Re: Seasonal Variations

[Guest guest]

Patty,

So sorry to hear that you're not feeling well. Relapses/exacerbations

are always so frustrating because you get so excited when you're

feeling good and then so discouraged when you feel poorly again. I

know... my symptoms vary greatly from day to day, with some days

being pretty decent, allowing me to function relatively normally, and

others when I'm just incapacitated. It's good that you can link

changes in your symptoms to changes in the environment... it's so

important to be attuned to your body and what conditions provoke what

response. I don't know what part of the country you're in, but where

I am (DC) it feels as if spring is so far off, so if you're looking

for a more wintery climate, take a trip here! But I hope you feel

better soon and want you to know you have my support and best

wishes/prayers.

On another note, I have made an appointment to see Dr. Feng in 3

weeks for a consult. I know that's not far off, but it feels so far

away because every day feels so long as I'm feeling so terrible. But

I at least feel I'm moving in the right direction. Thanks for you

help!

> Hi everyone,

> I recently posted a letter wondering about seasonal exacerbations

of symptoms associated with autoimmune disease. I just did a quick

internet search, and this is what I found so far. It doesn't make me

feel much better, as I always seem to get a little worse in the

spring. I have no idea what connection there is here, but I have

always had a little nagging fear of MS in the back of my mind. So

many of the women with implants have MS like symptoms. I live a

normal life now, and I rarely have any symptoms that return; however,

I have always remembered just how icky it feels to have a little

exacerbation in the spring of those nasty brain foggy symptoms. Dr.

Kolb, any ideas regarding this melatonin?

> Thanks!

> Patty

> http://www.albany.net/~tjc/seasonal.html

>

> Seasonal Variations Of Relapse & Age

> Of Multiple Sclerosis Onset

>

>

> Sandyk R; Awerbuch GI

> Int J Neurosci 1993 Jul-Aug;71(1-4):147-57

> NeuroCommunication Research Laboratories, Danbury, CT 06811

USA

> --------------------------------------------------------------------

------

> Abstract

> The incidence of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is age-dependent

being rare prior to age 10, unusual prior to age 15, with a peak in

the mid 20s.

>

> The manifestation of MS, therefore, appears to be dependent

upon having passed through the pubertal period suggesting an

Endocrine influence on the timing of onset of the disease.

>

> Since Pineal Melatonin secretion progressively declines from

childhood to puberty and as Melatonin exerts an ImmunoModulating

influence, we have proposed that the dramatic decline in Melatonin

secretion just prior to the onset of the clinical manifestations of

puberty may lead to disruption of Immune Responses.

>

> Resulting in either reactivation of the infective agent or in

an increased susceptibility to pubertal or post-pubertal infection.

Melatonin secretion undergoes annual rhythms with a zenith in Winter

and declines to a nadir in the Spring.

>

> Thus, the fall in Melatonin secretion in the Spring may

account for epidemiological findings revealing a high incidence of

relapse of MS in the Spring.

>

> If the manifestations of MS are related to the fall in

Melatonin secretion in the post-pubertal period, then one would

expect patients with a pubertal onset of the disease to have a higher

incidence of relapses in Spring than in Winter.

>

> To test this hypothesis, we investigated in 51 patients the

relationship between the seasonal occurrence of the last MS relapse

with the age of onset of first manifestation of MS.

>

> While 9 of 22 patients (40.9%) who relapsed in spring (March-

May) had the onset of MS prior to age 18, only 2 of 29 patients

(6.9%) who relapsed in winter (November - February) experienced the

onset of first symptoms prior to the age of 18 years (p .005).

>

> These findings thus support the hypothesis implicating the

Pineal Gland and Melatonin secretion in the timing of onset of MS.

>

> Moreover, the findings may have clinical implications with

respect to the prophylaxis of MS relapse in patients who experience

seasonally-dependent exacerbation of symptoms.

>

> --------------------------------------------------------------------

------

[Guest guest]

Thanks , I bought some 1 MG sublinguals today to see what happens. I noticed that the label gives a caution for those with autoimmune diseases, and thyroid conditions (among many other things)....both of which I have. Do you have any problem with any of your patients taking it who have autoimmune or thyroid conditions? It just says to consult your physician, so I thought I would ask! : )

Patty

----- Original Message -----

From: Dr.Kolb

Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2003 7:55 PM

Subject: RE: Seasonal Variations

Try melatonin 1 to 3 mg before bed and see if it makes a difference. It is on the protocol. .

-----Original Message-----From: ~*Patty*~ [mailto:fdp@...] Sent: Wednesday, February 26, 2003 7:33 PM Subject: Seasonal Variations

Hi everyone,

I recently posted a letter wondering about seasonal exacerbations of symptoms associated with autoimmune disease. I just did a quick internet search, and this is what I found so far. It doesn't make me feel much better, as I always seem to get a little worse in the spring. I have no idea what connection there is here, but I have always had a little nagging fear of MS in the back of my mind. So many of the women with implants have MS like symptoms. I live a normal life now, and I rarely have any symptoms that return; however, I have always remembered just how icky it feels to have a little exacerbation in the spring of those nasty brain foggy symptoms. Dr. Kolb, any ideas regarding this melatonin?

Thanks!

Patty

http://www.albany.net/~tjc/seasonal.html