Terri Garr..... MS.... more prevalent in northern latitudes... wierd.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

Glad she is making people aware, as are the other people on with her.... Tamia Hill etc.

I have turned off my sig line due to high traffic.

[uppityperson]

1. It'll be nice to figure out what triggers MS

virus? not sure if they're still looking at distemper virus, but definetly upper latitudes.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. I say it may have something to do with dare I say it? Sunshine and

vitamin D.

Check out this cool slice and dice slideshow of the human brain...
http://www.med.harvard.edu/AANLIB/cases/case5/mr22/044.html

And the vitamin D thing.

1: J Neurogenet. 2005 Jan-Mar;19(1):25-38. Related Articles, Links


Variation in the vitamin D receptor gene is associated with multiple sclerosis in an Australian population.

Tajouri L, Ovcaric M, Curtain R, Johnson MP, Griffiths LR, Csurhes P, Pender MP, Lea RA.

Genomics Research Centre, School of Health Science, Griffith University Gold Coast, Southport, Queensland, Australia.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) resulting in accumulating neurological disability. The disorder is more prevalent at higher latitudes. To investigate VDR gene variation using three intragenic restriction fragment length polymorphisms (Apa I, Taq I and Fok I) in an Australian MS case-control population. One hundred and four Australian MS patients were studied with patients classified clinically as Relapsing Remitting MS (RR-MS), Secondary Progressive MS (SP-MS) or Primary Progressive MS (PP-MS). Also, 104 age-, sex-, and ethnicity-matched controls were investigated as a comparative group. Our results show a significant difference of genotype distribution frequency between the case and control groups for the functional exon 9 VDR marker Taq I (p(Gen) = 0.016) and interestingly, a stronger difference for the allelic frequency (p(All) = 0.0072). The Apa I alleles were also found to be associated with MS (p(All) = 0.04) but genotype frequencies were not significantly different from controls (p(Gen) = 0.1). The Taq and Apa variants are in very strong and significant linkage disequilibrium (D' = 0.96, P < 0.0001). The genotypic associations are strongest for the progressive forms of MS (SP-MS and PP-MS). Our results support a role for the VDR gene increasing the risk of developing multiple sclerosis, particularly the progressive clinical subtypes of MS.

PMID: 16076630

[dflprincess]

3. It could also be because heat is very hard on people with MS

I know a couple people who were diagnosed with it while living in southern states (one in Arizona, one in Florida) and their doctors told both of them to move north if at all possible. Both people were native Minnesotans so they came home.

One of my neighbors also has MS (she's also one of the "lucky" ones in that she's had it for 20 years and has very little permanent damage done) and she shuts herself inside when it gets hot and humid here. When she does go out, her husband gets the air conditioning in the car going before she gets in. Another friend sold her not air conditioned house and bought one with air conditioning when she was diagnosed - on the advice of her doctor.

It could be more prevalent because people with MS move north if they can.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

5. But they were saying that it IS more prevalent in the north, not sure

if what you are saying could be true... found this video of David Lander, (Squiggy of Laverne and Shirley), thought it was worth watching... passing it on.

http://www.msnet.org/stories/

[Misunderestimator]

6. Heat was extremely hard on my mother who lived her entire life in TX.

I think that's a very good point. She was absolutely miserable in the heat, and her symptoms were exacerbated enormously. It probably would have done her a lot of good to move north (except that she hated the cold too).

[alfredo]

9. My friend in Poland has MS. He suffers

greatly during the summer. He has just recently gone blind. He was diagnosed three years ago. Mostly his symptoms were lose of strength on one side, but this year his condition has deteriorated greatly.

He had suffered from Colitis most of his life. He didn't need this.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

11. For what it's worth..... your friend may or may not benefit from

reading here...

http://www.lef.org/protocols/prtcl-077.shtml

As far as the bowel problems go... 80% of your immune system resides in the small intestine.... so if the inflammation in the bowels can be addressed... all the better. There are MANY natural interventions for inflammatory conditions, you can read about them at LEF as well..

1: Gastroenterology. 2005 Sep;129(3):819-26. Related Articles, Links


Comment in:
Gastroenterology. 2005 Sep;129(3):1117-20.

