>

Pain or pressure in the stomach or intestines.

Key: Fw/MS = females with MS, M w/o MS=males without MS, etc.

	F w/MS	F w/o MS	M w/MS	M w/o MS	All w/MS	All w/o MS
Number	42	4	11	0	53	4
out of	123	21	51	17	174	38
Percent	34	19	21	0	30	10

Excessive gas

	F w/MS	F w/o MS	M w/MS	M w/o MS	All w/MS	All w/o MS
Number	35	3	10	3	45	6
out of	123	21	51	17	174	38
Percent	28	14	19	17	25	15

Diarrhea

	F w/MS	F w/o MS	M w/MS	M w/o MS	All w/MS	All w/o MS
Number	27	1	7	0	34	1
out of	123	21	51	17	174	38
Percent	21	4	13	0	19	2

Constipation

	F w/MS	F w/o MS	M w/MS	M w/o MS	All w/MS	All w/o MS
Number	44	4	6	1	50	5
out of	123	21	51	17	174	38
Percent	35	19	11	5	28	13

>

Respondents who report having at least one of the above problems.

Key: Fw/MS = females with MS, M w/o MS=males without MS, etc.

	F w/MS	F w/o MS	M w/MS	M w/o MS	All w/MS	All w/o MS
Number	74	6	19	3	93	9
out of	123	21	51	17	174	38
Percent	60	28	37	17	53	23

	
Describe the frequency and severity of the above problems
(One line per respondent)	
	People	without  MS
		
>	Constant constipation, gas twice a week	
>	Irregular	
>	Not too bad, usually cyclical	
>	Mild pain in the intestines when stressed	
>	Remitting muscular spasms in quadreo musdlew, remitting (author's note: if anyone knows what this is please let us know)	
>	N/a	
>	Several times a month.  Reducing amount of carbonated soft drinks reduced frequency	
>	More or less every day currently at over 70 did not occur b4
	
