This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Hi,

I wanted to provide my story of the disease I have and what I am doing about it.

So, one day back in the fall of 2009 I suddenly started having double vision, fever, headaches and vomiting.

I went to the hospital and after several days of tests it was concluded that I have Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelistis (ADEM). For those who are'nt familiar with this disease, it is a MS spectrum disease that usually occurs once but has a sudden onset (sort of an acute form of MS).

So after a month in the hospital I was released but had paralysis in my legs, urinary retention and erectile dysfunction. I have since had numerous relapses (double vision, optic neuritis, hand tremmors, tingling in extremities). So, this is reffered to as reccurent ADEM. Most people with this are ultamately diagnosed with MS.

Since then I have been doing a lot of research on MS and have come to the conclusion that MS is a disease caused by a defect in the regulatory immune system. A key factor that controls the immune system is Vitamin D (this is actually a hormone).

This fact is now being discovered by immunologists and I would like to provide some links to articles on this subjects:

http://brain.oxfordjournals.org/content/132/5/1146.short

This is an excellent article on the cause of MS. You have to read the full version for the Vitamin D action on the disease.

http://www.jni-journal.com/article/S0165-5728(07)00317-7/abstract

Here are initial trials with high dose Vitamin D on MS patients.

http://www.neurology.org/content/74/23/1852.short
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21179201

Finally here is a paper on the safety of Vitamin D.
http://www.ajcn.org/content/69/5/842.full

These articles are just the tip of the iceberg.

I hope this gives you incentive to investigate this yourself.

Personally, I have been taking 40,000 IU/day for the last 3 months and feel great. (no relapses or Hypercalcemia). I realize there are some unknowns with this (pancreatic cancer), but I am willing to take this risk.

I'm not saying you should try this or that you are going to have the same results as me, but it is something to consider.

Have you had your level checked? If not, it is a good idea to have a 25(OH)D and a 1,25 (OHD)2 level checked at a reputable lab (Lab Corp or Mayo lab are the best) as soon as possible and aim for a level around 80ng/ml. Anything more than that and you are adding a significant risk to yourself.

Alternatively, use lower oral Vit D and supplement with the Sun Lamp. You cannot get toxic on Vit D with the sun lamp since the body shuts off the skin production once an adequate level is reached.

Hope this is of some help.