This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

I've been wondering about this for a long time.

Do you believe that ms can remain dormant between relapses? Or even dormant after diagnosis for a long time?
By dormant I mean no activity.

Because ms is a degenerative disease I get the idea from a lot of literature that damage is always occurring even if one is relapse free. Of course I want to be mistaken!
So for people who have mild ms and are well, does that mean that constant damage is being done regardless?

What are your thoughts?

I went 4.5 years between my first acute relase and my second. It's been another 4 years since that one. Relatively speaking my MS is mild at this point (EDSS is 1 at my worst). But I still think damage accumulates throughout at some level. This belief keeps me exercising and eating properly, as to limit this damage and aid in recovery.

check out benign multiple sclerosis, eg:
Patient reported outcomes in benign multiple sclerosis
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21372114

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my approach: no meds so far - just balanced whole foods (partial 'paleo', much less outright elimination), science, supplements, & bloodwork
my regimen - www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2489.html
www.whfoods.com, www.nutritiondata.com

Dietary patterns in clinical subtypes of multiple sclerosis: an exploratory study
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2731789/

"...Using a food diary during 14 days, the dietary intake of 23 nutrients and vitamins was measured in patients with primary progressive (n = 21), secondary progressive (n = 32), and benign multiple sclerosis (n = 27) and compared to each other. The intake measured was also compared to the intake of the Dutch population and to the recommended daily allowance.
...
Compared to the other MS groups, the secondary progressive MS patients had a lower intake of magnesium, calcium and iron. The total group of MS patients had, compared to the Dutch population, a lower intake of folate, magnesium and copper and a lower energy intake. Compared to the daily recommended allowance, the MS patients had a lower than recommended intake of folic acid, magnesium, zinc and selenium."

_________________
my approach: no meds so far - just balanced whole foods (partial 'paleo', much less outright elimination), science, supplements, & bloodwork
my regimen - www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2489.html
www.whfoods.com, www.nutritiondata.com

My wife went 20 years from her first serious attack to when the disease came back and started to progress. And she didn't use any medication since there wasn't anything available back in the 70's and 80's.

But although she didn't suffer another attack in all those years, that doesn't mean that nothing was happening in her system. Each patient is different and when it comes to MS, you can't paint everyone with the same brush.

Harry