On the site A to Z of MS it is noted that before puberty and after menopause, the male/female
ratio of incidence in MS is one to one. That is to say there is no
difference. Also, pregnant women, especially the last 3 months of pregnancy,
are less likely to have MS problems. In contrast, during her fertile years
women have 2 to 4 more times the incidence of MS than men.
Does it take a rocket scientist to see that female hormones
apparently increase the likelihood of developing MS?
Why?
It is being reported in France that third and fourth generation birth
control pills have doubled the risk of stroke in women taking them. There
have been Incidents of stroke, deep vein thrombosis, blood clots. Arterial
and Venous blood circulation problems dicate against birth control pills as
do Migraine headaches.
Leonard of Brussels on ThisIsMs.com has brought to my attention the importance of damage
to the interior of the veins, their walls (endothelium) and their valves in impeding
blood circulation. I had been too focused on Dr. Zamboni's description of stenosed, twisted or
deformed veins as causing a blood reflux without considering that poor circulation INSIDE the vein
can have a similar effect. Leonard's Diabetes may well be the cause of his MS.
(It is well known that Diabetes causes poor blood circulation in the lower extremities. Why not the
neck and head as well?) Infections may also damage the veins. By detoxifying, taking nutritional suppements and maximizing nutrition one may try to heal the damaged veins in order to enhance blood circulation. For some reason female hormones must impact the veins negatively thus hampering blood circulation to the head and spine.
I took birth control pills for about two years 1967-69.
(Probably first generation?) The summer of 1969 pressure in my head built up
until I thought it would explode. I said to myself one night that if I
survived until morning I would never take another Pill. During the 1970’s I
developed migraine headaches which would be a contraindication of the Pill.
Then I developed MS. October 2012 I believe I suffered a very minor ischemic
stroke. (I do use estrogen cream.)
All these factors imply issues with the blood circulation in my
head linked to female hormones which might account for the increased
incidence of MS in women. The blood vessels themselves are somehow damaged
by female hormones.
Another factor - from puberty age 12 I experienced terrible,
monthly menstrual cramps. This alone could explain the higher incidence of
female MS since the cramps occur monthly and seize up the entire body,
including neck, back, and shoulders, potentially deforming their development.
Between age 18 and the breakdown at age 32 all my major health
problems were gynecological in origin. They caused stress, their treatment
led to toxicity. The drugs "poisoned" my intestines, by age 32 I had the
most rotten flatulence imaginable. From age 18 frequent bladder infections
required antibiotic treatment. The female anatomy favors cystitus subsequent
to intercourse, many women are subject to this problem. So right off we have
trauma in the pelvic region as well as stress through toxicity. I
developed endometriosis, a gynecological condition leading to intense pain
and cramping.. I was given DES stilboestrol, an endocrine disrupter, known to
lead to breast cancer and liver failure. Then I was given Danazol, a modified
testosterone, which can lead to ovarian cancer and liver problems.
When I detoxified and changed my diet at age 35, not only did the MS
disappear, but the endometriosis disappeared as well. (So did the foul
intestinal flatulence.) My gynecologist didn't want to believe this was
possible. He is wrong. The origin of endometriosis is unknown ( MS as well), but
think of the body absorbing foods (wheat) or medications (antibiotics) which
it finds toxic. It fights to evict the poison but can't. It fights its own
tissue where the toxins are imbedded, leading to all kinds of bizarre
manifestations.
To conclude, if more women than men develop MS it could well be because 1) female hormones
compromise the vascular system itself and 2) women have gynecological issues
which stress the body – menstrual cramps – and problems whose treatment poisons
(antibiotics, hormone therapy.) leading to further stress leading eventually to a blood reflux.
An epidemiological questionnaire should ask 1) if the woman experienced
menstrual cramps, starting when and with what severity 2) cystitus following
intercourse, treatment and frequency 3) birth control pills 4) endometriosis
5) any other gynecological disorder requiring hormone modifying treatment.
