CCSVI and Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis (SPMS) – Michelle’s CCSVI treatment journey

My name is Michelle Walsh I am 38 years old from Saskatchewan, Canada. I was diagnosed with MS when I was 18 years old. I was first diagnosed with RRMS then 4 years ago I moved into SPMS stage. When I first learned of Dr. Paulo Zamboni’s discovery I cried and had to watch the program over and over again because for the first time in 20 years I had HOPE. It just made sense to me. I talked it over with my whole family, my family doctor and my MS Neurologist and we all agreed I had nothing to loose and everything to gain by at least trying it because nothing was available for me in the Secondary progressive stage of MS. I was starting to get worse everyday and was bedridden up to 16 hours a day and fitted for a wheelchair before we went abroad.

This is a video my husband took of me before I had the CCSVI procedure

I went abroad first to Sophia, Bulgaria July 2010 and they found severe blockages in both my jugulars and azygous vein. My one jugular was 50% stenosed, the other 90% and the azygous was 75%. They treated them with the vascular procedure called venous angioplasty and I felt very good for 4 months. I noticed right on the OR table that my vision was alot clearer it was like I was looking through HD TV eyeballs. I also noticed I had more energy and my headaches/pressure at the base of my skull had gone away. I am a realist and all I had ever hoped for would that this procedure could help slow down my Secondary progressive MS. I knew this was not a cure for my MS but the symptom relief I have had has been so significant that it has greatly improved the quality to my life immensely. I didn’t have the same chronic fatigue anymore and that itself was worth every cent to get this done.

This was my 1 month post procedure

My 2mth post procedure

I noticed that after the 3 1/2 months of feeling well I started to notice some symptoms come back that had went away so I waited it out a bit to see if this was the “roller coaster ride” I heard others talk about where some symptoms can come and go again. But I was beginning to feel worse as the days went on so I knew flying back to Bulgaria was too far for me so I wanted to find a Dr closer to me in the USA. So I travelled to California and had my 2nd CCSVI procedure the day it was exactly 6 months since my first January 14th, 2011. My Dr also saw I had valves in my collarbone area that were faulty so he also treated those as well as reballooning my veins that had recoiled back. I did not have as immediate results as the first time but over several weeks I started to notice the symptoms go away that did the first time and new ones started to get better too. I now had improvements with my bladder/bowel function. This was a huge improvement for me because we loose a lot of dignity with those symptoms and to now have this given back to me where I could stand up without peeing my pants was a dream come true.

This is my video at my 1 year mark from my first procedure

I now have had confirmation from my Doctors that my SPMS has not progressed since my procedures and the scientific proof that all my lesions in my brain are not active now. I was also fitted for a wheelchair before I went to Bulgaria and still do not need it. I still have dropfoot and wear my Walkaide for long distances and use my cane but around my house I can go without any walk aids. This is going from a 7.0 to 6.5 to now a 6.0 and sometimes 5.5 on the Expanded Disability scale.

I want to say this is not a “magic bullet” and I have had to do a lot of work on my own like rehabilitation physical therapy, changes to my diet to eat better for my cardiovascular and endothelium health. I also try to eat foods that help to keep the inflammation at bay -the anti-inflammatory regime. This is a journey that I will be on for the rest of my life now and if my symptoms ever return I would not hesitate to have this procedure done again if my veins close up again. I really feel having my stenosed veins treated to improve the blood flow to my body has really helped me with this MS monster.

I also know this has not helped everyone and some have gotten worse after their procedures. The research in CCSVI needs to be done and its tie into Multiple Sclerosis. This is in its infancy stages but it is happening and all around the world right now. MS is a multifactorial disease that has many pieces to the puzzle but I honestly believe this is a large piece in this. It always made sense to me if I have dirty blood going the wrong way into my brain that regardless if this helps my MS that kind of thing isn’t good for anyone’s health.

I encourage anyone with a Neurodegenerative disease to look into and research more about this if you think you want to do it. You decide where the best place/Dr is to go to for your own reasons. No one can tell you where to go because all the Drs doing this procedure are very good. I was involved in both Bulgaria and California their research trials because I want to help further the advancement of this research.

I fight so hard for this in Canada and my own province of Saskatchewan because God forbid my children have this venous anomaly then they should be able to be properly tested and treated for this condition in their own country they were born and raised in.

I also Blog monthly for a website called www.msvillagecanada.ca and I only blog about CCSVI since I heard of it. It’s free to register if you want to read my blogs that I have done for the past few years.

This video was taken in April 2011 and explains why I asked a Dr from where I was treated in California to come up to talk to patients because we don’t have any help up here in Canada with knowing the facts on this vascular procedure.

“All for One and One for All” I will continue to be an advocate for CCSVI until we have this available in countries all around the world.

Sincerely,

Michelle Walsh
MS/CCSVI Patient and Advocate
Saskatchewan, Canada

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