No more, I'm done.
 

So I read that article that Dr. Mercola weighed in on.
He confirmed everything I have been pondering about MS, natural approaches vs. dmd, steroids and dmd.
So after thinking about it for months now, I am really going to stop taking Rebif.

I wish I could talk to my neurologist about this, but he doesn't support the idea and he's going to get aggressive with me and make me feel ever so tiny, so I am not even going to talk to him about it,which I know isn't safe, but what other option do I have?

Rebif makes me sick.
I get a fever every time I inject.
It's DESTROYING my skin.
And I honestly feel it's hurting my overall health.

My mom FREAKED when I said I'm going to cut out the omega-6 in my diet increase the omega-3, watch my sugar intake and carb intake, and drop off Rebif.

She's a nurse so her answer for everything is 'they have a drug for that.' and I understand why she says that, because she is in that field.

She also said I need to research and get on the forums because she was certain I have been talking to the wrong people. That offended me some, do you really think that I would be living with this crap disease and not explore my options for treatment? I informed her that I have been doing research everyday since I have been diagnosed. I know what I am RISKING and at this point in time I am willing to risk it.

Like Dejibo said in a previous thread.. She'd rather be in a wheelchair and have her wits about her, than to lie in bed staring off everyday, feeling sick.

I'm sick of feeling okay, then when I inject hours later feeling sick, can't move, stiff, and so uncomfortable in my own skin that I am about to just FREAK OUT!:eek:

So, with that being said, I am going to stop taking my Rebif and try and let my body naturally heal itself.

I have been CAREFULLY tanning, 10 minutes with a high-powered fan to keep me cool and if I start to feel even the tiniest bit warm, I shut the bed off. So I am increasing my Vitamin D intake, I am going to change my diet, and HOPEFULLY be able to pick up on Yoga. I did some research on the tanning thing (vitamin D, tanning, and MS patients), they did a study on MS Patients and had them tan for 10 minutes 3x a week. It increased their vit d levels and with most of the patients, they had a 44% chance of NOT RELAPSING! Isn't Rebif like a 31% chance you won't relapse? hmmm....

I'm nervous and excited at the same time. I have good feelings about this. And after reading that article by Dr. Mercola, it makes me feel that I really do know my body, and when I have a strong feeling about something, I should probably go with it vs. what other people say for me to do.

My boyfriend is trying his hardest to be supportive of this because he knows this is what I have been wanting to try for a long time now, but he's scared, he said he's worried about the long-term of it and he's also afraid that I'm going to end up in that chair within no time. Is it fair to HIM to take this chance?

I'm glad you're going to give your body a chance to get back in balance but sorry that your family is giving you a hard time. I guess that's where I have it a little easier. I'm sort of on my own when it comes to decisions about my health care. But, knowing how misunderstood MS is it's not surprising that folks who don't have it seem to think that "one size fits all" when it comes to treatments.

Rebif and some of the other DMD's do actually work for some people but, unfortunately for me, my body didn't like any of them. And I tried. My Neuro still tries to get me to go back on Betaseron. I finally asked him once why he'd want me to take something that clearly wasn't helping me and possibly making me sicker. He hesitated and then said that the DMD's are the only thing we have and I should be grateful that I have the chance to take them. Guilting me into it isn't going to work. I had made up my mind and no amount of scare tactics from him was going to sway me.

I've been off of Beta now for three years. I've modified my diet quite a bit. Cut out the sugar and high fructose corn syrup. I do take LDN and that has helped me immensely. I think that and the supplement regimen has been the most helpful. Antioxidants and vitamins (D3 and B12 in particular) play a big role in feeling better.

I still have MS and no amount of diet or diet plus supplements is going to change that but it's at a level I can tolerate and I feel so much better overall than I did taking the DMD's and other meds prescribed for MS symptoms. Many of my symptoms have gone away or gotten much less severe. I feel better being more in charge of my health and well-being. I hope you will, too.

Ohhh Kitty! You have just made me feel even better and more comfortable with this decision!!! :hug:

I'm looking forward to it, and like you said, we'll always have MS, but at least I will be at a comfortable level or not have to worry about liver failure.

The MS will stay, but at least this way it's like charging rent.

Being on the drug was making me feel so defeated, like MS was winning the battle and the war, and that's just not fair.