		
	People with MS	
>	Diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome.  Also had pancreatic pseydocyst, don't know if it was related or not.	
>	Have always had diarrhea/constipation since having gallbladder removed	
>	After I would eat a supper, which is our main meal of the day I would become severly ill with dirrahea attacts and stomach pain.  This would happen especially after eating foods with milk, choc., pizza, graveys.	
>	Most of the time I suffered from one or more of these symptoms	
>	Constant - Testing showed no problems.  When I banned sugar, most problems disappeared.  (before MS diagnosis)	
>	Explosive/foul smelling, odorous diarrhea at least 5 times every two weeks., Also constipation inbetween the diarrhea episodes	
>	Irritable bowel syndrome	
>	Either constipated or had diarrhea, never "normal"	
>	Once a week	
>	Diarrhea/almost daily/not painful, constipation/occassionally/not really bad	
>	Constipation became so severe that last summer I was hospitalized for five days	
>	I can remember complaining of bloating a lot & I still do,, however, it's not all the time.	
>	Since late teens, always gas w/ pain.  Then started bowel problems in my 20's.  Soft stool, but couldn't move, sometimes for several days.	
>	Every week  pain in stomach quite severe.	
>	Lots of gas and cramping before onset of other symptoms	
>	Constipation always. I had a lot of stomach pain and heartburn	
>	Quite frequently	
>	Everyday	
>	Constipated severely Needed to have colon removed	
>	Daily, Moderate	
>	I had irritable bowel syndrome	
>	Constipation all the time.  Only able to go about once a week	
>	Always constipated, BM only 1-2 times per week	
>	Almost always-bowel movements only every 3-4 days	
>	Was hospitalized twice but they found no reason for the pain	
>	Intermittently/ approx. 6-7 times a month	
>	From age 14-17 I had frequent severe stomach pain and all my life have only had BM's about 2 times per week. Docs thought at one time I had acute intermittent porphyria, then said the lab read the test results wrong. I don't know if I have it or not for 	
>	Before my first bout I can't remember, I was pregnant at the time. After that 1st bout I had severe constipation until I got pregnant again 8 yrs later.  Then followed another bout of MS.	
>	Bowel movement ~twice / week	
>	At least once per week.  Remedied by eating prunes.	
>	Periodic constipation--my definition is 2 or more days without a bowel movement, This would occur at least once per week.	
>	On average once a week	
>	Five or six times a year.  I needed to use a laxitive or, enitima to get my bowels to move	
>	Not very severe	
>	Chronic	
>	Once a week	
>	Often little pellets	
>	Mild but pretty constant	
>	Diarrhea usually once a day, after a meal	
>	Daily - sever to moderate	
>	Fairly severe once or twice a month depending on current life stress	
>	Peptic ulcer and irritable bowel syndrome were diagnosed when, I was in my twenties.	
>	Diarrhea - t least 2 time or so a week, bloating to the pont thati thoughti had a growth	
>	Diahrrhea has been the worst problem- for about the last three years before dx have only rarely had a normal bm.	
>	mildly annoying	
>	Weekly, unable to leave house during spell	
>	Once per week	
>	For months, then nothing, then a re-occurrence.  For about 2 yrs prior to dx	
>	The year before it was diagnosed after a hysterectomy this started, ad hoc frequency but when it is there it is severe - I have no warning	
>	Mornings, 6-7 times a month	
>	Diarrhea after a big meal or one with a high fat content	
>	Related to eating certain foods (such as some italian food, , some stir fry vegies, etc.). Quite severe reaction.	
>	Two-three days each month, not very severe	
>	Many time after eating, diarrhea was severe	
>	Twice monthly,mild	
>	Every 2 month or so, severe enough to go to the emergency room	
>	Out of seven day -4 or 5 days, from intense to barely noticeable, but I got use to it.	
>	Every day after lunch	
>	4 months before other symptoms of MS & again 2 months before	
>	Often-was told due stress of marriage and career	
>	From the age of 3 complained of 'sore tummy' doctors could find no reason. pain stopped at about age 10	
>	Sometimes food would not digest well	
>	Pain in stomach would occur about every six or so months, hospitalized once.	
>	I started at 12. I rember only having pain in the intestines	
>	Several times per week.	
>	I recovered from my ms 2 years ago after being severely ill for, 6 years.	
>	None	
>	None except when ill	
>	None	
>	Had none of these symptoms prior to MS...but have 3 or the 4 now	
>	No	
>	None	
>	Diagnosed with Crohns disease in 1969	
>	2-3 times per week, sometimes would double me over	
>	More problems with gas than with anything else -- some constipation	
>	Often	
>	Weekly constipation, uncomfortable stomach frequently	
>	Hospitalized for non diagnosed severe diarrhea	
>	Once or twice per week.  	
>	Lactose intolerant	
>	Moderate	
>	Have always had gas (attribute to high fiber)	
>	Daily	
>	Every day	
>	Daily	
>	Apparently at least partly due to helicobacter Pylori , and an inherited propensity to form excess acid in the stomach	
>	Pressure mild to annoying 3-4 times per week - usually at night	
>	Not often but very severe	
>	Nothing out of the ordinary	
	

Before your MS symptoms started did you frequently have
cold hands or feet, while others around you were warm?
>

Percent of respondents with cold hands or feet.

Key: Fw/MS = females with MS, M w/o MS=males without MS, etc.

Percent	F w/MS	F w/o MS	M w/MS	M w/o MS	All w/MS	All w/o MS
Yes	65	66	32	16	55	38
No	35	33	67	83	44	61
Number of
respondents	120	9	49	12	169	21

>

Exposure to lead / percent of respondents

Key: Fw/MS = females with MS, M w/o MS=males without MS, etc.

