Quote:
Originally Posted by missj
the facts that are stated here I found to be both reassuring and worrisome. And just because it is on the interwebs doesn't make it true. But here it is
http://www.themcfox.com/multiple-scl...ptom-facts.htm
from the page
reassuring fact:
Relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis patients will have between 1 – 2 exacerbations per year.
{it is not clear if this takes into account the dmds. As we all know, they work well for some . And sadly not at all for others.}
worrisome fact
Relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis patients develop, on average, 20 new lesions per year. 20 lesions x 17 years= 340 lesions (holy smokes)
reassuring fact:
Exercises or physical therapy designed to stretch the muscles, particularly those of the leg, can help prevent contractures, an irreversible shortening of muscles. {keeps me motivated to effect the things I can} |
I've followed MS research for over 40 years and that list of facts looks quite accurate to me. And since it appears to be obtained from all reported MS cases, I would assume that it includes those patients who have used any of the DMDs.
A couple of personal observations....it takes 8-10 lesions to cause one measurable symptom so the number of lesions one has doesn't seem to be nearly as important as to the location of any one lesion. I would therefore minimize the lesion count measurement that the drug companies give us when trying to demonstrate that their drug is working.
75-85% of RRMS patients go on to develop SPMS. Assuming (and that is a dangerous word in medicine) that DMD users are part of these stats, it sure looks like the DMDs have little effect, if any, in controlling the progression of the disease.
It's quite frustrating to see that there are so many detailed stats on a disease that after some 60 years of research, has no known cause or anything close to a cure.
Harry