Increased risk for demyelinating diseases in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Gupta G, Gelfand JM, Lewis JD.

Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6021, USA.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Reports of multiple sclerosis (MS), demyelination, and optic neuritis (ON) associated with anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha therapy resulted in warnings on prescribing instructions for infliximab, etanercept, and adalimumab. However, the underlying relationship between IBD and these neurologic conditions has not been established. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study and a retrospective cross-sectional study using 1988 to 1997 data from the General Practice Research Database. A total of 7988 Crohn's disease and 12,185 ulcerative colitis patients were matched for age, sex, and primary care practice to 80,666 randomly selected controls. In the cohort study, incident cases of MS, demyelination, and/or ON (MS/D/ON) had to occur at least 1 year after registration with the physician and after the diagnosis of IBD. In the cross-sectional study, the diagnosis of MS/D/ON could either precede or follow the IBD diagnosis. RESULTS: In the cohort study, the incidence of MS/D/ON was higher in patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis compared with their matched controls, reaching statistical significance for ulcerative colitis (ulcerative colitis incidence rate ratio , 2.63; 95% confidence interval, 1.29-5.15; Crohn's disease IRR, 2.12; 95% confidence interval, .94-4.50). In the cross-sectional study, MS/D/ON was more prevalent in patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis compared with their matched controls (Crohn's disease odds ratio, 1.54; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-2.32; ulcerative colitis odds ratio, 1.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.28-2.39). CONCLUSIONS: Demyelinating diseases occur more commonly among patients with IBD than among non-IBD patients. Future studies should clarify whether treatment with tumor necrosis factor alpha blockers results in further increased incidence of MS/D/ON among IBD patients.

PMID: 16143121

[alfredo]

12. I will have to see if he has taken

those Alpha Blockers. His case was pretty bad.


I have Crohn's, luckily I haven't had anything other than prednisone. That was bad enough.

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[pookieblue]

4. watching Larry King right now..

I was dx'd with MS last year, but the doctor's suspect that I have had it a lot longer. Just took it that long to get a diagnoisis.

Sorry about the spelling.

Anyhow, there are so many things being thrown around about what causes MS and where it comes from. I wonder if they will ever find out the cause and where it comes from.

I dunno.

[mcctatas]

7. I was diagnosed last year also and my neurologist suspects I have had

it for several years, it's a hard diagnosis to make. Personally I tend to think that the bulk of the evidence points to a viral infection of some sort which could go hand in hand with being more prevalent in cooler climates. Of course, I just tell my mom it's her fault that she raised me in WI instead of the Bahamas and that she made me pay my own car insurance in high school (I figure since it's in no way her fault, I may as well settle old scores;))

[elfin]

8. Southeastern Wisconsin was labeled a "hot spot" for MS

some years ago - don't know if that still holds. Inaddition to northern climes and vitamin D as posted above, also they wondered about environmental degradation ala PCB's in lakes and waterways entering the diets of people - especially fertile females. Haven't read updates on these theories and do not know if they are still being actively researched.

[libnnc]

10. Lots of MS in the NW mountains of NC too

strange.

[alarimer]

14. They think my sister has it

She is almost 25, been having problems intermittently with mobility in her leg and some vision problems. They did find a lesion on here spine but have not definitively diagnosed her.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

16. I beg you.... this may or may not be of assistance.... but I beg you to

google for glyconutrients and ms. Do it for your sister, there is no guarantee, but what you find may make all the difference in the world...

[progressivebydesign]

20. Sometimes, in a younger person, it's not necessarily MS.

My daughter's friend, who was 18, was feared to have MS. He had similar symptoms you describe, and had a lesion on his spine. It was determined not to be MS, but rather symptoms of the lesion that he had for some other reason. It dashed the kids hopes of a law enforcement career because of the intermittent episodes, but was relieved that it was not MS per se.

I wish your sister well.

[notadmblnd]

15. I saw a Dr. on Larry King a couple of weeks ago

and he was saying he thinks it is caused by a vitamin D deficiency. He was recommending people supplement their diet with 1000mg of vitamin D and for people that are already afflicted to supplement their diets with at least 2x that amount.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

18. The post I made above with the vitamin D receptor flaw (genetics)

is very telling. Good that a doc has made note of it and is recommending people try something non-toxic and safe.