Percent	F w/MS	F w/o MS	M w/MS	M w/o MS	All w/MS	All w/o MS
Yes-%	5	0	7	17	6	7
Number of
respondents	123	21	51	17	174	38

							
Other exposure				
   Comment : There are many ideas here, but no recurring ones.	
F w/MS
>Aluminum
>asbestos
>asbestos
>copper mining
>dioxin
>insecticides on farm
>lots of amalgam fillings
>manganese
>none
>not sure, worked secretarial
>old WWII ammo dumpsites?
>refinery
>swimming pool chemicals?
>toxic waste disposal site
>was in germany when Chernobyl 
>well water - contaiminated?
>xrays
>zinc

F w/o MS
radiation- PC

M w/MS
>agent orange
>aluminum oxide  cerium oxide
>computers
>diesel fumes
>EMT/Firefighter 10 years
>exotic metals (aircraft welder
>industrial chemicals?
>many
>rust
>silver
>spray on fruit trees

M w/o MS
>aluminum & asbestos
>dust
>sawdust, asbestos

								

13e) If for any reason you had all of your fillings removed did your symptoms become better, worse or stay the same? :

	number	percent
Better	3	14.2
Worse	3	14.2
Same	15	71.4
total	21	99.8

>

13h) Have you ever lived within 2 miles of a nuclear power plant?

Key: Fw/MS = females with MS, M w/o MS=males without MS, etc.

Percent	F w/MS	F w/o MS	M w/MS	M w/o MS	All w/MS	All w/o MS
Yes	2	5	6	5	3	5
No	97	94	93	94	96	94
Number of
responses	117	18	49	17	166	35

The following table applies to questions 14a through 14e
14) Some people recover from MS . If you believe you have recovered please answer the following questions.
14a) Progress of the disease has stopped, but symptoms persist?
14b) How many months since the disease stopped?
14c) Symptoms are mostly gone?
14d) How many months since the symptoms disappeared?
14e) If you believe you have recovered from MS, what do you attribute your recovery to?

Note: The treatments and results are shown here as they were reported by respondents. These treatments may not produce the same results for you.

