** Stu's Views & M.S. News **

ABOUT this BLOG and How to use it

WELCOME to Stu's Views & MS News. A product of MS Views and News, a Not-for-Profit [501c3] organization that was founded in 2008, that provides educational Multiple Sclerosis information via live seminars and via the internet.

Our Mission is dedicated to the global collection and distribution of current information concerning Multiple Sclerosis via the Internet and Live Seminars.

Key-Notes: Our live seminars average approx 60 people per educational program. Our blog is visited over 2900 times per week and our website is visited by thousands each month.

Register at our website to receive our globally transmitted Multiple Sclerosis e-newsletter, currently being received in (88) Countries.

On the left side of this page find: Blog Directory, Blog Archives, Recent Blog Posts (most recent blogged titles). Use the Blog Search box (to enter a keyword). Find Resources (LOTS of resources), See our Facebook information AND Links to other MS Organizations / bloggers. .. At the Bottom of this page, find: Resourceful informational videos and some for fun.

Please SCROLL through this entire blog site to see all that we provide to keep those affected by MS (Patients and Caregivers), up-to-date and informed with information, education and resources.

========================================================================================================================================================================================================================================

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Second Request for a MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS "SYMPTOMS" RESEARCH STUDY

45 people responded to my first blog-posting and so the researchers asked that I again post as they would like more people to complete their research questionnaire

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SYMPTOMS RESEARCH STUDY

Researchers in the Physical Activity and Behavior Lab at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are currently recruiting individuals with MS for a study of MS symptoms.

This is a voluntary study that is testing a new comprehensive symptom questionnaire to determine how well it is able to measure the severity, frequency, and distressfulness of MS symptoms.

The study can be completed by mail or online and participants will be compensated for their time and effort. Participants in the study must have a definite diagnosis of MS and be between 20-70 years old.

Anyone interested in more information should contact Dr. Erin Snook by email esnook@kin.umass.edu or telephone (413) 545-6007.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Disclaimer: 'MS Views and News' (MSVN), does not endorse any products or services found on this blog. It is up to you to seek advice from your healthcare provider. The intent of this blog is to provide information on various medical conditions, medications, treatments, and procedures for your personal knowledge and to keep you informed of current health-related issues. It is not intended to be complete or exhaustive, nor is it a substitute for the advice of your physician. Should you or your family members have any specific medical problem, seek medical care promptly.

..............................

Hundreds sign up for CCSVI liberation trial

ONLY 86 to be selected

The provincial government has received almost 600 applications from multiple sclerosis patients interested in participating in a U.S.-based clinical trial.

In mid-January, the government invited applications in conjunction with its pledge to spend $2.2 million to cover costs for patients selected to participate in the research trial of the socalled "liberation therapy" taking place in Albany, N.Y.

Mark Docherty, a Saskatchewan Party MLA who received the treatment for multiple sclerosis in Bulgaria, said Tuesday he isn't surprised by the level of interest from Saskatchewan people.

"I figured that people with MS would be more than happy to add their names to the list," he said. "I think we're all supportive of this. It's very exciting for everybody throughout the province. All they're hoping for is to find out a cause and a cure. We've got to get some answers toward 'Why?' We've been asking that as an MS population forever."

Applications will close on Feb. 24 for Saskatchewan patients interested in volunteering for the trial. Applications can be made online or by phone, Docherty said, noting he encourages people to participate.

The two-year, double-blind clinical trial at Albany Medical Centre has room for 86 Saskatchewan MS patients. As of Tuesday, about 589 people had submitted applications.

Saskatchewan has one of the highest incidences of MS in the world, at 340 per 100,000 residents, the government says.

An estimated 3,500 people in the province have been diagnosed with the neurological disease, which causes the communication ability of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to be impaired or destroyed.

..Comments for each blog posting are always appreciated.

Please use the link found below, to leave comments..
.. All comments are moderated to reduce SPAM and bad language ..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- Click here to: REGISTER - For our MS weekly e-Newsletter

"Providing You with 'MS Views and News', IS What We Do" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

..............................

The Myelin Repair Foundation and ENDECE Neural Form Collaboration to Develop Myelin Regenerative Compounds for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Treatment

SARATOGA, Calif. and MEQUON, Wis., Feb. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Myelin Repair Foundation (MRF) and ENDECE Neural, LLC have formed a partnership to expedite the advancement of myelin regeneration drug candidates for Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients through pre-clinical studies and into Phase I clinical studies.

Through this unique collaboration, the newly launched MRF Translational Medicine Center will assess the myelin regenerating capabilities of proprietary small molecule compounds from ENDECE Neural in novel MRF Multiple Sclerosis models for their effectiveness in reversing myelin damage.

