This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

Made me laugh in Stir Crazy.

RIP Richard Pryor.


And they tell us that MS doesn't kill!!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4517714.stm

Bromley, it says he died of a heart attack. The heart attack could have just as easily been a resullt of high cholesterol. I think it would be best to wait until more details emerge regarding the cause of death before we reach our final verdict.

Heart conditions seem to be a very common cause of death for people with MS. Not that I have reasearched it, and not trying to puch anything off topic, but this niggles me a little considering some recent research into heart conditions and CPn. But it could just be the inability to excercise while in a wheelchair.

Merlin,

He had heart attacks in the past and by-pass surgery. So a heart attack probably killed him. But being slumped in a wheelchair and unable to speak is about as near to death as you can get in my view.

His daughter is an MS Ambassador for the NMSS so I hope she continues the work.

The sad thing is that all the newspapers refer to him as the comedian with MS. It's sad that one gets remembered for the disease they had rather than the joy that brought to others.

From what I saw most of the people interviewed on CNN remembered him for the work he did and the barriers between language and race he helped break.. He was given kudos from many in the entertainment industry as the man who paved the way for both current and future generations of black comedians.

If there is one mishap / accident outside of comedy that he is remembered for its the time he was free-basing cocaine and lit himself on fire. I saw that mentioned more times than Multiple Sclerosis.

The man despite his illness was both a pioneer and a legend. He'll live on in all of our memories. The only positive outcome that might come from this unfortnate loss is that M.S. may again be shoved into the spotlight. Thus inspiring people to try and do more to help find a cure / better treatments for this disease.

Not to sully Pryor's memory but let's not forget, he did A LOT of heavy drugs. For those who don't know, freebasing cocaine means cooking cocaine with a solvent like ether before you smoke it. Not exactly the breakfast of champions. And this is not something Pryor did once or twice, my friends. He had a habit that started in the 1960s.

There's no way, I repeat, NO WAY, his drug usage did not contribute to the severity of his illness.

I've never done an illegal drug in my life and I have MS. Are you telling me that if I had, my MS would be much worse than it is today? Albeit clearly unhealthy, I've never seen any study linking drug abuse to MS progression.

I can't comment on the impact of his alleged drugs use, but research (see NMSS website) shows that Black Americans tend to have a more aggressive disease course. Probably a genetic issue.

He was certainly brave with the level of disability he suffered and, as already pointed out, one can only hope that the profile of this vile disease is raised.

Ian

Brownsfan wrote:Albeit clearly unhealthy, I've never seen any study linking drug abuse to MS progression.

The National MS Society reported the following on April 28, 2005
Study Reports Association Between Smoking And Progression Of MS

The proportion of people who had ever smoked was 45.8% among people with MS and 39.4% among controls. Data on the duration or intensity of smoking were not obtained.

People who smoked had a moderately increased risk of developing MS compared with those who did not smoke.

Of the 179 people with relapsing-remitting MS, 20 people (11%) converted to a progressive course during the period of follow-up. The risk of developing secondary-progressive MS was more than three times higher in smokers than in non-smokers.

NHE

Not to poo poo on the memory of a legend, but the question about his drug use and his MS condition. It sure didn't help any to loose brain cells and whatever else. I just hope they don't pin MS as his medal of death. So far, they haven't much. You know how headlines are.... Star dies of complications of MS. I actually heard that one. Well he did not, necessarily. He had a heart attack and anyone can have that. "Dying" from MS is one of my pet peaves. Maybe it's because my father in law has been telling people for over 20 years that Gary is dying. Even when we have explained everything to him. But I guess we are all dying. Closer to it every day we get up!

Does anyone know what type of ms Richard Pryer had? It seems he went downhilll very quickly, not the heart attack of course, but just in general, he seemed to lose a lot of function very quickly. From what I can tell he was diagnosed around 45 years old and five years later was almost unable to walk. I've read, as Bromley has noted, that ms in African Americans can tend to be more aggressive....

I've also read that men are more severely affected. However, I suspect that men are just more reluctant to see a doctor until their condition has worsened, which may skew the stats.

Here's the report about black people and MS.

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Research-2005Jan19.asp

The report says that black Americans take 16 years to reach EDSS (need a cane) as opposed to 22 years for white Americans.

This seems remarkably positive i.e. if my neuro had told me I might need a cane in 22 years I would not have felt so devastated at the dx. But it also seems very far from reality. Has anyone made it to 22 years with MS without needing a cane? I thought that by 10 years + it was wheelchairland or electric buggydom.

One report in the newspapers said that Richard Pryor spent a lot of time in a dark room and always had a handgun by his side. It wasn't clear if this was to end his suffering or to take out the neuros who had done so little for him!

Not sure if this is true but I heard that only 30% of people with MS end up needing a wheelchair.

My GP told me that when I had just been diagnosed.

I know even 30% is 30% too many, but it makes a little it less bleak. Sorry - can't find the words. It's pretty awful any which way.

J.

Brownsfan wrote:I've never done an illegal drug in my life and I have MS. Are you telling me that if I had, my MS would be much worse than it is today? Albeit clearly unhealthy, I've never seen any study linking drug abuse to MS progression.

Freebased coke is not just any illegal drug. Freebased coke is crack cocaine, and this is some very serious shizzle, my friends. Cocaine, already brain-impactful, plus cut with a solvent, fired up, and smoked. Again and again. And again. If you're ill, it ain't gonna make you better.

Cocaine Pains Brain
Drug Damages Brain's Pleasure Center (aka, reduces dopamine)

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/57/66171.htm

Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research
Dopamine Fails to Regulate Activation of Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes from Multiple Sclerosis Patients: Effects of IFN-?
(aka, something's wrong with the dopamine system in MS patients)

summary: Failure of the dopaminergic system of lymphocytes may lessen the threshold of T cell activation and sustain the pathogenic cascade of MS.

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