This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

I am reminded of the dozens of times over dozens of years that I was told my dizziness, numbness, reactions to heat, weakness, vision problems, etc. were "in your mind." Not until I became paralyzed and was diagnosed with MRI, spinal tap and evoked potentials was I taken seriously...me, a grounded health care professional, was treated like a psychosomatic nutcase. It's been 20 years since my diagnosis, yet recently I had a neurologist tell me that he didn't think I really have MS because, "you are doing too well." He could not see the invisible symptoms hidden behind my smile. I'm sure others have had similar experiences. So, lets not think too much about symptoms considered to be "in your mind" now being relieved by therapy whose results may be "in your mind."

"Hey Jeff, new therapies like this are usually assessed thru double-blind studies to account for the placebo effect. I was wondering if you are at all concerned that your improvements could be due to your mind instead of the treatment. "

Folks, this is not a phantom disease, nor a hyponchondriacal illness. It is real and I am grateful to hear from those of you reporting relief after years of symptoms. I don't need a double-blind study, I know how I feel, I know how my body behaves, I know what is happening in Italy and Poland, Canada and the US and I look to you to hear how I could feel if this treatment moves forward. We must all do our part to make that happen.