Fw: [jjworld] Fw: [MSViews_Multiple_Sclerosis] CRAB effectiveness

[Guest guest]

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

From: " Steve McClain " <clark7@...>

<jjworld >

Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2004 12:28 PM

Subject: Re: [jjworld] Fw: [MSViews_Multiple_Sclerosis] CRAB effectiveness

>

> Hi ,

>

> I agree with you on this, to some degree, I have heard that all MS

patients

> should stay on a low fat diet and cut out things like allot of sugar, and

> starches--what others call carbs. When I took chemistry, organic, years

ago

> I learned about breaking down of foods in our bodies. I am somewhat

> desmayed when people tell me the things that are carbohydrates. I will

not

> go into that.

>

> About the meds, I had problems with betaseron, and copaxine.

> I was on copaxone for about 4 years then I started having bad reactions to

> it. Hives, it literally burned out the fat in my skin and left hole. I

was

> in pain for two hours after the shot. I was having one case after another

> of shingles, developed arthritis in the bones, have diabetes, and so

forth.

> Then I started reading the insert and found out that those can be side

> effects of the drug. Do your homework before taking a drug that the

doctor

> prescribes. Then make the decision if you need the drug at this time.

>

> I became ill when I was in my 20's and am now 61. People are amazed that

I

> am still walking and talking. My skin looks wonderful for my age. People

> acused me of having a facelift which I have not.

>

> I exercise, eat plenty of fruits and vegetable and so forth. I also take

> good care of my skin. You just have to listen to your body and do what it

> is telling you.

>

> Virgina

> -------Original Message-------

>

> From: jjworld

> Date: 09/01/04 13:16:28

> MS-Christians ; MSersLife ;

> jjworld ; mscured ;

> low dose naltrexone ; MSfriends ; A Home away

> from Home a MS Support Board

> Subject: [jjworld] Fw: [MSViews_Multiple_Sclerosis] CRAB effectiveness

>

> ----- Original Message -----

> From: Snead

> MSViews_Multiple_Sclerosis

> Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2004 2:09 PM

> Subject: [MSViews_Multiple_Sclerosis] CRAB effectiveness

>

>

> Here's something I'd like to share that is pertinent to some ongoing group

> discussions. I've tried to keep this as short and as easy to read as

> possible. I hope I've succeeded.

>

> A couple of months before my diagnosis of RRMS, my sister did a ton of

> investigation into MS for me. I thank God that she did because none of my

> doctors, neuros, etc. gave me even the remotest indication that there were

> any options to fighting the progression of MS besides the CRABs. I always

> knew that I really didn't want to do any of the CRABs but reading the

> research convinced me, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I do not ever want

> to take any of the drugs. Personally, I've chosen to follow Dr. Swank's

> diet (with over 30 years of documentation), but that's not the point of

this

> post.

>

> One of the websites that really opened my eyes to the CRABs is this:

> http://www.themcfox.com/index.html

> This site includes easy to read and understand effectiveness charts for

the

> drugs.

>

> What really made me sit up and take notice was my sister's explanation of

> how to accurately read the statistics because they are not as

'wonderful'(?)

> as they would first appear. You HAVE to compare the drug results to the

> placebo results. Take for example, Avonex:

>

> I'll use the second chart to explain. http://www.themcfox

> com/multiple-sclerosis/ms-drugs/avonex/avonex-effectiveness.htm This

chart

> compares the number of exacerbations between those who took the drug for 2

> years and those who took a placebo for 2 years. Those who experienced

zero

> exacerbations during the 2 years were 26% on placebo and 38% on Avonex.

At

> first glance you'd think that the drug was effective in 38% of the people,

> but you'd be wrong (sorry). Since 26% of the placebo people had zero

> exacerbations, the drug actually has only a 12% effectiveness rate (the

> difference between the 26% and 38%). So the rest of the chart shows that

> the drug has only 1%-12% effectiveness with exacerbation rates.

>

> When I realized that the drugs had considerably less than the 30+%

> effectiveness that I had been told they have, and read about the many

> potential side effects and then added in the cost of the drugs, I just

wasn

> t willing to give any of the CRABs a try. Don't forget to add in the fact

> that these drugs have no long-term documentation because they just haven't

> been on the market all that long.

>

> Please don't take any of this as bashing any of the CRABs. All I'm doing

> here is presenting the accurate way to understand the true effectiveness

of

> these drugs. I leave everyone to arrive at their own conclusions--I just

> wanted to share how I arrived at my personal decisions on how to fight my

> own MS. The wonderful news is that there are healthy ways to slow the

> progression of this disease (which is all the drugs are attempting to do)

> that are good for you and your family and won't break the bank. There are

> several MS diets out there to check out and I hope that others on this

board

> will post their websites. The Swank website is: http://swankmsdiet.com/

>

> Blessings,

>

>

>

> Link for chat:

> MSViews_Multiple_Sclerosis/chat

> Photos:

> http://photos./group/MSViews_Multiple_Sclerosis/lst

> Group Home: MSViews_Multiple_Sclerosis

> MyMSViews Home: http://www.mymsviews.org Home: http://groups.

> com/group/MSViews_Multiple_Sclerosis

> MyMSViews Home: http://www.mymsviews.org

>

>

>