This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

I am 37 Yrs old, married & have 3 children and by the grace of God involved in my business upto now. I'm still working, walking and able to lead an 'almost' normal life but I'm restricting hectic schedules or stress. At this point of time it feels that I should be looking seriously to find alternative cure because the doctors of western medicine have their hands for and nothing more to offer.

I was first diagonised in 1997 and after that every 2 years I have had relapses which has affected the motor symptoms and lower limbs and after taking the IV steroids 6 times (once every 2 years) upto now I have been able to recover almost fully. Unfortunately after 2004 this time in May 2006 I have had another attack / relapse but this time after taking this steroids the recovery has not been so much ,I could say about 50 to 60% & still now I have balance problems, problems and walking and standing for long and small numbeness areas on the inner sole beneath the toe It feels that there is a small band at the end.

On reading and browsing the net it appears to me that if the disease is of a relapse and remitting type it will change it course after 9 to 10 years & enter into the Progressive stage. I do not know that now after almost nine years what is the future and I am sitting on the brink.

Last May 2006 had another symptom when similar IV was given. This time my recovery was only 80%, and I have still some symptoms:

My present problems since MAY 2006

Fatigue & Weakness in legs & balance problem while walking
Stiffness in legs, feet would feel stiff and could not move if walked over 1 KM, only could walk by literally pulling my feet.
Involuntary Jerks in legs
Difficulty in standing for long

SIDE EFFECTS OFF TAKING AVONEX
Now my Doctor advised to start AVONEX Betaferon 1A. I took the 1st shot last week Monday at 9 PM but 2 hrs later had the side effects:

Fever 104 , Severe shaking, trembling in limbs/body, chill, tiredness, nausea and dizziness. This lasted overnight but the fever & tiredness continued till the next day . I have some questions:

QUESTIONS
I don’t know whether this side effects is common for everybody taking avonex.

Will there be similar symptoms would have been every time I would take this medicine AVONEX.

Does anybody have any idea about the long-term results of taking this medicine

Whether Avonex does any help in anyway, if taken for long time.

Does anyone have any experience with anything that helps or CURE in this disease

You can contact me on manishjjw@hotmail.com

You may be able to find helpful suggestions to deal with several of your questions in prior threads which discuss dealing with the side effects of Avonex. Here are a few links to some of my prior posts on this topic.

Re: when is enough enough?
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopicp-5466-.html#5466

Re: Will the side effects ever cease?
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopicp-8575-.html#8575

Re: Too many choices
http://www.thisisms.com/ftopicp-9962-.html#9962

Anyways, I hope that those discussions are helpful for you. The last one has links to my supplement regimen which I feel has helped me to slow down the progression of this damned disease (note that it was an old post and some things may have changed since then, e.g., I've lowered my cod liver oil dosage while I've bumped up my omega-3 fish oil and vitamin D dosages and I've also added turmeric as a supplement).

NHE