I forgot to tell my little story about my foggy-headed discussion with the anethesiologist the other day, just prior to my surgery . . .

I was laying on the table, just prior to being put out (but they had clearly already given me 'something' that made me a little spacey ), when the anesthesiologist asked me, "How long have you had MS?", to which I responded "18+ years".

(BTW, does anyone else find that hospitals, nurses and doctors make a BIG fuss about people with MS?? )

He commented that I seem to be doing well ... compared to many people he had seen previously ...". I know, I 'look so good'.

Then he says, "so why do you use Naproxen so often?".

I told him that I "use it for pain".

He responded "I've never heard of anyone being rx'd it that regularly for pain before. ".

I said "It doesn't work for the neurological pain, but it does take the edge off for other pains I get (due to compensating from the neurological pain)".

He said, "hmmmm ... that's a first ... daily Naltrexone for pain".

It was at that point that the lightbulb went on that he was saying Naltrexone, not Naproxen. I quickly corrected myself and told him I use Naltrexone "off-label for MS". I told him that it was not an approved med for that purpose, but that it had been keeping me stable for 3 1/2 yrs now.

His immediate comment was, "Unfortunately there isn't any financial incentive in undertaking large clinical trials to prove some of the existing generic drugs work on diseases . . . ".

I've always thought that myself . . . but was a bit shocked to hear that coming from a doctor who never even has more then a 10 minute "relationship" with ANY of his patients!

Cherie