[progressivebydesign]

17. I've heard of the Northern connection...

but everyone I know who has had it lived in Southern or Central California. I know that they're researching the Vitamin D angle. Could it also be that it's a genetic influence, as I know that up here in Pacific Northwest, and Minnesota, Wisconsin, etc., you do find many generations of nordic folks, and specific groups that tended to settle to the north. I'd be curious to see if the North thing also applies to climates in areas like England, Sweden, etc.

[Canadian Socialist]

19. Sorry, haven't read the entire thread yet

However, I do know that MS & Crohns are at almost epidemic levels in a band from southern Alberta to southern Manitoba (and including the northern states in that general area). It is the highest incidence of these diseases in the world. There is talk that they might be a virus that thrives in this particular environment. I know so many people with MS and/or Crohns, it's ridiculous.

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

22. Crohn's disease, something to consider.... my point is that

probiotics have been PROVEN to be a beneficial adjunctive therapy.

have been PROVEN to enhance the quality of life of people living with Crohn's disease.

1: Drugs Today (Barc). 2005 Jul;41(7):453-9. Related Articles, Links


Probiotics (VSL#3) in arthralgia in patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease: a pilot study.

Karimi O, Pena AS, van Bodegraven AA.

Laboratory of Immunogenetics, VUmc, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Arthralgia is a common extraintestinal manifestation of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Alterations of the immunologic regulation in the gut may contribute to the pathogenesis of arthralgia. Probiotics (VSL#3) have proven effective in the treatment of pouchitis in patients with ileal pouch anal anastomosis after panproctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis both in maintaining remission and in preventing a flare-up without side effects. The aim of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of VSL#3 in patients with quiescent IBD who suffered from arthralgia for more than two weeks. An open-label trial was conducted using VSL#3. Pre- and post-treatment joint pain intensity were measured on the Ritchie Articular Index and visual analog scale. Disease activity of the bowel was assessed by the Truelove-Witts and the Harvey-Bradshaw scores. Sixteen of 29 patients completed the trial; in 10 of the 16 patients a statistically significant improvement was documented by the Ritchie Articular Index. No one of the patients had a relapse of intestinal disease while on probiotics. These preliminary results suggest that the probiotic mixture VSL#3 may be an alternative treatment for arthralgia in patients with IBD without inducing exacerbation of the disease. Because probiotics may be effective in the treatment of IBD as well, our results suggest that patients with active disease and arthralgia may also derive benefit from this treatment. Proper randomized controlled studies are indicated.

PMID: 16193098


1: Appl Environ Microbiol. 2005 Jun;71(6):2880-7. Related Articles, Links


Lactobacillus casei DN-114 001 inhibits the ability of adherent-invasive Escherichia coli isolated from Crohn's disease patients to adhere to and to invade intestinal epithelial cells.

Ingrassia I, Leplingard A, Darfeuille-Michaud A.

Pathogenie Bacterienne Intestinale, Laboratoire de Bacteriologie, CBRV, 28 Place Henri Dunant, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.

Ileal lesions in 36.4% of patients with Crohn's disease are colonized by pathogenic adherent-invasive Escherichia coli. The aim of this study was to determine the in vitro inhibitory effects of the probiotic strain, Lactobacillus casei DN-114 001, on adhesion to and invasion of human intestinal epithelial cells by adherent-invasive E. coli isolated from Crohn's disease patients. The experiments were performed with undifferentiated Intestine-407 cells and with undifferentiated or differentiated Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells. Bacterial adhesion to and invasion of intestinal epithelial cells were assessed by counting CFU. The inhibitory effects of L. casei were determined after coincubation with adherent-invasive E. coli or after preincubation of intestinal cells with L. casei prior to infection with adherent-invasive E. coli. Inhibitory effects of L. casei on adherent-invasive E. coli adhesion to differentiated and undifferentiated intestinal epithelial cells reached 75% to 84% in coincubation and 43% to 62% in preincubation experiments, according to the cell lines used. Addition of L. casei culture supernatant to the incubation medium increased L. casei adhesion to intestinal epithelial cells and enhanced the inhibitory effects of L. casei. The inhibitory effects on E. coli invasion paralleled those on adhesion. This effect was not due to a bactericidal effect on adherent-invasive E. coli or to a cytotoxic effect on epithelial intestinal cells. As Lactobacillus casei DN-114 001 strongly inhibits interaction of adherent-invasive E. coli with intestinal epithelial cells, this finding suggests that the probiotic strain could be of therapeutic value in Crohn's disease.

