MouseW wrote:Anyways I have been dodging any drugs since my son was born in June 2011 due to breast feeding. I am now having a nasty relapse following the birth of my daughter 7 weeks ago and am considering steroids but I really do not want to stop breast feeding.
Mrs. George,
Here's what the prescribing label for Solumederol from Pfizer says about breastfeeding:
Nursing Mothers
Systemically administered corticosteroids appear in human milk and could suppress growth, interfere with endogenous corticosteroid production, or cause other untoward effects. Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants from corticosteroids, a decision should be made whether to continue nursing, or discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.[/b]
Although it has not yet been tested in pwMS, Prof Colleen Hayes recently published a
study comparing a single high dose of the bioactive form of vitamin D followed by moderate, daily doses of over the counter vitamin D3 and found that in her mice, it was far superior in all respects.
This treatment stopped EAE in 100% of her mice.
It kept 100% of them in remission.
And, the mice recovered full function in their paralyzed tails and legs.
Mice are not humans and EAE isn't MS, but there are many reasons for thinking this may work at least for some people with MS in lieu of steroids and following clinical trials in humans, as an alternative to DMDs.
This works by supporting the immune system which is controlled by regulatory hormone vitamin D rather than suppressing it as steroids and DMDs do.
Plus, I can almost guarantee you that a single dose of calcitriol and a year's supply of vitamin D will be less expensive than a course of IV steroids and a tiny fraction of the prices being charged for DMDs.
You will have to talk your doctor into writing a prescription for calcitriol.
Happy to send you copies of the relevant papers for your doctor to consider if you PM me with an email address.
If you have a very liberal neuro, you might be able to convince him or her to try this, but otherwise, I would be inclined to talk to my GP.
The main risk with high dose calcitriol which has been used in the treatment of patients with kidney disease for more than 30 years is hypercalcemia.
But this is a single dose which is cleared from the body within 6-8 hours so there really is minimal risk.
If it works as it did in EAE mice, it should have more effect and quicker and longer lasting results than steroids.
