The CCSVI treatment took all my symptoms away but I was left with weakness in my right leg. It has been one year since my angioplasty and despite going to physio, the gym and trying to eat healthy I am still unable to run. (This was a goal of mine: to be able to run down the beach with my dogs. I have attained the beach part as Im living in Hong Kong now and loving it. Something I could never have done prior to my treatment due to the heat) Besides wanting to run on the beach I had aspirations of hiking the miles and miles of endlessly gorgeous trails on some of the islands but I have not even been able to do that either)I always understood foot drop to be more pronounced, i.e. causing a person to drag the foot and/or limp. This is partly correct but I have recently learned that foot drop also includes the problem I am having now. This is a nerve issue and no amount of exercise or physio or diet is going to change that, unfortunately. The other problem is that because of the weakness in my right leg I rely on my left leg more and Im wearing out my left knee.
A friend of mine suggested trying a "Walkaide System". I Googled it and it's a pricey unit: about $4,300.00CAD. I luckily found a used unit on EBay for under a grand and I'm currently waiting to receive it. I have to go to a WalkAide distributor to have it fitted to me once it arrives. Basically its a plastic and fabric band that fits around the upper part of the calf just below the knee. Electrodes stimulate the nerve that is currently not getting the message from my brain to move. I have read that this stimulation can lead to rehabilitation of the nerve. So I still have hope to be able to hike. YAAY!!
Abstract
Foot drop is the inability to voluntarily dorsiflex the ankle during the swing phase of gait. Foot drop decreases gait quality, limits mobility, increases fall risk, and greatly increases energy expenditure during walking. Traditionally, foot drop is treated with passive dorsiflexion support by an ankle foot orthosis (AFO) but today, functional electrical stimulation (FES) devices are available to promote comfortable, effective active dorsiflexion during gait for patients with central nervous system (CNS) causes of foot drop. The WalkAide® FES System’s unique control system, with tilt sensors to trigger electrical stimulation during the swing phase, can help normalize gait and thus optimise safety, cosmesis and energy efficiency in people with stroke, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and a wide range of other CNS disorders.
My Walkaide should be arriving any day now and then I will go and get it fitted. I will post periodic updates for anyone who is interested in my progress. Happy trails to you!
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Ginger, YOUR LATEST POST SOUNDS LIKE ONE i COULD HAVE WRITTEN. BE WELL !
ReplyDeleteeBay WOW I never thought about that! So cool!
ReplyDeleteNicole
Exciting - please post an update about how the Walkaid has worked for you. I have the same problem with my left foot and am very interested in hearing about your experience.
ReplyDeleteAfter 6 months of offering stem cell therapy in combination with the venous angioplasty liberation procedure, patients of CCSVI Clinic have reported excellent health outcomes. Ms. Kasma Gianopoulos of Athens Greece, who was diagnosed with the Relapsing/Remitting form of MS in 1997 called the combination of treatments a “cure”. “I feel I am completely cured” says Ms. Gianopoulos, “my symptoms have disappeared and I have a recovery of many functions, notably my balance and my muscle strength is all coming (back). Even after six months, I feel like there are good changes happening almost every day. Before, my biggest fear was that the changes wouldn’t (hold). I don’t even worry about having a relapse anymore. I’m looking forward to a normal life with my family. I think I would call that a miracle.”
ReplyDeleteOther recent MS patients who have had Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation (ASCT), or stem cell therapy have posted videos and comments on YouTube. www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFQr2eqm3Cg.
Dr. Avneesh Gupte, the Neurosurgeon at Noble Hospital performing the procedure has been encouraged by results in Cerebral Palsy patients as well. “We are fortunate to be able to offer the treatment because not every hospital is able to perform these types of transplants. You must have the specialized medical equipment and specially trained doctors and nurses”. With regard to MS patients, “We are cautious, but nevertheless excited by what patients are telling us. Suffice to say that the few patients who have had the therapy through us are noticing recovery of neuro deficits beyond what the venous angioplasty only should account for”.
Dr. Unmesh of Noble continues: “These are early days and certainly all evidence that the combination of liberation and stem cell therapies working together at this point is anecdotal. However I am not aware of other medical facilities in the world that offer the synthesis of both to MS patients on an approved basis and it is indeed a rare opportunity for MS patients to take advantage of a treatment that is quite possibly unique in the world”.
Autologous stem cell transplantation is a procedure by which blood-forming stem cells are removed, and later injected back into the patient. All stem cells are taken from the patient themselves and cultured for later injection. In the case of a bone marrow transplant, the HSC are typically removed from the Pelvis through a large needle that can reach into the bone. The technique is referred to as a bone marrow harvest and is performed under a general anesthesia. The incidence of patients experiencing rejection is rare due to the donor and recipient being the same individual.This remains the only approved method of the SCT therapy. For more information visit http://ccsviclinic.ca/?p=838
Hi I just joined your blog. :) I've had Replasing/Remitting MS for 12 years. I still walk and do most things normally, although I've lost my ability to walk long distances and due to my horrible heat sensitivity I can't do too much exercise or things of that nature. I was tested for CCSVI and the Dr said I didn't have it so that avenue was closed to me for the moment. Although I haven't given up on it just yet.
ReplyDeleteThe main reason I'm contacting you is because I'm interested in looking into the WalkAide and see here that you bought one (I live in the U.S). I was wondering if you could give me some input on how it's worked for you and if it's really helped you with the drop foot. I get drop foot when I walk even more than 5 or 10 minutes or if I get hot. Thank you so much for any information you could share with me. :) My email address if you'd like to contact me that way is: gisselle_b@hotmail.com and my name is Gisselle. Nice to meet you! :)