Thanks again!!!!!
:hug:

You'll do fine! :) Just give it time. It takes several months for your body to adjust. There might be a period of time that you feel worse - at least I did for a few days - but I was told by a trusted friend that was my body adjusting to the healthy things I was giving it and ridding itself of the meds and things I had been putting into it. And she was right! After a few days I began to feel better and probably a month or so later I couldn't believe how much better I felt.

That's not to say I don't still have days where I don't feel good or the MS symptoms don't pop up from time to time. That still happens but it's not at the level it was before. Plus, I feel better overall so dealing with minor setbacks is easier for me.

I just had a flareup of symptoms at the beginning of April and now, just a little more than a month later, I am feeling good again. Normally, when I was on the DMD a flare would last anywhere from 12 - 16 weeks. This last one was right at about 7 weeks. This is where the LDN is so helpful, I believe. So, I still have the challenges sometimes but they're easier to deal with and get through. Plus, I feel like I'm doing something good for my body and helping to keep other illnesses from cropping up. :)

And your body is thanking you for this!

Hopefully mine will be too!

And the fact that your flares aren't lasting as long as they were while you were on the DMD has to mean that our bodies need natural medicine like a healthy diet and vitamins versus chemical drugs! =)

Ayna - I think it's great you are taking control of your health. There is nothing wrong with that. We each have to make decisions based on what we feel is best for us. We know our bodies better than anyone else and listening to our bodies is important. Additionally, I am a firm believer in the mind/body connection. If you feel confident this is the best decision for you, I do feel that you will start to feel better. (Wow! There's a lot of "feeling" in that last sentence.:D;)).

It is so hard to take a drug that makes you feel "toxic" and like crud. I have been off C for a while now. My MS is still there and I still have symptoms on a daily basis but I don't have that toxic feeling like I did. I am in hopes that I can find a dr. locally that will be on board with prescribing LDN for me.

Good luck on your new regime and let us know how you are doing.

Thank you so very much for the support tkirk! It really helps to have people backing me!

And when you say you don't feel toxic like you used to, that just made my soul so happy!
Toxic is EXACTLY the way my insides feel, and I have a feeling that we were/are experiencing the toxic feeling because it's literally a toxic substance that we fill our bodies with! SCARY! :eek:
So I am so very happy to think that my insides could very well start feeling better!

:D:grouphug:

with each passing day I got a tiny bit of my life back. my strength came back, my wit came back, my stamina came back, my skin healed. The dents from copaxone are permenant but I am no longer grey/green and ruddy at the same time. I started to feel well enough to cook, clean, sew, sit and talk with my family, travel, laugh, understand what they are talking about on TV or get the gist of a book. its been 11 months now and each and every day I get more of ME back!

I eat a clean diet. NO processed foods. Want mac and cheese? make it! want beef stew? make it! No more popping open a can for things. no MSG, no HFCS, no Aspertame, or equal and splenda stuff. want lemonade? make it! I eat a clean balanced diet, and my body thanks for me it. OMega 6 will only contribute to your inflammation, omega 3 will help bring it in line. Get your Vit D3 level up. We CANT find it in nature, you are going to need a suppliment. Cod liver oil is way to high in Vit A to take, just take the pill form. it helps! Have your MD pull a panal of vitamin levels and see if you are deficient.

God Bless you and good luck. Make sure to journal. Keep track of your progress and come back to tell us if its going well.

:hug:Dejibo
I am sooooo glad to hear how well you are doing! and also that you're continuing to do well!!!!

:Dancing-Chilli:

I am going to do all of the above! I know I had low vit d levels back in march, I'd be anxious to see if it's risen any since I have been tanning. Are you still eating read meat? Alot of what I have read says to stay away from it and that makes me nervous about sticking to a healthy diet because I am and always have been an avid red meat eater :eek:

I get most of my supplements from Puritan's Pride. They have awesome online sales. Here's the link www.puritanspride.com. I've also heard that iherb is a good site, too. The link to their site is www.iherb.com.

After much trial and error this is the menu of supplements I currently take:

Multi-Vitamin for Women 50 and older
D3 (I currently take 15,000 IU daily)
B12 (5,000mg daily. Must take on an empty stomach.)
Astaxanthin (8,000 mg daily (two 4mg capsules).
Krill Oil (1,000 mg daily)
Turmeric (1,000mg daily)

I'd love to hear what supplements others here are taking and if there are other good online sites to purchase them from.