For all types of MS

survey#	14a	14b	14c	14d	14e diet	14e dietsup	14e exercise	14e lifestyle	14e prayer	14e luck	14e other
2	-	-	y	20	y	y	y	y	-	-	+ sunlight, waking early. No gluten/dairy most important
32	-	-	y	1	y	y	y	y	-	-	I am in good health and in good shape. I eat well and get lots of sleep, have only beem dx for 4 mo. my sympoms are sensory,l'hermitte
35	-	-	y	12	y	y	-	-	-	y	7 years vegetarian, 1 year Swank diet, just started Kousmine diet. Vitamins supplements.
47	-	-	y	60	y	y	y	y	y	y	Taking a more positive approach to living well. Also use Chiro., Massage, Bee Stings, Music and Relaxation
59	-	-	y	48	y	y	y	y	-	-	I take numerous supplements- notably Flax Seed Oil, Vit. C + Bioflavinoids, Antioxidants. I have altered my diet to remove most dairy and a lot of red meat. I exercise three times a week and I try to lead a relaxed lifestyle (don't worry)., The MS diag
60	-	40	y	-	y	y	-	-	-	-	positive atitude and meditation. Totally paralized Sept. 1992. Now I can , walk in house UNASSISTED! But in & out of electric chair because of nerve fatigue. But improving continually!!!
64	-	-	y	28	y	y	-	-	-	-	Evening primrose oil, vitamins & minerals, grape seed extract, amino, acids, organic foods (including beef, lamb, pork)
71	y	12	y	4	y	y	y	y	-	y	Acupuncture has helped me heal the most from fatigue & burning legs
96	y	6	y	4	y	y	y	y	-	y	Started Avonex 6 months ago
98	-	-	y	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
122	-	-	y	4	-	y	-	-	y	y	Began taking vitamin supplements after diagnosis, started back to church
135	y	2?	y	2?	y	y	-	y	-	-	vitamines, minerals, no gluten, no milk products, , vegetables, fruits, high quality oils, enough sleep
141	-	-	y	-	-	-	-	-	-	y	-
163	-	-	y	14	y	y	-	y	-	-	Began Swank Diet (modified) and vitamins,herbs,oils based on, other research. Was veggie in 70's, back to healthy diet
175	-	-	y	6	y	y	y	-	-	-	Total dietary change low fat, minimal red meat absolutely no aspartame., Exercise daily, walking extensively and riding exercise bike and mountain biking.
209	-	-	y	12	y	y	y	y	y	y	all have changed
218	y	1	y	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	treatment with steriods
177	y	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
1	y	6	-	-	y	y	y	-	y	y	Swank diet, cod liver oil, vit c, 20 min walk daily,pycnogenol
11	y	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	y	Feel IV solu-medrol drip may have calmed me down - also, recover does not mean cured - the word is remission as far as I have understood!
13	y	44	-	-	y	y	y	y	-	-	I eat a low sat-fat diet, take lots of supplements including essential, fatty acids, try to exercise regularly, and try to laugh and love a lot
14	-	36	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	y	-
22	y	30	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
46	y	-	-	-	-	y	-	-	y	-	Betaseron previously and now Avonex. The term "recovery", is misleading. I am in remission.
48	-	22	-	22	y	y	y	y	-	-	allergy free, low fat diet eliminated,eggs dairy, yeast, wheat aand beans
56	y	9	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
57	y	96	-	-	y	y	-	y	y	y	Low fat diet,black currant oil,Fearn liquid lecithin,, don't push myself when I'm feeling bad
58	y	12	-	-	-	y	-	y	-	-	penicillin
61	-	24	-	24	y	y	y	y	-	-	Once I separated my health problems I was able to figure out how, to recover. Credit mineral supplements and positive attitude.
67	y	30	-	-	-	-	-	-	y	-	-
70	y	13	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
88	y	14	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
102	y	8	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
105	y	6	-	-	-	-	-	-	y	y	-
107	y	5	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
118	y	8	-	-	y	y	y	y	y	-	I've been following dave's (Dave Q's?) diet/lifestyle
126	y	???	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
127	y	-	-	-	y	y	y	y	y	-	Not fully recovered, but much improvement since seeing Dr. Swank, starting Swank diet,, taking midday rests, avoiding allergens, taking oils and vitamin supplements, reducing stress.
139	y	12	-	-	-	-	-	-	y	-	betaseron
140	y	12	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
142	y	0	-	-	y	y	-	-	y	-	-
143	y	4	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	y	-
153	y	61	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
162	y	-	-	-	y	-	y	-	-	-	I have COMPLETELY cut out milk products from my diet--and I concentrate on a low-fat diet, There's something I'm curious about:
168	y	14	-	-	y	-	-	y	-	y	-
169	y	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
171	y	8	-	-	-	-	y	-	y	-	The Lord won't put anything on us we cannot bear -)
174	y	24	-	-	y	y	y	y	-	-	stress biggest factor - took a year off work to allow my body to recover
179	y	12	-	-	y	-	-	y	-	y	Have dedicated myself to a very strict diet free from oils, margerine,, some meats, low in carbohydrates. Removed myself from highly stress job situation.
195	y	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
196	y	4	-	-	y	y	y	y	y	-	And resting every day! I am following Swank's diet and doing , as he advises about rest and trying to avoid stress.
-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Total	-	-	-	-	26	26	18	2	14	15	-

Summary of treatments followed

Treatment	Times mentioned
Diet	26
Diet sup	26
Exercise	18
Lifestyle	20
Prayer	14
Luck	15

Specific treatment

Specific treatment	Times mentioned
take oil	7
Vitamines	6
Swank diet	5
low fat diet	5
No dairy	3
Positive att	3
exercise	3
No gluten	2
Sleep	2
rest	2
betaseron	2
avonex	2
minerals	2
vegetarian	1
kousmine diet	1
bee sting	1
allergy free diet	1
acupuncture	1
sunlight	1
evening primrose	1
grape seed extract	1
pycnogenol	1
oil free	1

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