This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Hello, I am currently waiting for my 2nd opinion in October, but was curious if anyone is playing sports with a spinal lesion. I have a lesion at C2, and have had some sensory symptoms only. I have had no muscle weakness or anything. My neuro diagnosed me with MS with MRI's showing 1 lesion on the brain and 1 in the spinal cord. The lumbar puncture results came back perfectly normal. He keeps pressing me to start meds, but i am hesitant until i get my 2nd opinion.

I was curious if anyone has any experience with spinal lesions and sports. I currently play Ice hockey (non-checking so no hitting), and my neuro has told me to stay off skates until I start the meds. I can't get a clear answer as to why. Is a lesion the same as a spinal injury, where a fall can make things worse? I am looking for opinions and answers.

Thanks!

That sounds totally bogus, to me. The damage from MS is totally different than what happens with spinal injuries, and has nothing to do with impact or other physical 'insults'.

But the thing that makes me think "Run away! As fast as you can!" (:wink:), is that he would tie your activity to taking MS meds. NOTHING about the DMDs will protect you from injury of any kind, so even if there was a good reason not to play hockey, his 'condition' (meds before hockey) is totally irrational. I'd keep getting opinions, for sure!

I mostly stick to hiking and canoeing, but I have both spinal lesions and bad discs. If I was gonna play hockey (or any contact sport) I'd worry a whole lot more about the discs than the lesions...

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RRMS dx 3/3/11; Copaxone since 12/1/11

Thanks for the reply. I have tried googling repeatedly to see if a spinal lesion is the same as other spinal injuries, but cannot find anything. Basically i am wondering if i have a bad fall, does the lesion make risks of that fall worse? I definately have some concerns with my current neuro which is why i scheduled the 2nd opinion with a MS specialist. For example, i was diagnosed with MS just based off of MRI's and this was his first conclusion completely disregarding any other options or questions that i have. The lumbar punctures are coming back completely normal as well.

hey there here's my example of a "yes it can make it worse" scenario. in my case, my diagnosis came after a 'whiplash headsmash' wipeout on a snowboard. i had an existing c-spine lesion causing some mild (and originally reversible) sensory loss, but i didn't actually know about the lesion yet. that info came a week later, after a whirlwind blur of days in mri machines and testing labs, along with the ms diagnosis. it took me months to regain basic functionality and i still have sensory loss in my hands that has only slightly improved since 2006. i remember the feeling going. first the outer ring and pinky fingers, and the next day the inside fingers and thumbs. now i just feel like i have gloves on all the time, that's my new normal. it would be cool if they figure out how to repair cord injury. i would like to feel my hands properly again. at least these days i can walk normally (most of the time), type properly, and play guitar okay, and carry things, and wash my own hair. for the better part of a year, those things were not possible. glad to hear your LPs are coming in normal - my understanding of that is that your system is not showing signs of dealing with chronic inflammation, not yet anyway. take good care of yourself!

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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

It also sounds a little manipulative. You want to do something. He says, ok, but under these conditions. Potentially, an injury in the same area could increase inflammation. However, it still sounds like he's trying to manipulate you in order to get you on meds.

NHE

i think the 'why' is because SOP for neuros is to get patients on meds because it's 'supposed' to be better. longer term studies have shown that's not actually true.

i have a strong anti-med bias, so i'll balance out the pro-med end and maybe you can find someone in the middle with that second opinion. or come over to the dark side lol.

from the nutrition standpoint, if i were in your shoes i'd be trying to figure out what might have caused those lesions to occur, and comparing my own nutritional status with the list of nutrients known to be off in ms patients. to see if there were any matches. here's one example: an old protocol for ms (klenner, an oldie but a goodie for its time) has a strong emphasis on treating with vitamin E. (vitamin B complex also very prominent). interestingly, interferon-beta has been shown to normalize low vitamin e levels. i wonder how that happens exactly! and why the heck one wouldn't just eat more vit E rich foods... (and/or take a good quality natural source E8 complex supplement)

Nonenzymatic antioxidants of blood in multiple sclerosis (1999)
http://www.springerlink.com/content/dflv5gx818uhy8dd/
We investigated the plasma level of lipid peroxides ... (glutathione, α-tocopherol, retinol, plasma sulfhydryl groups, and uric acid) in multiple sclerosis patients with exacerbation or in remission, including a group treated with β-interferon. ... the ratio of plasma α-tocopherol to cholesterol plus triglyceride was decreased (P < 0.001). ... β-Interferon increased plasma α-tocopherol levels (P < 0.001)

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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

I would say it depends. I have a C-2 lesion as well, but most of my problems stem from lesions on my cerebellum. Exercise can exacerbate symptoms from overheating the body. I have some spasticity (stiffness) in my right foot that gets worse when I get too warm. This happens a lot when I walk my dog. I'll be fine at the beginning, but I'll have difficulty controlling it towards the end. On the other hand, exercise can be quite beneficial. I'd love to get on skates again, though my balance may be a bit interesting!

Thanks for the replies everyone. I think i might start with some basic skating drills and sessions to see how my body reacts to the cold temperatures in the ice rink, then sweating due to all my pads. I wont be in scrimmage or game situations so the falling risk is very low. I'll start out small and see what happens.

Jimmylegs.....I have been taking D3, fish oil (omega 3-6), one a day vitamins, and B-12 suppliments and have been reading things about the anti-inflammatory qualities of blueberries and other food items. I have also read that One a Days don't absorb entirely so i have been looking at other formats of vitamins. I would love not to do any injections, but am afraid of what would happen. That being said, i am also afraid of what the injections will do to my body.

hi yea one a days aren't my favourite. what kind of b12 are you taking? as in, what type of cobalamin is used in your product?
if you have a browse through my regimen thread first post on page one there are some nutrients of interest for ms patients, with target levels in serum if you have access to testing. plus suggestions for supplement forms (i don't inject, personally).

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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

It is 3000mcg of Cyanocbalamin. I heard this isn't the best form however. I read that methylcobalamin is the best form of B12. I was unable to find it at a local store, so will look online or at a nutrition store.

i figured :S oh well. yes nutrition store is the way to go for locating better quality forms. or online, as you say.

methylcobalamin sublinguals @ 1000 mcg should do. you'll absorb it better if you boost your zinc intake. plus the zinc will do way more for you than just improve b12 absorption. it helps improve d3 absorption too. and helps with hundreds of body processes.

a high quality multi could get you partway there on both counts. i just switched from progressive multi to AOR ortho core. the AOR one has methylcobalamin and for the vitamin E it has the full E8 complex. i have never seen such awesomeness! although, i don't understand their choices for magnesium, i'll have to ask about it. also, the intended delivery is via two capsules with each meal. doing that i'd rifle through the whole bottle in a month! at this point i'm thinking it's probably worth it. i might be able to drop a few things i had been taking separately...

anyway. happy hunting

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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