My doctor's explanation of the Myelin sheathing was this - When the
antibodies started going haywire, they were attacking the virus, and mistook
good cells for bad cells, and started attacking the myelin coating on the
nerves, causing them to short-circuit, like electrical wires do when they
lose their insulation. They send mixed signals to the brain, causing the
weird sensations. They do regenerate, but it depends on how much damage was
done, what point (or points) on the spinal cord were affected, and
everybody's system is different in how fast this happens, or how far it will
repair. He told me that in 96 percent of all TM cases, (and you will hear
different statistics from different people) there is 100% or close to 100%
recovery. He also said that a very, very small percentage of people do
experience a relapse, but for the most part, it is a one-time attack.
My doctor told me that most of the "regenerating" occurs in the first two
years after the first onset, then slows down. There "may" or "may not" be
further improvement. Everybody is different. A lot of it depends on
attitude, too. If your sister is very strong willed, she will improve
quickly, and won't let a lack of improvement get her down. I was also told
that there will be times when I see daily improvement, which I did in the
first three months, then there will be times when I would see no improvement,
or very little. So far, that is what is happening in my case.
The last time I heard of dmso was in the seventies, but it was not for
internal consumption. It is one of those things that the FDA wouldn't
approve, and the companies making it would put disclaimers on the bottle, to
release their liability. At that time, it was for joint aches and pains, and
you would rub it on your body where you hurt. My husband tried it for a
while, but I couldn't stand to be near him, he smelled awful! And he gave up
on it, because all that it did do was make him stink. I know people are
still using it, because when I go into some of the older clients' homes, I
can smell it in the air. They use it for their arthritis. Maybe they have
improved it over the years, but I stopped hearing about it after that period
of time.
Hopefully, this information will help your sister. I am only telling you
what my doctor has told me, and of course, if your sister has any questions,
she should be able to ask her own doctor, because he/she is familiar with her
case. But if at anytime, she is uncomfortable with what she is hearing, or
is not getting answers, she should try to find a doctor that is experienced
with TM, since it is a rare disorder (not disease), and not all doctors have
had close personal experience with TM.
Debbie
dcapen(AT)ivic.net