This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Lots of news coverage today on this topic--

87% of the women who did not breastfeed after pregnancy had relapses (one year follow up)

while only 36% of the women who did breastfeed exclusively after pregnancy had a relapse.

Can Breastfeeding Reduce Multiple Sclerosis Relapses?

Another article, same news,

Breastfeeding "can reduce chance of multiple sclerosis sufferers having a relapse"

It's the initial study--but may help some with decision making.

Sharon

Please see my posts. I nursed my son for more years than is considered acceptable in our society. MS was never better controlled. Once I stopped I went downhill rapidly. Please do searches for prolactin and mylein regeneration. I don't know of any other substance that has that effect. Based on personal experience: If at all possible: NURSE NURSE NURSE without formula supplementation.

Sandy

Wow!



The really interesting thing about this is that MS is usually capricious in its attacks and you can't know if a treatment actually prevented a relaspse or if one wouldn't have happened at that time anyway. It is one of the big difficulties in interpreting a particular treatments real effectiveness rates.


But in this case we have a period of time that we know relapses predictably happen and treatment results in 87% of them still having a relapse.

Makes you think it is not all that effective to use current treatments; this is one situation where they should have been able to show a predictable success rate if they could have done.

I'm delighted that women can use this information to make a better decision about post partum approaches and thrilled something natural and beneficial for moms and babies is best.

I'd also look into the power of oxytocin- a neurotransmitter which is essential for breast milk let down. Stress is an inhibitor of oxytocin...this is why nursing women are told to relax, maybe have a beer, and not be tense. From Wiki...



Here's a doc who thinks oxytocin (available in a nasal spray) should be tested in MS patients...

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m ... _n16675816

Good for baby and mother!
AC

_________________
Husband dx RRMS 3/07
dx dual jugular vein stenosis (CCSVI) 4/09
dual stents placed 5/09
CCSVI in MS

being just a man, I have no idea what I am talking about, but would a breast pump be sufficient? and going out on on an even thinner limb, don't other women produce milk if they use a breast pump?

no.

Cure...yes, a pump keeps the milk flowing for gals who work, or are not able to breastfeed on demand. I don't think gals who have not given birth have all the necessary hormones flowing to produce lactation.

But, I do have something that can benefit men and women...oxytocin. Whaddya know, it's a vasodilator too! Maybe this is why breastfeeding reduces MS exacerbations?

http://www.raysahelian.com/oxytocin.html


AC

_________________
Husband dx RRMS 3/07
dx dual jugular vein stenosis (CCSVI) 4/09
dual stents placed 5/09
CCSVI in MS

when I first read this thread, I searched the Internet, and found the following "post". I tried to find the studies referenced, but came up empty handed.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0ISW/is_275/ai_n16675816



I also did a quick check on women producing milik, without giving birth, and found the following in the wiki.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breast_pump
I am guessing they got the text from here. http://www.breastpumpsource.com/why-breast-pump/

When I tried to re-initiate lactation after my MS was spiraling down, I was not able to. Some women can. There are medication that can increase prolactin levels and help adoptive women with the process as they latch the adopted infant on for the direct stimulation of the breast. After a while they can produce milk on their own, but not as much as if they had given birth. It takes a lot of stimulation to get to this point.

I am currently 8 weeks pregnant and this is very heartening news for me!

CureOrBust - pumps would work however generally, they don't produce as much milk as actual nursing does. Or course it varies woman to woman.

My son just turned 8. He was and is allergic to all foods. I nursed him for about 4 years. MS was in control before then, but seemed to improve a bit during nursing. Got pregnant with Sammi (not planned) and I had to stop nursing- I could only eat 1 food while I nursed Jon and couldn't find a doc to implant a feeding tube in him- he refused the elemental formula orally and was allergic to all foods besides lentils even thru the breastmilk. Didn't think eating 1 food was enough to support a pregnancy. I actually had a VERY mild attack during first trimester with Sam when I stopped nursing Jon. Nursed Sammi for as long as I could- she is allergic to all foods as well and I couldn't find anything to eat to nurse her- they both have eosinophilic gastroenteritis. I was pumping and dumping 40 ounces a day and was still engorged during the first 10 weeks post-pardem. Took 5 months for my milk to dry up- once it did the MS started getting bad and didn't stop. Sammi is a bit over 3. If the studies had come out, I would never have stopped pumping. Probably would still be walking, running and functioning perfectly. I was on copaxone the whole time I was pregnant and nursing. It was no better than a placebo. My doc was adamant about me not nursing to take the copaxone I said "NO Way." I had no idea it was really the lactation until I stopped.

Thanks for the kind words. No doubt in my mind that being pregnant, pregnant and nursing or just nursing for 5 1/2 years was keeping the MS at bay. Lactation also inhibited ovulation and menstruation in me for 3 full years too. But the only direct relationship was ceasing lactation. Since I had that minor attack during the first trimester with Sam immediately after weaning Jon, I should have had a clue.