This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

I normally read these forums and have never posted. But this topic is a subject that is near and dear to my heart. I will explain why.

My wife (28 years old now) was diagnose with MS 1 year ago today. She had zero symptoms up until 4 years ago. The strangest part of her discovering that she had MS is that she had an attack during pregnancy. Which, according to current science is relatively unheard of, from what I have been reading.

Here is where the blood thinning comes into my post. She was taking Garlic Supplements her entire life from the direction of her mother telling her it was good for her to fight off illness. I always questioned why she was taking them as it didn't seem like something a young lady would have to take on a daily basis.

We tried to get pregnant and when she was around 24 years of age. It ended in a miscarriage and a lot of bleeding (don't mean to be graphic) but it made us wonder why is it we are having trouble for her to get pregnant and to carry a baby.

Her family doctor asked her if she was taking anything out of the ordinary over the counter stuff. She told him that she was taking Garlic Supplements. He advised her to stop taking them as the blood thinning properties would prevent her from developing the baby or could increase the chance of miscarriage.

Sure enough after only being off the Garlic Supplement for less than 3 months she got pregnant and everything seemed to be going well, then about 3 months in she had a lot of bleeding and having problems like weak left leg, numb foot, pressure behind her eyes, dizziness, fatigue. She had to come off work. The doctor told her it could be her job, she stands 8 hours a day. (knowing now it was the first attack).

After she delivered our son (which had complications, which is another story in itself) symptoms of left leg numbness and foot, with pressure behind her eyes, foggy head continued. Her Doctor was quick to pick up on these issues and had her get MRI. Which here in Newfoundland it is like trying to win the lotto. So it took nearly another year before she was able to get it, all the while she had other attacks.

Sure enough after the MRI she was discovered to have MS. But she never went back on her Garlic Supplements. I have been years trying to convince her to go back on them as I suspected that it was a blood flow problem long before the News broke on CCSVI.

She is currently on Avonex and she has not had another attack in 1 year, but her symptoms are still there occasionally from day to day.

In the past year I have also flipped our diet, we eat all organic foods with lots of garlic, ginger, and other fresh herbs. We also eat many dishes comprised of Turmeric, Curries, Cayenne peppers. We eat almost zero sugar, and we keep our daily intake of salt around 800-1000 mg per day. The salt intake is even less than that on most days. We avoid Beef and eat a lot of chicken dishes, fish, local meats such as pork, moose, etc..

We know that foods that regulate blood flow, thin the blood and curries have a direct affect on how she feels in general. I believe she should be back on the Garlic Supplements but she is afraid that it will thin her blood too much. As she thinks that Avonex is actually thinning her blood.!?

Sorry for the huge rant but it is probably why I try to stay silent.

It's all very interesting. I didn't know about garlic being a blood thinner.

I think a lot of people on this board might go out and be buying garlic now ...

Hi Silent-
no need to stay silent...you've come to the right place. Pregnancy is a time of changes for a woman's vascular/hormonal system, and many woman present with their first MS flares after giving birth. We don't know why (yet) but tying this to the blood makes sense to me.

It was searching for ways to deal with the high SED rate, hypercoagulation and sky high high liver enzymes that my husband presented with at time of his first MS flare and diagnosis that put me on the vascular path three years ago. Here's the paper that covers that journey and research:
Endothelial Health Program
I mention many supplements to help coagulation, SED rates and inflammation: including garlic, tumeric, bromelain, quercetin and proteolytic enzymes. Lots of diet info, too--and the science that shows how endothelial disfunction affects autoimmune disease.
Wishing you and your wife the best...keep us posted as to how she fares. If she is truly worried about thinning her blood too much, have her GP do a blood panel on her and check her SED and INR rates...it will make her feel better to know what's up.
best,
cheer

_________________
Husband dx RRMS 3/07
dx dual jugular vein stenosis (CCSVI) 4/09
dual stents placed 5/09
CCSVI in MS

Hello Cheer

I would like to thank you for your excellent advice regarding CCSVI.

I believe that AlmostClever should start an index alike Dr Sclafani's

with your posts.

miranda