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The relapse/remitting nature of MS can also contribute to the particularly long times that it can sometimes take to get a correct diagnosis. In my own case, I had my first symptoms in 1991. I was then completely asymptomatic for another 8 years and did not experience any other problems until 1999. Sometimes I think that if I had been correctly diagnosed at the earlier date that I might have been able to change a few things that would have successfully delayed the onset of further problems I now experience.
So, what would I have changed? These changes might have included the very changes I have made in my life now, such as eliminating substances from my diet, such as garlic and other compounds, that are known to increase the activity of T cells or increase proinflammatory factors such as IFN-gamma (I used to eat a lot of garlic), consumption of omega-3 fish oils (I've never really liked eating fish so I've been starving my system of these important nutrients), vitamin D supplementation (in my mid teens I used to be tan but I've avoided the sun since then), and I would've also switched over to green tea from the black tea that I used to drink (green tea contains the antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which inhibits NF-kB which is a transcription factor known to be involved in the production of proinflammatory cell signaling proteins).
Anyways, these changes may have made a difference. Then again, they may not have. With a sample size of just one, it's extremely difficult to know especially with the relapse/remitting nature of the disease. If I had been diagnosed at that time and someone had told me that standing on my head would cure MS, then I could have been standing on my head for 8 years thinking that that's what was helping me. This is one of the reasons why studies need to be performed with large numbers of people in them, i.e., to eliminate (or at least reduce and account for) the random variation induced by the very nature of this disease. Of course, this also suggests that the dietary changes I've outlined above may not be effective for people with MS. However, I've found evidence in the scientific leterature that supports the conclusion that they should be helpful (still it's difficult to know for certain).
Yet, the important thing, which I alluded to in my first sentence, is to get a correct diagnosis. There are several conditions which can produce symptoms similar to MS. Many of those are treatable (and with considerably less expensive drugs). I would hope that anyone going through this difficult time can have the patience to do what is necessary to obtain a correct diagnosis.
NHE
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