Dear all,  1) STEM CELL FOR MS

I thought the Panorama piece about stem cell transplantation (AHSCT, ASCT or HSCT) for MS was well done and respectful to people with MS. You can watch it here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06ss17g ,

and there is very good following information on the MS Trust website at https://www.mstrust.org.uk/a-z/stem-cell-therapy#availability

I’m summarising the main points from that here:

As with most treatments for MS, it is only effective for people with either relapsing remitting, or early progressive MS, for whom inflammation is a feature – ie relapses, or active lesions on MRI scan. It’s an aggressive treatment & has significant risks, including risk of death – now reduced to 1-2 per 100 people treated, due to infection.

In the UK, it’s only been offered as treatment on the NHS so far to a very few people, with very aggressive forms of MS, who have continued to relapse on disease modifying therapies, and in general early in the disease course, before the onset of any permanent disability (although rare exceptions in recent disability within last year)

There is one clinical trial currently recruiting in the UK currently; details here:

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00273364,

There are stem cell treatments going on commercially, which some people have travelled abroad for. Costs are between £30,000 and £85,000. Some clinics may accept people for whom the benefits would not be considered by UK clinicians to balance with the risks, and an important set of questions to ask yourself and the clinics, if you were to consider this, is on the MS Trust site.

Stem cell therapy has the potential to bring significant benefits to some people with MS. It cannot be seen as a cure, as in trials, for some people, progression has continued after around 2 years. Good progress is being made through clinical trials & the outcomes of treatment are improving as more is learned. However, as research is still at an early stage, stem cell therapy is not widely practiced and the results of treatment for a particular person cannot be predicted. The risks should be very carefully considered, including the possibility of treatment-related death,  and weighed up against potential benefits.

2) UNICORN POOP!

Click below to watch

And now, from one of my favourite topics, poo, to another – more poo!This very funny video has a great product to sell – the ‘Squatty Potty’, which gets you in the correct natural position to effectively ‘have your bowels open’, eliminating the U bend kink that puts everything under strain when you sit on a western style toilet. But it’s worth watching just for the handsome prince eating unicorn poop icecream.

All the best! – Miranda