MS is a chronic disease of the central nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. MS attacks myelin, a material that supports nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
Canada has one of the highest rates of MS in the world, with 12 Canadians diagnosed every day. While there are treatments, they do not prevent mounting disability and reduction in quality of life.
We provide specialized care and support to over 4,000 patients from across Canada.
Using an interdisciplinary approach, our researchers are studying MS in all its aspects and at every stage: from brain imaging to the basic biology of nerve cells to immune response.
At The Neuro, transitional research is integrated with clinical programs to translate discoveries into novel therapeutics.
We offer:
Room 203
Tel.: 514-398-1931
Fax: 514-398-7454
This guide is for you! It is designed to help answer some of the common questions you may have and how to navigate more effectively in our clinic. We hope this improves your experience and outlines the important role you can play in taking care of your health.
We are an interdisciplinary team of professionals who provide management and treatment of Multiple Sclerosis for patients and their significant others living with the disease.
We have a large specialized clinic following more than 3000 patients, divided between two sites: the Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital) and the Montreal Neurological Clinic (Glen site).
Call our nursing help line at 514-398-1931 option 3
Open phone lines are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 9:00AM-12:00PM.
Leave a detailed message including your name, telephone number, and reason for call and a nurse will call you back, typically within 48 hours.
A follow-up time will be determined at your visit, but it is not always possible to schedule it at the end of the visit. We do keep track of follow-up appointment lists, however due to the high volume of patients we cannot ensure routine booking of follow-up visits.
If you need to be seen in the MS Clinic or have not received an appointment 2 months prior to its intended time (for example, in January for an appointment due in March), contact the MS Clinic office at 514-398-1931 option 1.
You will be contacted by the Montreal Neurological Hospital Radiology Department for booking your appointment.
If you notice the MRI scheduling is delayed beyond the time recommended by your neurologist, contact the radiology department at 514-398-1910, as they may accommodate you in case of a last-minute cancellation.
If you are still unable to obtain an MRI appointment after contacting the radiology department, it is important that you inform us by contacting the MS clinic at 514-398-1931 option 1. We will do our best to try to minimize delays.
Once your MRI is complete, please call the MS clinic at 514-398-1931 option 1 to book a follow-up appointment to review the results with your neurologist.
Call our nursing help line at 514-398-1931 option 3
Open phone lines are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 9:00AM-12:00PM.
Leave a detailed message including your name, telephone number, and reason for call and a nurse will call you back, typically within 48 hours.
Please note: The MS clinic is closed on all major and hospital holidays. A delay in call backs is to be expected. In case of an emergency, we recommend to call Info Sante 811 or present to the emergency room.
New or worsening MS symptoms may be due to a relapse or pseudo-relapse (pseudo-exacerbation).
A pseudo-relapse is a temporary worsening of old symptoms triggered by infection, heat exposure, fatigue, stress, medication changes, etc.
Relapses may be treated with high dose steroids, however not all symptoms require treatment. The decision to treat your MS is based on the severity of symptoms and the effect on your everyday ability to function. Pseudo-relapses are treated by addressing the underlying cause.
Please let your MS Clinic nurse know if you are having a relapse because it may indicate that you require an MS therapy, or re-assessment of your current disease modifying therapy.
Here are some available options:
You can ask your doctor to renew all prescriptions during your visit at the clinic.
If you are in need of a renewal between two clinic visits, please ask your pharmacist to fax a request for renewal to the attention of your doctor at 514-398-7454
If you are missing a requisition, and are on an MS therapy, first contact your patient support program. As a second option, call our administrative assistants at 514-398-1931, option 1 or 2.
Please note that most disease-modifying therapies require safety laboratory monitoring. It is your responsibility to ensure that you do those within the recommended interval.
Yes, blood tests can be done at the Neuro in room 243, Monday-Friday between 9:30-12:00 and 13:00-14:00. No appointment is needed.
The frequency of follow-up visits varies and will be determined together with your neurologist during your visit. It is not always possible to schedule your follow-up at the end of the visit.
We keep track of follow-up appointment lists, however, due to the high volume of patients we cannot ensure routine booking of follow-up visits.
If you need to be seen in the MS Clinic or have not received an appointment 2 months prior to its intended time (for example, in January for an appointment due in March), contact the MS Clinic office at 514-398-1931 option 1.
If you need to cancel an appointment, please let us know as soon as possible by calling our clinic at 514-398-1931. If you reach our voicemail, please leave a message. We kindly request that you provide at least 24 hours’ notice so that we can offer the appointment time to another patient in need.
If you are unable to attend and do not inform us, we will not book another appointment for you until we hear from you. To reschedule, please call our clinic at 514-398-1931. There may be a wait for another appointment.
Forms that require the expertise of a neurology specialist and medical letters will be completed by our clinic. The form will be completed within 30 days of receipt.
Please note that there will be an administrative fee for these services (see below), in accordance with RAMQ regulations for non-covered services.
If you have questions or need to send a form, please call administrative assistant Sarah Schulman at 514-398-1931 option 2
The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital) is a leading research center for multiple sclerosis. As a patient of the clinic, you may be invited to participate in research projects. However, participation in research is entirely voluntary. Your decision to participate or not in research will have no impact on the quality of care you receive.
One of our ongoing research studies is called DEMySTIFI. In this study, we closely monitor individuals with multiple sclerosis to identify factors influencing the progression of this disease. Our hope is that the findings from this study will deepen our understanding of science, and more importantly, enable us to provide more precise and personalized care to patients. If you are interested in participating, please contact our coordinator Christel Dias at christel.dias2 [at] mcgill.ca.
For more information about recruiting clinical trials, contact the MS Team at ms-cru.neuro [at] mcgill.ca.
More information is also available on the website https://cru.mcgill.ca/ms/
MS Canada
There is a wealth of information about MS on the Internet. We suggest that you start with the MS Society pages: MS society of Canada https://mscanada.ca/
The Neuro Website
For current information on clinic services and research, access our web page
https://www.mcgill.ca/neuro/people/field_mprofile_location/multiple_sclerosis_program
MS Canada - Quebec Division
Services offered:
Finding a psychologist
Psychosocial services
The CLSC offers psychosocial services. You can try to self-refer as a patient or you can call the MS clinic if you need a referral.
How to find your local CLSC?
Quebec government website: https://sante.gouv.qc.ca/en/repertoireressources/clsc/
Telephone: Montreal region - 514-644-4545 / Elsewhere in Quebec - 1 877 644-4545 (toll free).
Mental health concerns
The Neuro (Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital) is a bilingual academic healthcare institution. We are a McGill research and teaching institute; delivering high-quality patient care, as part of the Neuroscience Mission of the McGill University Health Centre. We are proud to be a Killam Institution, supported by the Killam Trusts.