These ENDECE Neural compounds will be evaluated at the MRF Translational Medicine Center, which is dedicated to the acceleration of the drug discovery and development process for new MS treatments. This laboratory facility offers a rigorous, industry-leading translational medicine platform, led by MRF personnel with over four decades of extensive biopharma experience moving therapeutic compounds into clinical trials. The goal of the MRF Translational Medicine Center is to advance potential myelin repair treatment targets toward commercialization to benefit MS patients.

"By combining the innovative approach by ENDECE Neural to remyelination and the resources available at the MRF Translational Medicine Center, we can expedite progress towards developing new MS treatments for patients," says Dr. Jay Tung, Ph.D., Vice President of Drug Discovery and Research Operations at MRF. "We are excited to work with ENDECE Neural since we both share a deep commitment to bringing novel therapeutics to MS patients who simply cannot wait for new cures."

"We approached the Myelin Repair Foundation about joining forces because of their expertise in myelin repair models, in addition to their new in-house capabilities at the MRF Translational Medicine Center," says Dr. James Yarger, Ph.D., President of ENDECE Neural. "Unlike current MS therapies, which target immune response and inflammation to slow relapses, our drug compounds are promising candidates for remyelination, with the potential to restore muscle control and mobility. Without remyelination, there can be no cure for MS," states Dr. Yarger.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- Click here to: REGISTER - For our MS weekly e-Newsletter

"Providing You with 'MS Views and News', IS What We Do" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

..............................

Coconut Oil ...

What do you think of this?
Provided to me by a caregiver.

This video may have some
benefit to someone you know.

Coconut oil watch to the end - A Real Eye Opener!

http://www.cbn.com/media/player/index.aspx?s=/mp4/LJO190v1_WS

..Comments for each blog posting are always appreciated.

Please use the link found below, to leave comments..
.. All comments are moderated to reduce SPAM and bad language ..

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

..............................

Monday, February 6, 2012

ABOUT shift.ms

Shift.ms is the social network for people affected by Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Watch our videos to find out more about MS, get your questions answered and hear different experiences from around the community.

MS doesn't mean giving up on your ambitions, just rethinking how to achieve them!

WATCH the SHIFT.MS You Tube videos by clicking here

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- Click here to: REGISTER - For our MS weekly e-Newsletter

"Providing You with 'MS Views and News', IS What We Do" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

..............................

Friday, February 3, 2012

Ever have Problems with Solumedrol?

I remember problems I had years ago, when I needed Steroids for an exacerbation..
I wished that there was another choice- and there was, but it was not made available to me.
And maybe you too, do not know that there is an alternative, if you are not able to tolerate solumedrol.
Continue reading this information...

H.P. Acthar^® Gel (repository corticotropin injection) is an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) analogue used for:

Monotherapy treatment of infantile spasms (IS) in infants and children under 2 years of age.
The treatment of exacerbations of multiple sclerosis in adults.
For inducing a diuresis or a remission of proteinuria in the nephrotic syndrome without uremia of the idiopathic type or that due to lupus erythematosus.
The following: rheumatic disorders; collagen diseases; dermatologic diseases; allergic states; ophthalmic diseases and respiratory diseases.

Learn more. Click here

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- Click here to: REGISTER - For our MS weekly e-Newsletter

"Providing You with 'MS Views and News', IS What We Do" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

..............................

LDN ( Low Dose Naltrexone ) February 2012 Newsletter

Newsletter Link

http://www.ldnresearchtrustfiles.co.uk/docs/February Newsletter 2012.pdf

Belated Happy New Year to everyone, my time still isn’t my own and the hours I can spend helping people via the LDN Research Trust is still limited, hopefully over time things will improve. Until I get more time the newsletters will be as and when. If you have time to help in anyway whatsoever just let me know, your help would be appreciated.

The running costs of the charity have increased quite considerable over the last year, everything has risen in price. We pay no salaries and everyone works for nothing so every penny we receive makes a difference. To carry on with our work we need financial support, we would like to ask if everyone could spare just £1, $1 or 1 Euro a month or £12, $12, 12 Euro’s a year. This would enable us to cover the running costs, continue to produce and send free LDN Aware DVD’s to Doctors around the world, these DVD’s are proving a great success and many Doctors will prescribe after listening to what other medical professionals have to say and collect funds for trials.

Donations can be made in many ways regardless where in the world you live:

http://www.ldnresearchtrust.org/ldn-research/114-make-a-donation.asp

I would like to say a BIG thank you as always, to those people that makes regular donations, fundraise and help in so many different ways, without you there would be no LDN Research Trust.

We have a fundraising CD - First Step to Freedom by Synchro

£6 each with FREE shipping,

Synchro – “ We hope you enjoy listening to the CD as much as we enjoyed making it. At just £6:00 with free P&P, you can have a quality CD AND know that you are helping a worthwhile cause.

Video of CD on YouTube:

http://youtu.be/VYO5z-CcNPU

Buy your copy today by clicking the link below.

