This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

My family and friends held a surprise "liberation anniversary" party for me a few days ago. Since TiMS is where I got most the information I used to make my decision to get "fixed", I want to update everyone here on my progress. Over this year I've seen the following changes:

Fatigue: this has been my biggest change. About a week after returning from Poland I noticed that I wasn't as fatigued, that special MS fatigue I expect you know well. Sometimes over the next few weeks or so I would say that my MS fatigue was 80% reduced. For me this was the biggest improvement in terms of change to my quality of life.

Mobility: Within a month of the procedure, I stopped using my cane except for longer walks, to provoke sympathy at airports, or when i was reminded by my physiotherapist that I should use it to help me learn how to walk right again. My EDSS has gone from 5.5 to 4.5, but I still have a bad limp and can't go more than a few hundred meters without a rest. I have days when my walking is worse, but sometimes that's caused by too much red wine.

Balance: My balance got better a few weeks after Poland and has stayed much better all along (again, except when I've had too much wine).

Strength: My left side has been weak since early in my MS, but I did see a noticeable improvement a few weeks after the procedure when I did my regular workout. While this varies considerably day-to-day, I would say that it has only improved a little more (if at all) in the months since then.

Bladder function: I was already on Flowmax when I had the procedure and I just stayed on it, so it was hard to tell if any improvements were due to the procedure or the medicine. However, I stopped Flowmax a month ago and most of my improvements remain.

And finally, starting a couple of months ago, I began noticing that my left foot wasn't feeling frozen all the time... I finally have warm feet again!

...Ted

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Dx SPMS in 2004.  Liberated 29/04/2010.
My blog: www.my-darn-ms.blogspot.com

Congratulations Fiddler, and thanks for the update.

it is good to hear you are doing so well. can hardly believe it's been a yr. since you got treated.

Amazing!! Congratulations and thank you for dropping in to share the good news.
I love these posts

Congrats, fiddler. A full year!!

Wow, you give me hope. Just got my appt and was so happy to know after one year, you are still doing fine....maybe the secret is the wine!!!!
I started to read some negative results and started worrying forthe first time.
I am going to start drinking immediately.
Best wishes for years to come!

kiki

yeah on you fiddler
just realizd its mine too, but i had to go back in august when i got a stent, and now with intimal hyplasia, i still feel better, and have great hope it won't be long before they have more and more answers to all our complex issues.
at least our blood is flowing not refluxing.
fiddler, your posts convinced me about Oanda for transfering money to poland, tx

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PPMS. Liberated Katowice, Poland
06/05/10 angioplasty RJV-re-stenodsed
26/08/10 stent RJV
28/12/10 follow-up ultrasound intimal hyperplasia

Wow, a year already, and good news to go with it!
Glad to hear it!

Thanks, everyone and here's hoping there continues to be good news for all of us this year (as I raise my glass in a toast). Hmmmm... maybe it is the wine that's kept my blood flowing so well!
...Ted

_________________
Dx SPMS in 2004.  Liberated 29/04/2010.
My blog: www.my-darn-ms.blogspot.com

fiddler..... I love this "patient anecdote". It is the stories like yours that give us all hope

ozarkcanoer

Good on you, Ted!

Last year at this time we were wondering if the Icelandic volcano was going to keep us away. I had my alternate route through Tokyo-Moscow-overland all mapped out. Thankfully, I didn't need it.

And ditto to Esta on the Oanda tip.

Keep on with the red wine, I know that it helps. Hiccup.

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My name is not really Johnson. MSed up since 1993

Yes, (not) Johnson, we got lucky with the volcano thing.

By the way, I didn't mention that I got an electronic walk-aide ($6000, paid for by our HR dept) to help with my continuing toe-drop. It seems to help some. Now that the snow and ice is gone I should be able to give it a real test with some longer walks.

...Ted

_________________
Dx SPMS in 2004.  Liberated 29/04/2010.
My blog: www.my-darn-ms.blogspot.com

This is so encouraging, Fiddler (on the roof, soon?) and thank you for the post. I could care less what the skeptics think, we are the science.

I hope many, many more improvements come your way.

Congratulations fiddler. And thank you stopping back in to give us an update a year after your Liberation procedure.

WeWillBeatMS

Oh, and here is an excerpt of a more subjective summary of what "liberation" has done for me that I included as a testimonial in the http://www.newhopeforms.ca website:

_________________
Dx SPMS in 2004.  Liberated 29/04/2010.
My blog: www.my-darn-ms.blogspot.com