Gynecologists could expand on this.
So I think I need to back-track on the personality factor in female MS (suggested in earlier posts) and
simply consider 1) the negative impact of female hormones on the vascular
system and 2) the gynecological problems which cause stress and may require
treatment leading to toxicity.
Again we can consider MS to be a vascular disorder. For women the problem appears to be exacerbated by female hormones. So what to do?
I have reported that Acupuncture could stop an MS attack, probably by enhancing blood circulation and reversing the blood reflux. However, the treatments exacerbated the Endometriosis "attacks", probably by stimulating the bleeding.
and the endometriosis then triggered MS attacks by cramping the muscles so intensely that they pressured the veins leading to a back jet of blood. (I kept a one year diary 1983-84 which well documented how my hormonal cycle impacted the MS.)
Chinese medicine did not heal the endometriosis - it only kept the MS under control. By following the Kinesiologists program of detoxification, optimal nutrition and supplements I was able to HEAL both the MS and the Endometriosis at the same time. In other words, they are the same disease - let's call it TOXIC REACTION DISORDER (misnamed Auto-Immune diseases) which manifest differently.
I believe menstrual cramps can deform the vascular system in a girls growing body. Whatever relieves the cramps of the back-shoulders-neck should help stop the reflux attack. Birth Control Pills have been used for women to prevent the stress of menstrual cramps. But since they apparently increase the risk of stroke, one should be aware of contraindications such as migraine headaches.
Another tip: Evening Primrose Oil is used to treat Pre-Menstrual Stress in women as well as MS (in everybody) and a whole series of auto-immune diseases including diabetes. Google Evening
Primrose Oil Benefits or the site herbwisdom.com. It was my first self prescribed supplement breakthrough. It takes about a month to smooth out the hormonal swings and feel more "balanced". I still take 3 pearls a day.The only other source of its essential nutrient is in mother's breast milk. And I wasn't breast fed. I wonder if breast fed babies are less likely to develop MS?
P.S. Interesting scientific explanation:
From ljelome on Thisisms.com Feb 22, 2013
"Hi! i found an interesting relationship between hormone (progesterone) and
venous disease. Maybe could help u in some way of thinking.
I quoted from a
book found on the web "Medicographia95, The Venous Valve and Primary Chronic
Venous Disease", by J. Bergan" :
Primary venous insufficiency
A dysfunctional venous system is caused for the main part by
functional failure of venous valves.The molecular mechanisms uncovered recently that enter into functional valve failure are mentioned above. Other
factors are traditionally cited as contributing to venous valve failure;
these include female sex, pregnancy, obesity, a standing occupation in
women,7 and heredity.8,9 An increase
in vein diameter is one cause of valve
dysfunction and reflux. Progesterone inhibits smooth
muscle contraction. This
is useful in preventing uterine contraction and spontaneous abortion
in pregnancy. However, preventing vein wall smooth muscle contraction allows
passive dilation of veins and when a critical diameter is reached, a
functioning venous valve becomes dysfunctional or incompetent. As half of
a women’s adult lifetime is under the influence of progesterone,
and this is exacerbated markedly during pregnancy, it is no
wonder that primary venous insufficiency
is twice as common in women than in men.7
P.P.S.
Posted originally April 7, 2012
Menstrual Cramps an Issue with Female MS?
I wonder if menstrual cramps in adolescent girls is a factor in "deforming" the
vascular system leading to CCSVI. And if so, that may help explain why 2/3 of MS
patients are women. My first menstrual period at age 12 set off the most
horrendous, debilitating series of cramps every month which can only have seized
up my entire body. And even though there were no outward neurological symptoms
at the time, I experienced extreme fatigue my senior year in high school which
would correspond to the finding of a French neurologist many years later that
the MS damage began when I was 18. I was still growing at age 12, would 6
years of monthly trauma actually "stunt" the circulatory system? I wonder how
many women with MS can testify to a history of painful menses?