This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

So I was officially diagnosed with RRMS about 3 years ago now. I had multiple MRI's in the beginning to find a lession on my spine just below the base of my skull. My symptom at the time was right leg numb followed by enitre right side of body numb. This eventually went away about 8 to 12 weeks later. My neurologist stated there is a possibility it would come back. Sure enough less than 2 months later my left side went numb. Back tot he MRI and found two more lessions. Out comes my offical diagnosis.

Since then i have changed jobs and moved back to PEI (Canada) and now no longer have drug coverage because of the official diagnosis of MS. I have had no relapses in over 2 years and have just learned from my new neurologist that I have NO lessions. All previous lessions are gone. I have now had 3 MRI and same result.

I am hopeful that my MS is in full remission but feel strange that i have no lessions. I took Copaxane for about 12 months then stoped when no longer covered with a drug plan. I am not sure where to go from here? Is it possible I was misdiagnosed? If so how to turn that diagnosis around? If I am in remission (I would be extremely grateful) is this a normal course for MS patients?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

Hi!

And that is why I dispute the whole diagnostic process, as to why lesions occur on the brain, which is a French Doctors theory back in the 19th century after autopsy.

I think mine may have been stress related, either psychologically or physically that bit I am not 100% sure of.

But many say that their trigger for ms, was stress or some kind of whiplash incident say a car accident

Thanks for the reply. I should have stated that I have never had a lession in my brain.

Micko77

So how did they diagnose you 100%. In UK a lot of people are being left in "Limboland" due to having clear MRIs, so cant give a definite diagnosis.

Thats why I think there shud be a separate board for them on here, as their numbers are just growing.

I had lessions on my spine on two different occassions. All three have since dissappeared. So thats where my question comes in now what?

Did the Docs test you for B12 deficiency? Im certain a number of cases similar to yours are due to chronic B12 deficiency. Looking back on my episode of Optic Neuritis (12 months ago) it was 5 weeks after I moved to the middle east and had been living on diet of rice and vegetables. Since Ive been supplementing inc B12 Ive improved massively and healthier than in the past 4-5 years.

Otherwise enjoy the remission and do everything possible (good diet, supplements, dont smoke or stress) to prevent a relpase.

Good luck

Mick77

If you want to continue the debate/conversation probably best you PM me, its all incredibly interesting

i second mr barlow re ensuring good diet. ms patients typically have a number of researched and documented nutritional problems.

b12 deficiency is a major ddx when physicians suspect ms. b12 deficiency is characterized by thoracic and cervical but not typically brain lesions. i have had it unfortunately!

you may want to have a look at this link
http://neuromuscular.wustl.edu/nother/vitamin.htm#B12
and see whether you match at all.

you may also be interested in reading about some of the other syndromes on that web site, too.

Vitamin B12, demyelination, remyelination and repair in multiple sclerosis
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/ar ... 0X05000870
Abstract
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and vitamin B12 deficiency share common inflammatory and neurodegenerative pathophysiological characteristics. Due to similarities in the clinical presentations and MRI findings, the differential diagnosis between vitamin B12 deficiency and MS may be difficult. Additionally, low or decreased levels of vitamin B12 have been demonstrated in MS patients. Moreover, recent studies suggest that vitamin B12, in addition to its known role as a co-factor in myelin formation, has important immunomodulatory and neurotrophic effects. These observations raise the questions of possible causal relationship between the two disorders, and suggest further studies of the need to close monitoring of vitamin B12 levels as well as the potential requirement for supplementation of vitamin B12 alone or in combination with the immunotherapies for MS patients.

Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels and Risk of Multiple Sclerosis
http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/296/23/2832.short
Abstract
Design, Setting, and Participants
Prospective, nested case-control study among more than 7 million US military personnel who have serum samples stored in the Department of Defense Serum Repository... Vitamin D status was estimated by averaging 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels of 2 or more serum samples collected before the date of initial multiple sclerosis symptoms.
Results
Among whites (148 cases, 296 controls), the risk of multiple sclerosis significantly decreased with increasing levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D ... the ... highest quintile, corresponding to 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels higher than 99.1 nmol/L, was significant...
Conclusion
The results of our study suggest that high circulating levels of vitamin D are associated with a lower risk of multiple sclerosis.

