Do not know anything specific, but someone I know has a relative who has had stem cell
treatment for MS. Not sure where, but I think it was in the US somewhere, (we are Canadian). I'll get more details soon, but she says his recovery has been so good that he is back working again as a firefighter. Passed all tests required & his synptoms were very severe.

Keeps me hoping

My attacks have been very aggressive, leaving limbs temporarily paralyzed. However, I have had almost total recovery from my attacks so far. I am hesitant to say total recovery because I know I am building up scar tissue. When I am having an attack however I can basically become disabled until recovery, and in the future I might not recover as well. I am not someone who only has a mild case that would otherwise go unnoticed.

So far I am on no disease modifying therapies other than diet and herbs. Ultra high intake of omega-3 seems to be especially helpful.

If something can actually cure my MS by getting rid of the defective antibodies I would be the first in line to try it.

This article says that 17 patients improved after 3 years, 16 had no further relapses and none of them any any disease progression.....next they remind us that this is not a proven therapy. This is the same brick wall we sometimes encounter with herbal medicine. If you cant afford the large scale 3 stage trials, then its as good as pseudoscience, even if it has been shown to be effective.

Anyway, this looks really promising. Unfortunately it looks like i wont qualify unless I try the interferons and dont respond favorably.

I'm very intested in this as my neurologist has recommended that I try and new treatment called Novantrone and from what I've read/hears, this treatment could potentially keep me from being able to have a child(ren). SO, I'm NOT really interested in that. So, I'm from Illinois and will be there at the end of April, so, I am going to NorthWestern Memorial hospital and will see one of their neurologist there to see what they say/think as I really want a 2nd opinion on this whole issue. The stem cell treatment sounds very interesting!

I am hesitant to take anything that might affect my bone marrow or further change my immune system. I would like to try this stem cell treatment when its available and I want my body to be as uncompromised as possible when I try it.

I keep up w/ it ~ info at: http://adultstemcelltherapy.ning.com/

@ Darcie ~ like the fireman you reference, I've met a guy in my area w/ MS who's a policeman in the FWPD & is back to his strenuous job full-time after adult stem cell therapy ~ very encouraging!

His story in part is at: http://adultstemcelltherapy.ning.com/profile/PrestonWalker & there are others on the site as well.

So why cant we get this?

Does anyone have any idea about the time line for approval?

Fair warning. This subject is highly politicized here in the U.S. I posted about this and ended up getting attacked by the right-to-lifers.

Northwestern University in Chicago is doing the research. Here is a link. I think it is incredibly promising.

http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2009/01/burtms.html

Is very promising.

More info.
3 years ago I called chicago univ (we live fairly close). They said they take the bone marrow, give you radiation to fry your immune system (this is the dangerous part as you have no immune system for a while), then reintroduce your bone marrow. So they reboot your immune system.

They said the global mortality at that time was 13% but were quick to say their's was not that high due to lower radiation for shorter period of time. They would not ellaborate though on what their exact mortality rate was.

Keeping an eye out for this
EP

" Fair warning. This subject is highly politicized here in the U.S. I posted about this and ended up getting attacked by the right-to-lifers. "

Im not worried about it. I have been a political activist since I was a teenager and I am not about to be intimidated so easily.

Stem cell research does not even require human embryos anymore. They take the stem cells from your own bone marrow. Nobody is hurt in the process. If people cant understand that then their opinion shouldnt be taken seriously.

I'M JUST GRATEFUL THAT WE NOW HAVE A PRESIDENT WHO IS NOT GOING TO ALLOW MEDICINE TO BE POLITICIZED... I THINK THAT SCIENTISTS AND DOCTORS SHOULD BE ALLOWED BETTER ACCESS THAN THEY'VE HAD...

ALSO, STEM CELLS CAN COME FROM UMBILICAL CORDS--THOUSANDS OF WHICH ARE THROWN AWAY EACH DAY WITH EACH BIRTH OF A BABY....

SORRY, BOBBY.... I JUST WANT THIS PROMISING RESEARCH TO MOVE FORWARD AFTER A LONG TIME AWAITING... I THINK WE ALL WANT THAT...

PLEASE ACCEPT MY SINCERE APOLOGY... I DID NOT WANT TO BE POLITICAL JUST FACTUAL... XO CJ (CINDYJO)

C'mon, Bobby! You yourself posted a biased, political opinion. In case you forgot, here it is:

http://dailystrength.org/c/Multiple_Sclerosis_MS/forum/6328649-stimulus-package-and-us

Please don't say you're not political when you obviously are. Nice how you posted this after you gave me a pile of crap for posting about embryonic stem cells. This IS a political topic because the executive order signed by Obama lifts the ban on new embryonic stem cell research, which is strongly opposed by the Christian and Republican right.

Here's a BBC article about it:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7929690.stm

HENSE THE REASONS YOU RARELY SEE ME ON THE BOARDS... NO INFLECTION OF TONE, NO FACIAL EXPRESSION, BASICALLY NOT GREAT COMMUNICATION...

SORRY GANG... DON'T BEAT EACH OTHER UP TOO MUCH... XOXOXO CJ