RE: [TMIC] Hello

[ROBERT COOK]

I AM NOT SURE WHY ANYONE THAT HAS TM IS MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO COMING DOWN WITH MS, BUT FROM READING A RECENT ARTICLE IT IS THOUGHT TAT TM AND OTHER IMMUNONEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS MIGHT BE GENETICALLY LINKED.  THE RESEARCHERS ARE NOT SURE OF THAT YET, BUT THERE ARE SOME INDICATIONS OF THAT.   BOTH ARE DEMYELINATING BUT ARE USUALLY DIFFERING IN THAT TM IS IN THE SPINAL CORD AND MS IN THE BRAIN.  WHAT PERCENTAGE OF TM'ERS GOES ON TO HAVE MS, I DO NOT KNOW, BUT IT IS NOT A FREQUENT RESULT.   FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN ON THE TMIC LIST, I WOULD GUESS ABOUT TEN PERCENT?  OR LESS.   THE WHY, IS YOUR QUESTION, AND THERE IS NO CONCRETE ANSWER.  A LONG ANALYSIS ON THE POSSIBLE EXPLANATION IS MADE IN MOST TECHNICAL TERMS AT: http://www.jci.org/cgi/content/full/115/10/2731   IT SEEMS THAT A BAD BOY BY THE NAME IF 'IL-6' IS INVOLVED IN THE CAUSE OF BOTH TM AND MS, COUPLED WITH THE INORDINATE ABUNDANCE OF POTASSIUM THAT BLOCKS NERVE TRANSMISSION, AND THE TWO TOGETHER DESTROYS THE INSULATION AROUND THE NERVE AXONS.  THIS IS MOSTLY COMMON WHEN THE INITIATING FACTOR CAUSING TM IS UNKNOWN.  IT TAKES SOMETHING TO TRIGGER THE WHOLE MESS TO START WITH.   IT IS NOT REALLY KNOWN IF KNOWN TRIGGERS LIKE A FLU JAB, THE ACTUAL FLU OR OTHER SUSPECTED TRIGGERS CAN GO ON TO BECOME MS, OR NOT.   IT IS ALL A BUNCH OF 'GOBBDLY-GOOK', EVEN TO THE DOCTORS RIGHT NOW.  MAYBE THEY WILL GET IT ALL SORTED OUT ONE DAY, DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY IS GROWING FAST AND HOPEFULLY THE CURE WILL COME WITH IT.   MY GUESS IS THAT IF HE HAS GONE THIS LONG, HE SHOULD NOT-NOR SHOULD YOU- WORRY ALL THAT MUCH ABOUT IT.  THE ONES I'VE SEEN HAPPEN MUCH SOONER AFTER THE INITIAL TM ATTACK.   BOB FROM HOUSTON-SPRING, TX     ----- Original Message ----- From: Sally Wilkinson To: tmic-list@eskimo.com Sent: 10/12/2005 9:58:41 AM Subject: [TMIC] Hello I did not know that the chances of getting MS if you have TM are increased. Could you explain as simply as possible why this is please? Sorry if I’m being thick, but I really don’t understand. My husband got TM in Dec 2000 from a flu jab. He still walks and works but is in constant pain and finds life a struggle every day but does accept he is much better off than some of his fellow TM’ers! Sorry to ask another question!   Kind regards to all   Sally in the UK