Whoever said you are on your own because of your MS label is wrong. There are studies being done with SP now, and right now I'm looking at an article in Neurology Now about how high doses of a statin have been found to help slow brain atrophy in people who are SP.

Who really knows what label to give you, anyway? My neuro says I'm RR; I consider myself SP because I've never flared since diagnosis 14 years ago and some of my symptoms, ever so slowly, are getting worse.

Ampyra made tremendous strides (pardon the pun!) in my walking ability, so please don't think there's nothing out there for you anymore.

I've had my problems with doctors who are dismissive. This is the way I see it, based on bits of information I've gathered from my own experience, from things doctors have said, and from browsing around in medical literature.

Some doctors are vigilant about people who are seeing them, not because they're so very ill, but because of what they call "seeking secondary gains."

MS is such a difficult disorder to diagnose, and its symptoms are often something that can be faked. Neuros have to be gatekeepers, or think they have to be--keeping the scarce benefits reserved for the truly needy.

Yes, there are people who calculatingly go to doctors and fake their histories and their symptoms--and sometimes get away with it.

Also, there are doctors who see it as to your advantage if you can keep on functioning and being gainfully employed for as long as you can even though it certainly looks as if you have MS. They may even be very sure you have MS but they won't commit to it on paper.

They're afraid of being found to be wrong.

They also don't want to get saddled with all of the paperwork and red tape that is involved if a person is diagnosed with MS and applies for benefits.

Social Security disability, other disability insurance, SSI, special transportation, financial aid like welfare, mobility assistive equipment--the list goes on and on, and each one of those services involves a jillion forms to fill out, often on a recurring basis.

It's grossly unfair to the patient, of course. What we need is more conscientious, caring doctors....