PMID: 15932981

[alfredo]

23. Stress brought on my Crohn's. I had one bad attack

then nothing. The last time I was scoped, the GI found nothing. Go figure.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

24. Stress hormones.... able to sicken, able to kill in time.... something

to be said about meditation.

[alfredo]

32. I figured that out quickly and have managed my Crohn's effectively

since then.

BTW, the New Scientist had an article on meditation recently.

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/being-human/dn8317.html

[laruemtt]

25. i have late-stage disseminated neurological lyme disease

(that's a mouthful, huh)and the doctor who finally diagnosed it (it took years before anybody even knew to do the test) said a lot of people with MS actually have lyme. not all, of course, but a lot. either way, i didn't do great in the colder climes. am living now on a caribbean island and am doing better for the most part but nine years of antibiotics have done a number.

any of you with MS, it might not hurt just to get the Western Blot blood test for lyme. knowledge is power, and when you're sick, it can be everything.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

26. Link, important resources.

http://www.lymeinfo.net/alt.html

[laruemtt]

27. and it makes sense with

the northern latitudes since that's where the deer that carry it are. lyme is so prevalent and most doctors never think to check for it. a lot of arthritis cases are in fact from lyme.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

28. It looks like I had a post pulled for putting two words together.... one

of the words was nutrients, the other was glyco... taken together, they have made an impact on at least a few people regarding conditions xyz. I hope that is cryptic enough to stick.

[laruemtt]

29. surely it wouldn't have been pulled

for using those words, would it?! anyhoo, am greatly interested in being steered to whatever info you might have on these two words.

[HappyGirl]

33. Lyme Misdiagnosed as MS

http://www.lymeinfo.net/multiplesclerosis.html

[laruemtt]

34. welcome, HappyGirl!

:hi:

[Qanisqineq]

30. In my hometown of less than 1,000

I knew/know 6 or 7 with MS.

That's in North Dakota. I always heard (or thought I heard) that it had to do with Scandinavian or African American heritage.

:shrug:

Personally, it has always been the thing I've most feared.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

31. Avoid msg, aspartame, and other excitotoxins, there is a book

you might like to read if this really bothers you and you would like to protect yourself in a proactive manner.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0929173252/103-5583024-0159044?v=glance&n=283155&n=507846&s=books&v=glance
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0929173252.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

They hide it in the foods you eat. It is now in over 50,000 products. They used to be required to put 'Diet' or 'Sugar-Free' on the label; but now if it is used in conjunction with another sweetener, that is no longer the case. You know the product of which I speak - it is aspartame, NutraSweet, Equal, or whatever it is called this week. Aspartame breaks down in beverages in temperatures over 86 degrees Fahrenheit, into aspartic acid, an excitotoxin and formaldehyde, a deadly neurotoxin. This in fact occurred in the Gulf War, as pallets of Diet Coke were left sitting for days in the hot desert sun, and the temperatures reached 125 degrees Fahrenheit. I know, I was there. And when you are thirsty, you drink whatever is handy. Now I am a 100% disabled Gulf War Veteran. Do I blame aspartame? Partly but not all. But I'll tell you what it does now if I happen it grab one of those 50,000 products and don't read the label (or perhaps they've slipped it into something new)....It triggers Migraine attacks that last as long as 4 days and causes the rhuematoid arthritis that it gave me in the first place to act up. This is a very informative book. If you care at ALL about your health and what you might be eating, this is a MUST READ!!!

[Qanisqineq]

35. thank you

I am interested in this book, thank you. I have already started doing some reading on chemicals put in foods. Three years ago I started getting really sick. Less than a year ago I was diagnosed with an endocrine disorder, one that is typically inherited and symptoms emerge during puberty or earlier. However, I had no symptoms until age 29 and no family history. After doing some reading, I discovered that studies have shown these chemicals and anti-depressants can cause it in teenage and adult women with no family history of the disease. Scary.