too much stress and tobacco - and some nutrition supplements are really, really important.'
