Interesting Conversation about MS

MBombardier · Post by **MBombardier** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 4:54 pm

Obviously MS is not MC, but when I tried to do a search for MS (I think one or two have mentioned having it?) I came up with a stunning number of entries.

Anyway...

I just wanted to summarize quickly an interesting discussion I had with a friend on Saturday. I had not seen Paul for a few years, though in this close-knit homeschool/church community in the Portland-Vancouver area I knew that he had been diagnosed with MS and had surgery for it last year. It turns out that this operation was similar to a heart-blockage stent procedure. A vascular surgeon in Italy discovered that MS is actually a function of too-small veins to drain when he was researching how to help his wife after her diagnosis with MS. After the surgery, Paul said that he was back to 90-95% of his pre-MS self.

What I found particularly interesting is that Paul said MS is a junk drawer diagnosis (similar to IBS) and that neurosurgeons have the same disdain for their patients and what their patients are doing to help themselves that it seems many GI doctors do. Paul said that after the surgery when he aced all sorts of tests the neurologist gave him that the head of the neurology department told him that he was experiencing a placebo effect and that she felt sorry for people like him. He was so disgusted with her. He told me about a man who had been blind for quite some time, and a few weeks after this surgery he woke up one morning and could see again. Pretty hard for that to be a placebo effect, hmm?

It strikes me that there are probably patients in a lot of the specialties that are as dissatisfied with the God complex many, if not most doctors have. As time goes by, I wonder if there will be a rebellion of some sort?

Post by **tex** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 6:07 pm

Marliss,

My limited experience with several neurologists has been the same - they are at least as closed-minded as the average GI specialist. The ones that examined me all agreed that I had peripheral neuropathy, and none of them could figure out why, but they all denied my suggestion that it could be due to gluten-sensitivity, despite the fact that Dr. Hadjivassiliou has been publishing research results that verify it for at least 10 years or more.

Is that pathetic, or what?

Thanks for posting that info. That vein issue is probably the cause of my problem with very poor circulation in my feet. I wouldn't be surprised if that turns out to be a gluten issue, as well.

Tex

Robin · Post by **Robin** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 7:45 pm

Marliss... My cousin has MS and he is not doing so well and I contribute it to the fact that he had an idiot for a doctor! He is 58 years old and is now bed ridden. He was finally Dx 7 years age but was having problems for 12! I think if he would have been properly Dx at the start he wouldn't be like he is today.

And today the way my doctors visit are going I am going to be the first to start the rebellion! I have been in the medical profession for over 30 years and I am the first to say that I really cant stand them anymore! If you do find a good doctor, it is like finding a needle in a hay stack!

Robin

mbeezie · Post by **mbeezie** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 8:51 pm

Loren Cordain (author of The Paleo Diet) has done research on diet and MS. Here is a very enlightening video by him http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... 5296745403#

Mary Beth

GF-aka Oma · Post by **GF-aka Oma** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 9:23 pm

My sister has parkinsons and was Mis-dx with ms first~It simply amazes me, but my mother whom was a nurse always said of Dr's: That's why they call it a practice:

Lesley · Post by **Lesley** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 11:32 pm

I have a very good friend with MS. She is practically blind, and hasn't walked for years. I will talk to her about it.
Give her the info at least. I don't know whether she will do anything with it, but maybe...

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Wed Feb 15, 2012 2:03 pm

I have a friend with MS who is wheelchair bound. I don't think he's tried the GF diet yet. Does anyone know why African-Americans fare much worse in MS? I've read their disease progresses faster and is more deadly.

Post by **tex** » Wed Feb 15, 2012 2:15 pm

Zizzle wrote:Does anyone know why African-Americans fare much worse in MS?

IMO, it's because as a group, they tend to be chronically low on vitamin D levels.

Furthermore, it is becoming increasingly apparent that vitamin D protects against other chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and some cancers, all of which are as prevalent or more prevalent among blacks than whites.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16549493

Tex

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Wed Feb 15, 2012 2:20 pm

It's sad to think it could be that simple. I would hope he's taking Vit D and getting some sun.

Post by **tex** » Wed Feb 15, 2012 2:35 pm

I'd ask him - he certainly can't rely on his doctor to offer that advice. Doctors treat the symptoms - not the cause.

Tex