I am riding bareback thru the world of MS. here is my story.

After chasing a dx I was told many things. migraine syndrome, anxiety, faking...I noticed that no matter what, after each flare I got better, and normally went pretty much back to the midline. no real damage done. it was a royal pain during the flare, but if I recovered, perhaps I dont really have ms? no?? Years later switched states and the local guy sorta freaked me out. "I think you have MS! how could your old MD not have seen this?" so, off to the MRI while he pulled old records. The old MRI and the new MRI showed clearly I DO have MS and I was given the whole "you must act now!" speach.

Went on Betaseron after being given a dozen books, and videos, DVDs, free pens, free bags, and calls from drug reps asking if I had any questions about the medicines. I chose Betaseron because its what ViSeeU takes, and she was on it a long time, no troubles, and it didnt need a refrig and I travel...several reasons. 3 months in my blood work was thru the roof! I had set a clinic record for LFTs and scared the poor nurses to peices. They yanked me off the stuff and tried to put me in the hospital. I refused. I did naturpathic stuff and washed off Beta. I refused other meds till my LFTs returned to normal. Which it did.

I was told ALL interferons were off the table for me. To pick TYsabri or Copaxone. Well, TY scares me to peices, so I picked Copaxone even tho it was a daily shot. It took more than a year for it to show it was working on me, but once it did, no real troubles till the 2nd year started to round out. I felt AWFUL! I was confused, I had dents forming big pockets in my arms, and legs and tummy, and I was exhausted. I thought...it isnt worth it! I still had the same amount of flares that I had while off the stuff, but now I was having damage that stayed after the attack was over. My vision stays fuzzy. My left foot has this thing that I cant pick up my big toe, and I drag it alot. I never did that before. I had bad psoraisis, and itchy skin. I would sweat, and bloat and the night sweats were unbelievable. I was in short...miserable!

I did a bunch of research because my MDs were saying I MUST MUST MUST pick a drug. I thought of taking the Sally way and choosing LDN, but I am on narcotics that I am not willing to give up, so I started to research TY. STill scared me! Galyna or whatever had just as many side effects as the shots did at a larger price. It seemed to me that there were no great options.

I found out that Avonex, Betaseron, Rebif and Copaxone have about a 33% chance of preventing the next relapse, and IF you have the next relapse it has about a 10% chance of making that relapse less severe. huh?? You mean to tell me that I am taking stuff that has about a one in three shot of stopping that next relapse, but it has a 1 in 1 shot of making me miserable, itchy, swollen, bruised, battered and emotionally stunted to the point that I cannot be part of my life? Ty has about a 39% chance of preventing the next relapse. Galina has the same effectivness as the injectables.

Armed with my newly found info, I confronted my MD and told him NO MORE! I am tired of the side effects. I showed him a diary of what I go thru everyday! and told him I would rather be in a wheelchair and be able to participate in my own life, than take this med and stay as miserable as I am. (i had begged for a year to be dismissed from this med) He looked at me and said "ok. you are done" FINALLY! He heard me! He told me I had done my research I was not making my choice off of one or two bad days, and that I was making a choice based on me and what was best for me. He really wanted me to consider taking another med and gave me one last lecture.

its been more than a year now that I have been DMD free, and I gotta tell ya. I feel SO much better! I am cooking again, I am cleaning again. I am walking each morning. I am eating better and using my nutrition as my pharmacy. I am healthier than I have been in years. Do I still have MS? you betcha! Will I probably have another flare? you betcha, but I was gonna have flares with or without the drugs.

Now, this is MY choice. I made it after a ton of research, and prayer, and thoughtful consideration. It is not the right choice for everyone, but I wanted to show you that it CAN be done, and you will be surprised how many of us choose it.

Good luck with whatever you choose.