Edife,
Avonex and Rebif are made IN the ovary of the Chinese Red Hamster. NOT made from their ovary. They use the rodents ovary as a culture media to help make the medication which they inject into the ovary of the hamster. Like using a chicken egg to inject and make the Flu shot.

In that tiny ovary there is no Estrogen for women to get from it. You either make your own or get it from a drug. If you take lots of soy (which is filled with Estrogen) you will have more Estrogen in your body.

Now for Men Estrogen in soy foods, lowers their testosterone level, causes early baldness, and possibly man-boobs.

Normal, non MS young girls and young women don't need extra Estrogen unless tested and it shows you need more.

You could just change your diet and add soy to get a boost if you feel you want to add Estrogen.

There is the EPF (early pregnancy factor) that protects the baby from being rejected and it also keeps MS at bay while pregnant. It keeps the body from attacking itself with MS, and attacking the baby as a foreign invader to the body.

Progesterone and Estrogen are made early and increase while pregnant. This too helps keep the relapses away while pregnant and when the levels drop after delivery some women experience a relapse. Nursing may keep the levels higher for a while too.

Faith - I was told to STOP taking Copaxone at least 30 days prior to even trying to get pregnant.

Chazen - I agree with Dej - I wouldn't take ANYTHING unless I knew for sure. You can get a simple blood test.

I have been reading a LOT about pregnancy tests...and yes, you can get a false positive and still be pregnant. Home urine tests (as do blood tests) test for HCG...but the home tests require that a LOT more of it be present to be detected. (Presence of HCG is indicative of pregnancy.) Blood tests can detect a lower level and thus confirm pregnancy sooner. If you don't want to go for the blood test, then wait a few more days and test again. (With a different brand this time!) They say that HCG levels double every 48 hours. Also, you are supposed to test with your first urine of the day, as it would show the highest concentration. As for over the counter home tests, EPT requires the lowest amount of HCG to be detected. (How do I know this? I'm sitting on pins and needles waiting to take a pregnancy test myself!!)

Edife - on another note - last time I checked (which to be honest, was a while ago) there were trials going on that combined copaxone with estriol treatment. Yes, it is known that women with MS (as well as many other auto immune diseases) go into a honeymoon period while pregnant...and then have greater chance of relapse shortly post-partum.

Keep us posted...

(though to be honest, the fact that you are cramping doesn't sound like pregnancy...maybe just that you're late?)

~Keri

Hey guys.. I appreciate all the comments. Well, I decided I'm staying home from work today and getting to the OB/GYN.. I don't want to be off of my meds if I don't have to be... OH.. and not to mention.. I am sick of worrying about all this! lol I am going to go and just get an annual and a blood test done... Ill post later and see what I find out... I am hoping someone will be able to squeeze me in today!

The cramping isn't really cramping... it's like an odd pressure in my lower left abdomen...

Hallelujah! :) I'm not preggers! I just got a blood test and an ultra sound done.. no baby! Thank you Jesus! lol I just really didn't need that right now... Thank you all again for your comments... case closed :)

Babies can be wonderful but best if it's the right time.

Chazen - congrats! er..darn! lol. Hey im glad it worked out the way you wanted.
Redpenguins - I see you named the estrogen i spoke of correct. Estriol.
Lady - Thanks for soy tip! When I go shopping in a couple weeks im buying soy! My skins been dryish the past 2 yrs like i went thru menopause (im a male) and after hours of reading HRT sites they all loved Estriol till it was pulled in 2008? Thanks again Wyeth&FDA.
And Lady, the Rebif box is what I read chinese hampster ovary cells from.
Do you know which estrogens are increased from soy? Thanks again.
btw - I inject testosterone weekly and get levels checked occasionally. I'll get estriol, estradiol, estrone, progesterone checked too after a few months of soy. I have baseline levels of all however it was right after I stopped Rebif. Hmm...I should check those before I start soy to see if Rebif raised them...

Annual MRI Wednesday

Someone else get pregnant please? :)

Chazen - Glad you found of what you needed :)


Edited to post this info:

USC has an ongoing study of pregnancy and MS: http://www.uscneurology.org/schools/...tails.asp?ID=8