Measurement of Low-Molecular Weight Antioxidants, Uric Acid, Tyrosine and Tryptophan in Plaques and White Matter from Patients with Multiple Sclerosis
http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/pr ... tNr=234298
The levels of the antioxidants ascorbic acid, cysteine, reduced glutathione and a-tocopherol, of the free-radical marker uric acid and of the amino acids tyrosine and tryptophan were measured by means of high-pressure liquid chromatography in plaques, adjacent white matter and distant white matter from patients with multiple sclerosis, and in central nervous system tissue from patients without neurological diseases. ... α-tocopherol was lowest in plaques and highest in distant white matter in all cases... The results provide evidence supporting the involvement of free radicals in multiple sclerosis.

Serum uric acid levels in multiple sclerosis patients correlate with activity of disease and blood-brain barrier dysfunction.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11985629
Several findings suggest lower levels of serum uric acid in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The aim of this study is to investigate relationships of uric acid serum levels in relapse-remitting (RR) MS patients with clinical activity of disease and blood-brain barrier (BBB) condition. Sixty-three definite RRMS patients and 40 controls divided into two groups: 20 healthy donors and 20 patients with other inflammatory neurological diseases (OINDs) were analysed. By using a quantitative enzymatic assay according to the manufacture's protocol and a commercial uric acid standard solution, serum uric acid levels were measured and the results were standardized. To investigate BBB function, magnetic resonance imaging after administration of gadolinium was used. MS patients were found to have significantly lower serum uric acid levels (193.89 +/- 49.05 micromol/l; mean value +/-SD) in comparison with healthy donors (292.7 +/- 58.65 micromol/l; P=0.000) and OIND patients (242.7 +/- 46.66 micromol/l; P=0.001). We found that MS patients with relapse had significantly lower serum uric acid levels (161.49 +/- 23.61 micromol/l) than MS patients with remission (234.39 +/- 41.96 micromol/l; P=0.000) and more over, MS patients with BBB disruption had significantly lower serum uric acid levels (163.95 +/- 26.07 micromol/l) than those with normal BBB (252.48 +/- 25.94 micromol/l; P=0.000). Further, we also found that serum uric acid level independently correlated with disease activity, BBB disruption, and gender. These results indicate that lower uric acid levels in MS patients are associated with relapse and suggest that uric acid might be beneficial in the treatment of MS.

take away point, you want your serum uric acid to match that of the 'healthy donors' ie at least 290, rather than the ms average of 194 (i was stuck at 194 or lower for years with no help from diet until i identified and corrected a zinc deficiency)

the research on zinc status in ms is more controversial, ie some studies find high zinc and some studies find low zinc in ms patients. this one requires individual assessment, ie, can you effectively absorb vit d3? is your uric acid low? if so, zinc could be the problem. in the second study below, note that the patients have poor zinc status with or without pressure sores. the presence of pressure sores is (to me anyway) a dead giveaway re especially poor zinc status.

Zinc and copper in multiple sclerosis.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1083158/
The serum concentrations of zinc and copper were measured in 50 patients with multiple sclerosis. Lower serum zinc levels were found compared to age- and sex-matched controls. In younger patients low serum copper concentrations were noted...

Iron and zinc status in multiple sclerosis patients with pressure sores.
Abstract
Measurements of weighted dietary intakes and plasma determinations of albumin, iron, zinc, ascorbic acid and TIBC were carried out on twenty female multiple sclerosis patients in a long-stay hospital for disabled people. The group included ten patients with a recent history of pressure sores, closely matched with ten patients without pressure sores ... For both groups, intakes of energy, folate, vitamin D, iron and zinc were less than recommended values. Mean plasma levels of albumin and iron were towards the lower limit of the normal range, whilst that for zinc was considerably less than the normal range. Plasma TIBC was slightly above the normal range. Levels of plasma iron and zinc were significantly lower in the pressure sore group. The data indicate that severely disabled hospitalized patients with multiple sclerosis may be at risk of poor nutritional status. The results suggest that in the presence of pressure sores, there are increased requirements for specific nutrients, notably zinc and iron. Consideration is given to the possible value of supplementation of these individuals.

there's lots more research out there for different nutrients. but these are a start at least.

Guys

And Candida/leaky gut I did not mention deliberately, but now I have to just to balance things up a little, pros and cons and all that

Candida causes vitamin deficiency, it can be caused by stress, poor diet and dare I say it, YES I dare, antibiotics

http://www.msrc.co.uk/index.cfm/fuseact ... ageid/2331

http://www.highlysensitivebody.com/candida.html

www.holistichelp.net/candida.html

http://www.leakygut.co.uk/Candidiasis.htm

Doctors sweep it under the carpet, but it does exist, I've had it myself. but make up your own minds yeah!