Making a Choice

There are many Disease Modification Medication options out there for MSer's to choose from.  Everyone of them has been through years of trials and FDA approved to slow the progression of MS.  Evertime someone comes to me with an alternative medication that 'promises' to stop or reverse the disability of MS, this is what I think:

(from Life at Cripple Creek)
But to make a choice about that you need to understand probability theory.

People who are desperate for wellness flock to the newest treatment that promises relief. The MS Diet, T. Wahl MD's diet and exercise program, CCSVI, statins, and many other offerings are out there. Do they work? Do they arrest or even reverse damage from MS?

I tell myself that the day something comes along that really, truly works to significantly stop or reverse MS it will not be a secret you have to dredge up on the internet or fight with your neurologist to obtain. If it is truly significant people will not be arguing "yay" or "nay" about it. People will not have to convince their colleagues to try it on patients. No one will try to suppress it. If a really helpful therapy is found, one that improves MS symptoms and/or progression in, for example, more than 40% of the people who use it, there will be banner headlines.

And until then we will have to continue to educate ourselves so that we can be aware of helpful options and avoid useless options while experimenting on ourselves in search of the best way for each of us to live with MS.

I couldn't have said it better myself.  I've always thought that if something "outside of the box" was working, everyone would be on it. 

This is just my opinion, what's yours?

Are you sick...

of MS, doctors, taking medications, being tired and too much more to mention?

Today, I am sick to death of doctors who think they know more about me than I do!!

I go to (most likely went to) a pain doctor who has become so suspicous of his patients being or becoming addicted to drugs that he has this huge chip on his shoulder.  Last month, due to a mistake by the pharmacy, my pain meds were reported as being prescribed by a different doctor (which was the doctor that referred me to him in the first place!).  Even though it was a mistake, all of the sudden I must be a drug addict or the fact that I didn't get a refill in October, I must be hoarding drugs! Really?

I didn't realize that all narcotic scripts filled are reported to a database run by the DEA, did you?  Guess what?  That database can never be changed or fixed.  So I went to the pharmacy and received a letter from them that they made a mistake and put in the wrong drs name.  When I went back this month, I kind of expected an apology for making me feel like a low-life.  Geez... how niave I can be!

Instead (if I would stop interrupting him), I received a lecture on how he was just doing his job; three figure malpractice fees; deposition hearings; lawsuits; pressure from the DEA to follow their rigid rules, and that no matter how "nice" of a person he thinks I am, I'm still a potential drug addict. OK then...

I know and I respect the fact that he is just doing his job...  I really do.  Does this mean that because I need to take a narcotic for pain that I will always be lumped in with a group of people that will forever be mis-trusted, suspected, and judged?

Any comments??

Till next time, Valerie