This will be a personal review of symptom relief.  Please, for those who have been treated, post your symptom relief from angioplasty in the comments below.  Let us know how long since you've been treated, and which specific "MS" symptoms are better.  Let us know if any are worse.  Be honest.

We're going to be discussing what angioplasty for CCSVI/MS can address, and maybe what it doesn't address. 

Jeff is now 27 months past his first angioplasty.  Since the first treatment, he has had greatly reduced fatigue.  (He just pulled his third "all-nighter" of the month last night, mixing the score for a new documentary.  He could not have gone 24 hours without sleep, let alone 3 hours, before angioplasty.)

Jeff has relief from heat intolerence.  He can hike and bike in the heat.  We're into the summer days in LA, and he just breezes through his day.  I have to turn the air con on.

Jeff no longer has muscle spasms.  He does not take baclofen anymore.  His spasms used to wake him (and me) up at night....no longer.

Jeff has reduced cognitive fog.  He feels more "present."

He no longer stammers when speaking.  He gave a commencement address last month, and didn't stammer once.

His bladder control is much better.  He no longer has urgency. He gets up maybe once a night to use the toilet, instead of five times before angioplasty.

He no longer has emotional lability.  He still gets upset or angry, but there's no more melt downs.  His sense of humor is back.  He is able to "roll" with life's trials.

He sleeps better, he dreams, he's more social and outgoing.

At this point, it is important to relay that  Jeff's disabilities were not motor control issues.  He was only diagnosed in '07, and he was only a 1.5 on the EDSS scale.  He had over 20 cerebral lesions, only one on the cervical spine.   He could always walk and was mobile.

What has angioplasty not addressed?  Which MS symptoms remain?

He still has neuropathic leg pain....especially after a hard work out or a stressful day.

He still gets occasional headaches.  He needs to rest during the work day, on occasion.

His peripheral vision is still gone (he lost it as a kid, before his MS diagnosis.)

He still knows he has MS, he's not 100%...but he has not progressed, no new lesions and no new disabilities since his first angioplasty.

Many have asked, how do we know what are MS symptoms and what are CCSVI symptoms?  Could it be that many things we thought were MS --heat intolerence, fatigue, cognitive fog, spasms, bladder problems, depression, emotional lability---are actually really symptoms of slowed blood flow thru the central nervous system?  Dr. Dake discussed with us how he'd seen similar symptom improvement in those he'd treated for vena cava syndrome...another blockage of blood flow in a central vein.  

And the larger question is...are the remaining MS symptoms (neuropathy, motor issues) injuries to axons---similar to injuries that might occur in a stroke?  Are these symptoms things that can be addressed with angioplasty?

We are years, perhaps decades, away from understanding the full implication of Dr. Zamboni's discovery.  And there will continue to be push-back from neurologists and pharmaceutical companies.  But for those who know that CCSVI is real, it is essential that we are honest with what pwMS can potentially expect with treatment.  To provide realistic expectations and protect against false hope.

Until then, HERE is the best place to log in and track your MS symptoms and relief with CCSVI angioplasty, as well as follow others around the world:

http://www.ccsvi-tracking.com/

So---please, if you feel comfortable doing so, share what "MS" symptoms have been helped by angioplasty.

thanks!!

Joan