Article from www.mercola.com
Multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disorder that causes blurred vision, weakness and memory loss, affects more than 1 million people worldwide. And just like other MS “wonder drugs,” Biogen Idec’s Avonex has been linked to critical, potentially fatal, side effects. Together with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Biogen has issued a warning that Avonex could cause severe liver damage to MS patients.
A statement posted on the FDA’s Web site further stated that the drug has, in some cases, been found to cause liver damage in the presence of other drugs linked with hepatic (liver) injury.
But this isn’t the first time Biogen has experienced product pitfalls: Two cases of an unusual, but deadly, infection of the central nervous system occurred in patients taking Avonex in juxtaposition with Tysabri–already pulled from the market–for over two years. To say the least, Biogen’s stock continues to crash and burn.
Beta-Interferon Drugs Responsible for Liver Problems
Avonex is an injectable medicine known as a beta-interferon drug–which blocks the immune system’s white cells from attacking the protective coating that surrounds nerve fibers. Other beta-interferon drugs rivaling Avonex include:
- Pfizer’s Rebif
- Schering’s Betaseron
In defense, a Biogen spokeswoman explained that liver trouble has been found to be a side effect among all drugs in the beta-interferon class, and that the warnings pertaining to Avonex are not a product-specific case. Both Rebif’s and Betaseron’s labels contain warnings pertaining to potential liver problems. Avonex’s label is schedule to reflect revisions soon.
ABC News March 16, 2005
And as noted in the above article, Avonex, like other MS drugs, is an interferon. Interferon drugs have the power to damage brain functions and are among the conventional medications that may harm or even kill their users. If you are not familiar with the danger of interferon drugs please read Dr. Russell Blaylock’s excellent article titled, The Harmful Brain Effects of Interferons.
I have rarely found interferons to be effective in treating MS and have never prescribed it. Even though it has the appeal of a “natural” therapy, it really isn’t because it is forcing the body to some unnatural level of interferon, which is unlikely to be anything but randomly associated with the optimal level.
Additionally, your body has a dynamic intricate feedback loop that constantly modulates and adjusts important biochemistry like interferon. Once you remove the feedback loop out of the circuit you are simply asking for trouble. Generally a prescription for interferon is a prescription for potential disaster. Depression is a common side effect of interferons and is the last thing someone with MS needs.
Treat MS With Safe Alternatives Instead
I used to cringe when a new MS patient would come to my office, as the tools I had 10 years ago were not sufficient to significantly alter the course of the disease. However, since then I have learned that there are a number of very effective natural treatment options for improving MS and, in many cases, eliminating it entirely. With these new tools I welcome MS patients in the practice, as I am confident that the vast majority can be improved:
- It is imperative to have your vitamin D blood levels checked. I would check the level every month or two until the level was between 45 and 55. Believe me, it is worth the hassle, time and expense to get this one right as vitamin D clearly is vital in the treatment of MS.
- MS patients must receive adequate amounts of vitamin D, as it keeps your cell growth and activity in check. Although sunshine is still your best natural source of vitamin D you can consume a high-quality cod liver oil.
- Fish oil and cod liver oil are also loaded with beneficial omega-3 fats like DHA and EPA. These are also critical in the treatment of MS. You may not need any supplemental vitamin D in the form of cod liver oil, but virtually every single MS patient needs a high-quality fish oil once their vitamin D levels have stabilized with sun exposure.
- In my experience with MS patients, there is nearly always a precipitating traumatic emotional event that causes the immune system to crash. Issues related to this event need to be addressed by using an effective energy psychology tool like the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), but only with the help of an experienced practitioner.
- Removal of heavy metal toxins like mercury
Like most diseases, the earlier in the course of the illness you start treatment, the higher the likelihood of success will be. Thus, start utilizing the resources above and experience the benefits for yourself!
However, I have major disagreements with the study’s recommended treatment–Avonex. Someone please help me understand why ANYONE would use a drug that costs $1,200 per month–yes, you heard me correctly, $1,200 per month–and in no way, shape or form treats the cause of the disease. (If you are thinking corporate drug company greed that sure sounds right to me.)
You will be able to see the flaws with this recommendation yourself by reading the following story of one patient with MS who came to see me. Like nearly all severe chronic disease cases I see, his event started shortly after a severe emotional trauma occurred in his life. When he came in I had him stop the Avonex immediately, as I don’t believe that there is any indications at all to ever use this drug. He followed a raw-food, metabolically appropriate, diet and received plenty of energetic emotional treatment. Over the next few weeks 10 of his 12 initial symptoms all but disappeared and the remaining two improved. He said he hadn’t felt so good in years.
If he had waited a few more years and came in a wheel chair, I suspect it may not have been possible to obtain the same results. At some point the damage does become irreversible. Prior to my application of nutritional typing and effective emotional interventions, it was uncommon to see these types of improvements with MS, but now I am really shocked if we don’t see them. Fortunately, I am seeing these types of improvements quite regularly now in the MS patients we are treating.
For more information on MS treatments please see the related links after the story below.
By Matt Bolson
Woodridge, IL
“I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) on May 1, 1999 and was put on Avonex [an Interferon beta drug]. The drug cost me $1,200 a month and for the over two years I was on it my symptoms continued to get worse and I had fevers and many other drug side effects.
I realized that I needed to find out how to get some positive results and then I came across an article in Dr. Mercola’s newsletter, which I’d been reading for about two years, called “MS Drugs a Waste of Money“. I really wanted
to get off the drugs so I made an appointment to see Dr. Mercola.
I’ll never forget Dr. Mercola’s response when I asked ‘When can I go off the drugs?’ He asked me what time it was, and I said ‘It’s 2:00.’ He replied, ‘Well, how about right now?’
After I saw Dr. Mercola and stopped taking the drugs, it took about one and a half to two months of following his program before I began feeling better. I had been following a low-fat diet, which is what is typically recommended for MS, but found out that this was conflicting with my nutritional type, which turned out to be protein type.
I began eating dark meat chicken and red meat, which I love but hadn’t eaten in almost three years, and raw coconut and avocados. I’d never thought to eat raw coconut or avocados before, but now they’re just about my favorite foods on the program.
I also began to eat raw meat–bison and beef–and noticed an immediate change in how I felt. I also juice, mostly spinach and celery, almost daily.
When I started the program I was in the middle of an exacerbation and was feeling weak and numb, but soon I began to feel better. I used to get nerve and spine pain, searing head pain and fevers and now it’s all gone.
But there were two major factors that I learned at The Optimal Wellness Center, aside from the dietary changes, that really made a profound difference in my recovery. First, I had to learn that I didn’t have MS, I had
symptoms associated with it. Next, I had to believe that I could overcome this disease, even though that goes against everything you hear in mainstream media.
I did EFT with Linda, an EFT therapist, and that really helped me to accept these two truths. Learning and believing these two factors was imperative to my recovery. I was also able to see my progress each month with the live blood cell analysis from Jordan. Being able to see my blood on the screen and actually see it improve was the coolest thing I’d ever seen!
I’d also suffered from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) for my entire life, but when I changed my diet my stomach repaired itself almost immediately. Now I continue to improve, feel great and am completely off the MS drugs. Dr. Mercola’s program has really made a difference for me.”