Janice had her brain MRI in July as planned and the results are very exciting. “There is a significant decrease in size and signal intensity of the multiple focal areas of the abnormal increased signal intensity on FLAIR and T2 weighted sequences. . . . These changes are consistent with significant improvement in demyelinating disease. WOW! I read the report with tears in my eyes. This is so exciting.
Now the question remains, what is the contributing factor to these good results. We have the change in diet due to Celiac. We have stem cells which she received in January and third is the continuing Tysabri infusions she receives monthly. Tysabri was started in September 2009 and may decrease lesion size according to literature. I am thinking it may be too soon for the change in diet to have much effect leaving the latter two and honestly I do not know which one is doing the job, perhaps a little of both?
I recently received an email from a friend and oh my goodness, this addresses everything I have been seeking. Dr. Mark Hyman details the steps to take to find the underlying cause of Autoimmune Disease in his article, How to Stop Attacking Yourself: 9 Steps to Heal Autoimmune Disease. I especially love this:
Autoimmune diseases, specifically, now affect 24 million people and include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, thyroid disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and more. These are often addressed by powerful immune suppressing medication and not by addressing the cause. That's like taking a lot of aspirin while you are standing on a tack. The treatment is not more aspirin or a strong immune suppressant, but removing the tack.
Now the question remains, what is the contributing factor to these good results. We have the change in diet due to Celiac. We have stem cells which she received in January and third is the continuing Tysabri infusions she receives monthly. Tysabri was started in September 2009 and may decrease lesion size according to literature. I am thinking it may be too soon for the change in diet to have much effect leaving the latter two and honestly I do not know which one is doing the job, perhaps a little of both?
I recently received an email from a friend and oh my goodness, this addresses everything I have been seeking. Dr. Mark Hyman details the steps to take to find the underlying cause of Autoimmune Disease in his article, How to Stop Attacking Yourself: 9 Steps to Heal Autoimmune Disease. I especially love this:
Autoimmune diseases, specifically, now affect 24 million people and include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, thyroid disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and more. These are often addressed by powerful immune suppressing medication and not by addressing the cause. That's like taking a lot of aspirin while you are standing on a tack. The treatment is not more aspirin or a strong immune suppressant, but removing the tack.
Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/how-to-stop-attacking-you_b_657395.html?view=screen
I have been seeking these causes in Janice but without specific direction. She did get tested for Celiac, and more recently for allergies. Fortunately her allergies consisted mainly of environmental allergens and no foods. Therefore she does not have to eliminate any foods and merely needs to avoid weeds and grasses. I have the list of allergens and soon we will be purchasing a new tree and some plants. We will be avoiding anything on the list that she has reacted to. I am feeling confident that ‘the tack she was standing’ on is Celiac, but she still needs to complete the list of testing he recommends.
How does Janice feel you ask? No change. The numbness remains and she still has fatigue. She continues working full time and attending school. She continues her gym routine and has no visible signs of MS. She looks great.
