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surviving ADEM

I wanna ask if we can fully recover from ADEM?my sister is said to have this disease and she has been given steroids i think for this disease she is having.she now are not able 2 move her own legs,she cant walk or stand up on her own.what should my family and i do to take care of her?will she be able 2 walk normally again?will she be normal again?
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1733474 tn?1310329331
I just found this site on my"50th" internet search to find ANY help for the condition I have which has been labeled ADEM. I'm not even sure that's what I have. The symptoms don't add up. I'm 50 years old and from first symptoms until I was left in a wheelchair was a good six months. Yes, I've eaten a healthy( mostly raw) diet for 30 years and before I got sick, was routinely mistaken for a 30 year old. I guess what I've learned from all my searching is(1) There IS NO cure. Not even relief from the symptoms, except what Gabapentin and pain pills provide. (2) What I was is gone. Now, "I yam what I yam". I can choose to be miserable, or I can make the best of what I have to work with. Great to read your comments and best of wishes on everyones individual journeys!
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1636986 tn?1300296780
Thank you for this enlightening conversation.  I was dx with MS almost 4 years ago, and my last (5th) attack did not fully remit.  I almost made myself nuts with diet/toxin/conspiracy ideas and searching for a way to get well.  I, too, believe the body is designed to heal, yet mine has not.  And nothing I do changes that.  I feel a lot better hearing from others points of view.  I have blamed myself a lot over this........it really *****.
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Avatar universal
I have had the disease, by meaning to entirely recover from the disease has almost seemed too be impossible,she will recover most of the fictions in her body but she will have nerve damage and also can die from any severe hit on the head, and also she must be young because the average age is nine, I had it when I was 8 I'm 11 if you need any informatIon contact me at ***@****, and like they've already said the steroids and raw fruit will built her body back up
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1056589 tn?1273747102
I was dx'ed with Transverse Myelitis which is in the same family as ADEM.I am now dealing with a possible dx of MS because of brain lesions....

Before I became ill I was doing everything right. I am a 35 yrs female . I was running 20 miles per week.Eating right, no red meat, no fast food.I was preparing all my meals. I was in what appeared to be perfect health.

I got a cold in January 09 and about 2 weeks afterwards I started to have neurological issues.My healthy lifestyle and eating habits did not stop me from getting TM.Nor did it prevent me from possibly having MS. So much for diet !
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745975 tn?1258960922
It's almost impossible to debate with want2bik1, as he or she does not listen to the arguments, and just repeats him or herself over and over. In any event, you summed up perfectly what needed to be said. want2bik1, during the months that they have been on this site has NEVER been able to provide any evidence showing that diet causes ANY autoimmune disease (except celiac, obviously), and is constantly pushing the paleo diet onto everyone that asks any question about ANY autoimmune condition, with the claim that they can cure themselves. I find it exhausting.

As for Dr. Furman... I don't even NEED to listen to his videos. The first videos I see are "Dr. Furman cures diabetes, but drug companies object", and "cancer curing soup". When I begin listening to the diabetes video, the first 5 mins are him talking about how awesome he is, and how he's cured sooo many people. real compelling...

How much do you think Dr. Furman makes on these conventions and his "Eat to Live" book???? Seems to me that this is not all for the benefit of peoples health, that is this guys JOB.  As for Dr. Swank???? The only video i could find on him was when one of his followers appeared on MONTEL. hmmm. Even on that video the other Dr's seemed to say that the diet was not doing anything except empowering the patent (or in this case the parent of the patient), and making them feel in control.

Also, wank2bik1, not all Autoimmune diseases are the same.... so why are you saying they are all caused by toxins? I'm going to have to say that genetics plays the #1 factor and that the cause is unknown. I do not believe that diet is the CAUSE the diseases..... which explains why both my brother and I have hashimotos, and he is celiac and ONLY eats veggies and whole foods, and I have a totally different diet, and i still ended up getting it.

Maybe some people go into remission for whatever reason.... but I will never believe that diet is a cure.

I feel as though people who cling steadfastly on to the idea that diet will cure everything and that they can heal themselves, do so because they have a desperate need to get control back, which they lost when they found out they had a disease with no cure. I understand it from a psychological standpoint.... But I can't stand people that go on crusades to "educate" people, when they cherry pick their information.

Lastly, I don't mind someone saying "try this diet, it will make you feel better and might diminish your symptoms" versus saying "your diet caused your disease, and you can cure it by following XYZ diet".....
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Avatar universal
Genetics are a factor in everyones health.  There is nothing you can do about our genetics but the diet we chose is our choice.  Some people have bodies that can take alot of abuse and still function but others are not that fortunate.  You overload the body with more toxins than it can handle you get sick.  You can give the disease whatever name you want but it is all the same.  The body is designed to get rid of these toxins using the vitamins and minerals you give it.  Did you Google the information I gave to see what Dr. Fuhrman and Dr. Swank had to say about diet?  You do not believe these doctors?  Dr. Swank has been treating MS patients since the 1950's with good results.    Paleo Diet has shown good results in treating these autoimmune diseases.  That does not mean it cured 100% of its patients in the study.  I am not claiming diet to works 100% of the time.  It is just something that a person can try.  You are right about the money.  Buying raw fruits and vegetables is alot more expensive than a package of hamberger helper but the way I feel it is worth it to me.  Do not think eating healthy will harm anyone and it might help.  We all should get as much information as we can so we can make a wise choice as to how to treat these diseases.  
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Avatar universal
"There is evidence suggesting diet can help with these diseases.  Wheither you want to call it a cure are just feeling better."