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=ZT8C6QPGZZQGJ

Also inside the newsletter:

· Links to play lists on YouTube for LDN Testimonials from Users
· Details of the LDN Aware and LDN Voices DVD’s
· Tribute to Celia Danks
· Article by Dr Tom Gilhooly
· Katy Pitsi’s Book
· Sulle Alhaji’s Challenge and Fund Raiser
· Disabled Motorist Federation
· Anticancer.org.uk Dr Pan Pantziarka
· LDN Chat Room Friday chats starting 2^nd February.
· And much more

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- Click here to: REGISTER - For our MS weekly e-Newsletter

"Providing You with 'MS Views and News', IS What We Do" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

..............................

Thursday, February 2, 2012

An active approach to fighting MS Former national bobsleigh team member refuses to let disease slow her down

BY EVA COHEN FEBRUARY 1, 2012
Katherine Louman-Gardiner was on the Canadian women’s bobsleigh team when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis three years ago.

“During my training, I started to experience symptoms and I went to see a specialist,” the Vancouver resident recalled in an interview.

The news wasn’t good.

When multiple sclerosis progresses, the results can be devastating, particularly for an athlete. Symptoms include loss of balance, impaired speech, extreme fatigue, double vision and paralysis.

Traditionally, doctors have advised people with MS to rest, but Louman-Gardiner didn’t let the disease slow her down.

She no longer competes at the international level, but she’s still more active than most Canadians.

“I’m on a variety of sports teams, including ultimate Frisbee, and I participate in a number of activities, including the Warrior Dash up in Whistler,” said Louman-Gardiner, referring to a competition for runners that includes stunts such as crawling under barbed wire.

“I also cycle everywhere, all the time. I bought a new bike and in the first month I had 1,000 kilometres on it. I listen to my body, and if I’m tired I go to bed. I take my medication and get on with things.”

According to Suzanne Jay, director of communications, for the BC and Yukon Division of the MS Society of Canada, having an active lifestyle to mitigate the debilitaing effects of the disease is an emerging area of study.

“In the past, people with MS were told to cut back if they got tired, and this led to being very sedentary,” said Jay. “Some researchers have changed their medical approach and see resting all the time with MS to be counterproductive. Katherine is unique because she keeps such as active lifestyle and it’s working really well for her.”

A study published in 2009 by Australian researchers from Queensland University found that exercise improved the overall quality of life of patients with MS. Of 121 patients studied, 52 exercised regularly, 69 did not. Those who did exercise reported improvements in terms of reduced fatigue and depression.

Researchers speculated that fatigue was eased because exercise altered a certain protein molecule in the MS patients, increasing energy levels, while depression may have been eased by factors such as increased endorphin levels (the so-called runner’s high) and the patients’ increased belief in their own abilities to perform physical functions.

Such studies could prove invaluable to Canadians. In Canada it is estimated that anywhere from 55,000 to 75,000 people have the disease. It is the most common neurological disease affecting young adults in the country, with women three times more likely than men to be diagnosed with it. MS attacks the myelin, which is a protective covering wrapped around the nerves of the central nervous system.

For Louman-Gardiner, keeping active made sense. She’d followed the same approach her entire life, and it was what landed her on the national bobsleigh team to begin with.

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis is a complex condition which can be difficult to diagnose because it presents in many different forms.

Symptoms can include problems with vision, balance and dizziness, fatigue as well as bladder, speech and swallowing difficulties.

The condition can also affect memory and thinking and impact on a sufferer's emotions.

In severe cases a person with MS will be unable to walk.

Most people will not suffer the same symptoms and they will not suffer all of them at the same time.

MS is usually diagnosed in adults between 20 and 40 years old and is more prevalent in women.

Treatments up until now have included drug, exercise and physiotherapy alongside diet and alternative therapies.

MS is an inflammatory disease which damages the tissue around the brain and the spinal cord, this affects the ability of cells to communicate leaving the body unable to respond to instructions from the brain.

SYMPTOMS of MS

In multiple sclerosis , damage to the myelin in the central nervous system (CNS), and to the nerve fibers themselves, interferes with the transmission of nerve signals between the brain and spinal cord and other parts of the body. This disruption of nerve signals produces the primary symptoms of MS, which vary depending on where the damage has occurred.

Over the course of the disease, some symptoms will come and go, while others may be more lasting.

CLICK TO Learn More about the Symptoms .

**********************

Pharmaceutical Resources

Avonex - MS ActiveSource (800) 456-2255 www.avonex.com Betaseron - Betaplus MS Support (800) 788-1467 www.betaseron.com Copaxone - Shared Solutions (800) 887-8100 www.sharedsolutions.com Extavia Patient Support Program (866) 925-2333 www.extavia.com Gilenya Patient Support Program (877) 408-4974 www.gilenya.com Rebif - MS LifeLines (877) 447-3243 www.MSLifeLines.com Novantrone - MS LifeLines (877) 447-3243 www.novantrone.com Tysabri (800) 456-2255 www.tysabri.com ........................................