This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

First off I want to say I'm new to this forum and ask forgiveness for posting in wrong place if I have. Like the heading says I am at my wits end. I was diagnosed with ms in 2001 and not long after with bipolar 2. The reason I feel I the way I do is I don't know what I can do anymore. I have been getting physically weaker in the last year but have been hiding it well from wife and kids. I know she notices but I think she does not realize how bad it has gotten. I hide the pain and other things from them as to not have them worry about me. My biggest dilemma is work. I am the sole provider for my family at the moment but being so is putting a terrible strain on my body as well as my relationship with my wife. As most of us now pain is a part of MS and I deal with that on my terms but having bipolar mood swings on top of pain I see nothing but pain in the eyes of my wife and children. I can't stop working but I fear something is going to happen. I have no medical coverage and I make just enough to keep us off the list for help. I do not know what to do anymore. My wife is great and she is trying hard to find a job but as you know they are tough to come by. My pain and fatigue levels are through the roof right now. I just don't know what to do. I am asking for suggestions that I can take to help me get through this. Any help is greatly appreciated.....

sorry to hear what you're dealing with

all i can offer personally, other than a sympathetic ear, is nutrition advice. but action costs money. the only thing i can thing of suggesting that would have approx the same price tag would be to rejig the family diet so that the things that are bought for everyone are not things that will set off your various signs and symptoms. i'm here on the ms forum, but i have a track record for keeping people with bipolar in good shape too.

anyway the basic idea is, boost omega 3 foods and reduce omega 6 to help fight inflammation, dump processed foods/drinks and choose whole foods, boost nutrient dense foods, including those containing healthy fats (eg flaxseed, salmon) and boost food sources of zinc and magnesium. eat lots of nuts and seeds, but again, balance the fatty acids. i can help you figure it all out. make sure you consume things that are fortified with vitamin d3. it's important to have lots of zinc and magnesium to help with the d3 absorption.

another way to help boost zinc is to apply penaten cream (18% zinc oxide - yes the stuff for diaper rash) to your skin. it'll absorb in and help your levels. also, to boost magnesium try epsom salts baths. the salts are magnesium sulfate. magnesium is great against pain and fatigue. also, with zinc and magnesium helping you absorb d3, that can be useful for pain too.

if you can save up for, or get some help to buy an extra strength high quality multivitamin, that would be a highly useful addition too.

hope there's something in there you can use!

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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

Welcome to ThisIsMS, LJ.

To jimmylegs' excellent suggestions I will just add: From this day forward, eat a healthy diet (a good idea for everyone). Many people find that diet can influence the symptoms of MS. In my opinion, this means a low-carb diet -- remove all sugar (including beer, wine, etc. which have sugar), remove all artificial sweeteners, including sugar alcohols like sorbitol, xylitol, etc., remove all trans fats, and white flour, white bread, white potatoes, white rice (in fact, remove all carbs so far as possible) from your diet.

My suspicion is that excess insulin and Fatty Liver Disease are involved with MS, since visceral fat (belly fat) secretes cytokines (like poison to the internal organs), which lead to increased insulin (which I suspect is the cause of MS symptoms), which leads to inflammation which leads to more visceral fat… And the cycle goes round and round. Diet is important; in fact, you may find the account of Dr. Terry Wahls and her dramatic improvement interesting (http://www.TerryWahls.com).