You can't call it a "cure" because there are no proven cases of anyone with chronic, deadly autoimmune diseases that have been cured by diet. These diets are simply designed to make you feel better, not to cure you. I have not seen a single report of anyone with polyarteritis nodosa, microscopic polyangiitis, or diffuse scleroderma that has been cured by diet. Nor is there one shred of conclusive evidence that diet causes these diseases. If you have Wegener's and decide to switch to a vegan diet, without taking immunosuppressive drugs, you will be dead in a matter of weeks/months. Also, here's some food for thought: If diet plays a major factor is the cause of autoimmune disease, then why do well over 90% of cases of SLE occur in women and why are a huge portion of those African Americans? Why does Goodpasture's almost exclusively occur in white men and quite rarely in women? Why do some people develop morphea and others develop full-blown, organ hardening diffuse scleroderma? Why do children not exhibit giant cell arteritis? Answer: genetics. If African American women eat more saturated fats and processed foods, which causes their lupus, then why don't those same African American women also develop Behcet's disease? How can a vegan athlete develop polymyositis and, yet, an overweight coach potato can skirt by, unaffected? As I've said before, diet won't cure everything and it won't prevent these diseases.

Remember, like the doctors and pharmaceutical companies that prescribe you over-the-counter drugs, these "healthy eating/natural supplement" gurus are businessmen/women. If you will buy it, they will sell it.
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745975 tn?1258960922
I agree 100% with Health-Guru, for what it is worth. And going to have to agree that it is a little tiring hearing the "diet causes autoimmune disease" speech. I don't think everyone is here because Dr's have failed them, people are looking for others who have been through it, to learn more, and to help find direction and DX. I do not think blaming peoples health on their diet is productive at all. You don't know what his sisters diet is or was, want2bik1.... so it's really just not productive to constantly repeat your advice over and over.

I'm sure you will read this and get defensive, but before you do, you need to realize that i'm not knocking you for telling people that eating healthy helped you and might help them (that is plain obvious). I'm critiquing your discourse and the fact that you are blaming a persons diet choice for causing autoimmune disease.... I'm glad you believe that, and you think you cured yourself.... but i don't think in this case you are giving good advice.

Yeah, you put oil in your car to make it run better, but if the transmission clunks out, putting better oil in wont make it fix it self. Good diet is a good life style, but it's not a cure for everything and sometimes you have to accept the side effects of some drugs to have a better life. I take a synthetic hormone for my thyroid, without which I would feel terrible every day. Diet will not change that situation for me. My medicine does not come with out it's side effects... it's a risk vs. reward that a person with a disease must weigh. I am CERTAIN that if his sister has gotten to the point of being unable to walk she has calculated those risks.

I, unlike you, have made the assumption that a person in a desperate health situation is intelligent enough to figure those things out on their own, I feel as though they come here for support and to answer medical questions.
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Avatar universal
There is evidence suggesting diet can help with these diseases.  Wheither you want to call it a cure are just feeling better.  You can Google Paleo diet and there is an excellent article suggesting improvement in many of these autoimmune diseases using a plant based diet.  Dr. Swank has worked with MS patients since the 1950's and developed a diet based on limiting the amount of saturated fats and processed foods.  Many of his patients claim it works.  Do you have any studies which suggest these steriods can cure this disease?  There is evidence that there can be severve side effects to these steriods.  I have heard steriods can cause cancer.  Guess as long as you have a doctor who will prescribe steriods for you then that is something you can try.  It is your choice but you should really investigate everything before making that decision.  There is evidence that diet is responsible for heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and yes autoimmune disease.  Guess it all depends on what you want to believe.  I choose to believe that my body was designed to heal itself.  Yes, our health is directly related to the choice we make.  You put oil in your car so it will run properly and you should put vitamin and mineral rich foods in your body so it will run properly.  I can tell you from experience it has worked for me.
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Avatar universal
Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis has an excellent prognosis, with less than 5% mortality. Upwards of 90% of patients will recover with minor residual side effects and up to 75% can fully recover. At this point, it is best to wait and see. If she reacts favorably to the steroid treatment, there is a very good chance that she will be able to walk again.

And, want2bik1, there is no evidence to suggest that diet causes this disease (or any other autoimmune disease, for that matter) or that a change in diet will cure it. Methylprednisolone and/or dexamethasone cure this condition in the vast majority of cases, so I can't see why you'd say that there's "no magic pill". There is. Diet doesn't cure everything, unfortunately.
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Avatar universal
I have mentioned this many times to anyone coming here looking for some help in treating their disease.  There is nothing else I can tell them.  Nutrition is responsible for these diseases and there is no majic pill which will cure us.   The only hope we have is to change what we are putting in our bodies.  It has worked for me and I feel I must pass the information on and hopefully help someone who has lost all hope.  I am reminded of the saying "if you keep doing what you always did you will get what you always got".  You must make changes in your life if you expect to see positive results.  People come here when the doctors tell them there is nothing more they can do and these people need something else to try.  You do not have to believe me but let everyone make up their own mind.  Information is not the enemy and what I am recommending may help someone.  
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902019 tn?1249861414
Interesting.  Not entirely sure, but almost ever so vaguely recall you mentioning this once before.
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Avatar universal
Nutrition is the path to good health.  Your sister has a chance if you give her what her body needs to repair itself.  That is raw fruits and vegetables which have the vitamins and minerals the body needs.  Google Joel Fuhrman and watch his video "eat to live".  There are many things we can do which help our body to repair itself and you should investigate these things.  Steriods have side efffects so you might want to check this out.  Drugs the physicians give us do not cure the problem they just cover up what is going on.  Everyone comes here with a disease but it is all the same.  Disease is caused by what we have put in our bodies and the only way to cure the problem is to get this bad stuff out.  You might want to get the book "Prescription for Nutritional Healing" which explains the drug-free remedies using vitamins, Minerals, Herbs and Food supplements to heal the body.    
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