The MS Recovery Diet by Ann Sawyer and Judi Bachrach

I posted a contribution to the forum when I started this diet two months ago, having been diagnosed as having primary progressive MS almost five years ago, when I was 56. There had been no indicators at all even with the benefit of hindsight until the latter half of 2004. The firstsign was numbness in my left leg, which, having ridden (and fallen off!) horses since I was 2 years old, I dismissed as a trapped nerve. When the numbness spread to the right leg the trapped nerve theory did not seem probable and I went to the doctor, who imediately sent me to the neurology department of a major hospital. I later learned that they strongly suspected that I had a spinal or brain tumour, and were totally baffled when none was found, and all they turned up in the battery of tests they carried out was a few lesions in my spine. They shot me full of Prednisolone 1000mgs i.v. each day for three days, and sent me home thoroughly 'spaced out'. It was only a year later that I found that 'MS' was written on my file. The wonders of the UK National Health Service!

Over the past five years I have become increasingly disabled, with numbness in my hands as well as both legs. I had to give up driving because I could not control either of my feet well enough to work the foot pedals and was reluctant to learn to drive with hand controls. In any case if I did go anywhere I was too tired to attempt to drive home again. I was tired all of the time, unnable to walk without two sticks,wondering how long I would be able to get upstairs to go to bed. I became totally dependant on my husband and two daughters. It would have been so easy to give in and grasp the sanctuary of a wheel chair, but I would not do that. All that doctors would do for me was huge doses of Prednesolone, because I was deemed 'too old for Rebif or any of the forms of Interferon. I was wondering how long I could hang on before I visited a centre fo volluntary euthanasia in Europe, because it just seemed totally hopeless.

At this point about three months ago I found Anne and Judy's book and thought that I had nothing to lose by trying the diet. I started on March 1st and everyone is telling me how well I look and the numbness is going from my hands and legs. I feel a lot stronger. Unfortunately my walking is not hugely improved- yet as I had had problems with the cartlidge in both my knees, with surgery on both, before any suggestion of MS, annd they are now stiff and a bit unreliable, but I have bought a 'Yogalates' DVD. I am thrilled to see results so quickly because I had given myself 6 months before looking for any change AND I have lost the weight I gained after the steroid injections. Life is good!