I’ve been thinking that there is a theory some think MS may be caused by a virus. So why do the neurologists not give anti-virus treatment when the first prescribe steroids to a patient on their first MS relapse?. In Encephemylitus they prescribe steroids to reduce swelling and anti-viral treatment to try and kill the virus.
I think its worth trying anything that could stop MS in its tracks early on. If its relase onset that is.
I don’t know of any generic anti-viral treatment. Wouldn’t the right kind of anti-viral depend on what virus it is you’re trying to kill? As there’s no definite proof MS is caused by a virus, let alone which one, how would you know which medicine to give? Even if it was triggered by a virus (Epstein-Barr has been theorised), it’s likely the virus exposure could have been years before any symptoms appeared, so it wouldn’t mean you still had it at the time of diagnosis. No point treating a virus you might have had ten years earlier - it’s unlikely still to be in the system.
The virus would need to be treated at the time you had it - but that’s not very likely, as it wouldn’t necessarily have appeared serious at the time (perhaps just an ordinary sore throat), and there would be no clue it was going to cause complications later. In most people, it wouldn’t. So unless you hauled in every sore throat case for a course of anti-virals (apart from probably bankrupting the NHS, how many people would comply?) how would you stamp out the virus when a person catches it, rather than when they begin to show signs of MS?
Tina
David weldon put his wife on anitbiotics and it worked for her. He swears by his approach - not adopted bu main stream neuros though. Antibiotics work on bacteria.
Moyna xxx
Hi its just a step the hospital normally take in the USA when viral ecephelitus is suspected, not sure about the UK. It wouldn’t be when for people have a sore throat it would be when there are brain swelling lesions or spine swelling lesions. It could be given for a patients with steroids for their first demyelination attack. Its one anti-viral treatment that kills virus, I don’t know how they decide what viruses its for. I’ve read that herpes virus can lay dormant for 10 years. I think its worth a go other wise it may be £x a year for NHS funding DMD’s if diagnosed with MS.
Hi from the NHS website it mentions about virus causing brain swellings and the anitvirus s only effective in treating cases caused by the herpes simplex virus or varicella zoster virus. These are however more of the common viruses for brain swellings.
Hi, I had my own theory about the herpes virus.
In my very early days of problems, which were later mis-diagnosed as PPMS, I read something about MS possibly being caused by the herpes virus.
Throughout my life, up until the PPMS like symptoms began (tripping over a dropped foot), I was plagued with cold sores…nasty ones. But they ceased altogether and I wondered if they virus had gone inward and caused my problems.
I did post on here asking if other folk who had cold sores before their MS, still got them.
The response was very mixed…some folk had no more cold sores, whilst others still got them.
An interesting subject, but probably not true about herpes causing MS.
polllx
Hi yes I had cold sores round my mouth before my illness. Also have had a wart on my hand for last few years. Have tried duck tape but not worked am seeing GP tomorrow, so will get it sorted. Also I had a verucca on my foot for many years and it went on its on about 5 years ago.