hi lucy, we have all been there, that frantic time when first diagnosed. it is terrible i feel for you.
unfortunately everything takes time. very smart to start by reading, getting informed, making connections.
i'm going to give you my 2c on the whole thing. ms drugs, ccsvi, stem cells are all reactive approaches. if you want to be proactive, you can start looking right now at health and nutrition.
if you're in the states (i'm not, am dependent on the doc for requisitions) it looks like you could go online to life extension right now and get requisitions for some relevant tests. for ms, look at serum zinc, serum b12, serum 25(H)d3 and serum (not RBC) magnesium to start. because iron issues are so common, although not specifically in ms,
serum ferritin makes sense too.
i strongly recommend getting a few tests done ASAP and bringing the results here for analysis.
if you have to prioritize for budget reasons, put zinc among the first tests.
across the board ms patients are lower in nutrient and energy intakes. i have often passed on research to members here regarding athlete nutrient depletion.
a while back i gave the same info to a thin active person with amenohrrea, then counselled her through getting all the related bloodwork done, and starting a corrective nutrient-dense diet plus therapeutic supplement regimen. her nutrient levels got higher, and she got better.
her doctor said there was nothing wrong with her levels since they were inside the 'normal' range the whole time, and that her improvement was coincidence. that just goes to show that the doc does not understand what the 'normal' range actually means.
here is all my introductory info on nutrition for ms, including explation of the significance of the normal range, and target levels for individual nutrients. (fyi personally i don't agree with many aspects of generally accepted 'ms diets')
http://www.thisisms.com/forum/regimens- ... tml#p15460
Vitamin and mineral status: effects on physical performance
http://naldc.nal.usda.gov/catalog/42756
Public health recommendations encourage the selection of a balanced diet and increasing physical activity to foster health and well-being. Whereas the adverse effects of restricted intakes of protein, fat, and carbohydrate on physical performance are well known, there is limited information about the impact of low intakes of vitamins and minerals on the exercise capacity and performance of humans. Physically active people generally consume amounts of vitamins and minerals consistent with the recommendations for the general public. However, when intakes are less than recommendations, some noticeable functional impairments occur. Acute or short-term marginal deficiencies, identified by blood biochemical measures of vitamin B status, had no impacts on performance measures. Severe deprivation of folate and vitamin B12 result in anemia and reduce endurance work performance. Evidence of vitamin A and E deficiencies in athletic individuals is lacking apparently because body storage is appreciable. In contrast to vitamins, marginal mineral deficiencies impair performance. Iron deficiency, with or without anemia, impairs muscle function and limits work capacity. Magnesium deprivation increases oxygen requirements to complete submaximal exercise and reduces endurance performance. Use of vitamin and mineral supplements does not improve measures of performance in people consuming adequate diets. Young girls and
individuals participating in activities with weight classifications or aesthetic components are prone to nutrient deficiencies because they restrict food intake and specific micronutrient-rich foods. This information will be useful to professionals who counsel physically active people and scientific groups who make dietary recommendations to improve health and optimize genetic potential.
Effect of the diet on the nutritional status of ballerinas: immunologic markers
http://europepmc.org/abstract/MED/10586612
"Leukocytes, lymphocytes and all lymphocyte subset counts were lower in ballet dancers in comparison with controls"
Osteopenia in Exercise-Associated Amenorrhea Using Ballet Dancers as a Model: A Longitudinal Study
http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/87/7/3162.full
"The amenorrheic groups, dancers and nondancers, both showed reduced BMD [bone mineral density] in the spine, wrist, and foot, which remained below controls throughout the 2 yr. Only amenorrheic dancers showed significant changes in spine BMD (12.1%; P < 0.05) but still remained below controls, and within this subgroup, only those with delayed menarche showed a significant increase. The seven amenorrheic subjects (three dancers and four nondancers) who resumed menses during the study showed an increase in spine and wrist BMD (17%; P < 0.001) without achieving normalization."