Has anyone beat relapses of MS with diet alone?

[ceeweed]

I have just been diagnosed with MS and so far it has been only numbness and L'hermittes as my symptoms ... Dr wants me to go on DMD and I am considering waiting until my second attack to see how it progresses for me ... and after reading so much about nutrition and supplements with MS, I am wondering how much it is true and if anyone has succeeded with this treatment alone in decreasing their relapses????

I also understand that reducing stress is also key and wondered how many others have also found this to be helpful in relapses?

I am concerned however of where and when and how the next attack/relapse will occur ... so want to do whatever is reasonable to slow down the progress.

Thanks so much

[BOK2Bjan]

This is such an important thread.  I was in a very abusive marriage for 30 years and finally got out when he tried to kill me and was arrested.  I found that I had developed so many autoimmune diseases that it was absurd.  My doctor, myself, my kids and family - all believed that the stress had a huge role in developing the illnesses.  My family has a history of Autoimmune diseases, BUT, when you're predisposed and then live in a stressful environment - you're bound to get a big response.

I tried methotrexate for the SSc. but had to stop.  For the MS, I went on Copaxone, but after trying to the best of my ability, I just couldn't tolerate the skin side effects.  Then I went on to Interferon B, and had the flu AND skin side effects.  I tried that too until my doctor demanded I stop.  So by then, I'd developed type 1 Diabetes and since I had at least 5 or 6 other autoimmune dx, we decided to try IVIG infusions (especially since I was low in two of the subclasses of IGg.  That is a long process and once, I did it every day for 10 days - 6 hours a day.  That was brutal.

I don't honestly know whether any of those drugs helped anything.  However, when I got the dx of Type 1 DM, I fought with diet with everything I had.  I went an entire year without carbs.  It was amazing.  It took awhile, but I ended up lowering my BS significantly.  I also felt better in general.  At about 14mo, I started adding some carbs and still have the improvement with the Diabetes.  I haven't been tested for the antibody levels, but assume it's better.  I still just take short acting insulin with a pen and regulate it on my own cause I want tight control.

I think we all know that since these illnesses are very individual and very unpredictable, it's hard to know what we're doing or what we're taking is effecting our disease.  We do know, though, that having a really healthy diet and exercise regimen is good for us.  I truly believe that it is a must and either combined with the appropriate medications or if you can't take them, alone - it can have a very significant effect.   I have low vit D,and even though I've been taking large amts of supplements for years, it stays low.  So, I'm not able to absorb it some how.  I believe that the GI tract is a huge part of our immune system (hardly my idea - it IS a large part of  our immune system) and since my GI tract has been so damaged from the SSc, it has made me more susceptible to other diseases.

I am an artist too and was doing interior design and home design when I got sick.  I still can paint but don't as much as I should.  I love it and was so sad to not be able to earn a living anymore.  I'm on SSI now because I didn't work enough quarters while married to qualify for regular Disability.  I got Disability without anyone's help the first time I applied due to being so organized and having so many letters and records from doctors that proved my disability.  It's just the TYPE of disability I ended up qualifying for that is the problem.  So, I'm living on 600 a month plus food stamps.  It doesn't give me many choices for getting help with "programs".  I can't even get physical therapy.  It's not covered!

So, I need to use my own determination to fix my own meals and do an exercise program on my own.  I KNOW it helps.  I just need the energy to do it and I think it will create energy.  Energy begets energy.  Hey - it's hard to do, so- glad there are others here who are trying to live a healthy lifestyle.

Blessings to you and stay in touch - watching inflammation levels is important too.  Jan

[ceeweed]

Thanks Julie - that is comforting knowing that you too don't normally like drugs ... and I am glad it is working for you.

I am still unconvinced, but am looking for another neurologist to help my decision - one who specializes in MS.

[ceeweed]

I agree with you guitar girl (about books and sales) - that is exactly why i asked the question ... i am just not fond of drug companies. And my current neuro says that the drugs only really slow progression by a matter of a few short years.
How does he know that though? not sure. i didn't think copaxone was used that long. THen again, he never looked at the MRI images ... just went by radiologist report.

Anyways, sorry to hear you had to stop performing. THat must have been a very difficult time. Writing is good too though ... and so is playing for pleasure!

I do contemporary landscapes. I paint solo works, as well as my husband and i are collaborators - he bas relief sculpts the same landscape subject on a solid sexy mahogany panel, and then i paint http://www.claustro.ca/claustro_piece_070/ (this is an example) - but my solo works are under carol currie.

I like rocks!

[jujuminx]

Welcome!  Great question, great thread here.  Often times this question takes a negative turn rather quickly for reason previously mentioned.  

The truth as you have discovered, is different for everyone. It's completely normal to want to control what you can and give yourself the best possible chance at a normal life. You will have to figure out what works best for you. As Alex said and many will tell you, even those who promote eating to "control"  MS as best one can, doesn't mean not taking DMD's. Even the best known MS diets advocate using all resources at one's disposal to fight this disease.

Through trial and error, I have found that stress, rather than diet is the biggest MS sx trigger for me. That is not to say I don't watch what I eat by limiting meat, processed foods and dairy, but there isn't a specific diet plan I follow. My main focus is eating whole foods, staying away from foods that I have in tolerances for, exercising, getting plenty of rest, taking my copaxone daily and managing stress in my life.

As Lulu said, I don't put all my eggs in one basket. I too am very sensitive to drugs. Extremely so.  Before my dx of RRMS in 2010 I hadn't been on any daily prescription medications.  It was rare that I would even take over the counter medicine for a headache. The thought of taking a drug every day was frightening to me.

Yet here I am 28 months after dx taking my copaxone everyday and I am grateful for the opportunity to do so. 20 yrs ago, there were no drugs to help slow the progression of MS, now there are many to choose from and they scientifically show that for some people they work. Why wouldn't I give myself the chance to take advantage of that?

I wish you the best and I look forward to reading more of your posts as you figure out what path works best for you.

Julie

[Guitar_grrrl]

Hey, ceeweed!
The folks pushing diet are making money with their books and videos.  We PwMS are hungry for information and options.  

I really like Tysabri.  I like that it's taken only once every 28 days, and since it has to be done at a participating TOUCH infusion site, compliance is a non-issue! I have no side effects with it, other than being tired for the rest of the day it's infused, and about 4 days before my next infusion, my baseline fatigue, which is significant with me, is ramped up even more.

I had to stop performing, but I'm still writing, and I play for my own pleasure. :-)  What sort of art do you do?  We have a few artists in our midst, including our own HVAC, who is a gifted painter.

Rock on!

[ceeweed]

thanks lisa for your input as well ... i agree with you all that at the very least diet can only be good for us !!!! But I am sad to hear you are still experiencing so many symptoms regardless of your diet changes ... that would be very frustrating no less!

How do you like tysabri? do you have many side effects with that?

Like you, I am an artist as well, where our fingers/ hands are important to our art.

But I agree with you, that you have to live well despite the mssesy disease ( i like that!) clever!
thanks