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MS-patiënte Linda Liebregt (36) is een week terug uit India. Daar onderging ze een risicovolle stamceltherapie in de hoop de verwoestende ziekte stop te zetten.

“Mijn woonkamer is mijn leefruimte, daar zit ik in quarantaine. Maar dat is niet erg, ik voel me zo ontzettend goed”, vertelt Linda. Op 2 april kreeg ze haar stamcellen terug. “Dat zie ik als mijn verjaardag. De artsen in India vertelden dat ik nu het lichaam van een baby heb. Ik moet weer helemaal vanaf nul beginnen.”

De behandeling is heftig geweest, vooral de chemotherapie. “Gelukkig was mijn beste vriendin Leoni erbij. Zij was mijn steun en toeverlaat en kon goed aanvoelen wat ik nodig had. Het was een veilig gevoel dat zij erbij was.”

Stamceltherapie in India is Linda’s Linda’s laatste hoop om MS te stoppen: ‘De kans bestaate dat ik dat niet overleef’

Verlammingsverschijnselen

Bij MS, multiple sclerose, worden signalen tussen de hersenen en de spieren niet goed doorgegeven via de zenuwen, waardoor verlammings- en uitvalsverschijnselen optreden.

Linda ontdekte in 2007 dat ze de ziekte had, ze was toen 24. Ze ging naar de huisarts omdat ze weleens dubbel zag.

Twee jaar geleden ging haar gezondheid hard achteruit. De supermarkt 100 meter verderop was al te ver om te lopen.

‘Ik moet opnieuw leren lopen’

Of de behandeling is aangeslagen, weet ze nog niet. “Ik moet nu trainen met hulp van een fysiotherapeut. Zo krijg ik mijn spierkracht terug. De afgelopen jaren liep ik door de MS slecht.”

Nu kan haar linkerbeen weer recht vooruit. “Geen zwaai of andere trucjes om hem naar voren te krijgen. Dit is voor mij een hele mooie basis om weer echt normale stappen te kunnen zetten.”

Goede hoop

Artsen gebruiken een EDSS-score van 1 tot en met 10 om de zwaarte van de MS te meten. Voor de behandeling zat Linda op een 5,5/6. “Als ik functies terugkrijg, gaat mijn score naar beneden. Dit meet je door te kijken wat ik voorheen niet kon en nu wel. Naar de supermarkt lopen bijvoorbeeld.”

Ook krijgt Linda MRI’s om te zien of activiteit van MS uitblijft. “Of er nog meer verbetering gaat komen, moet ik in het dagelijks leven gaan ervaren. Dat kan tot nog twee jaar na de behandeling gebeuren. Maar ik voel me zo goed, ik heb goede hoop.”

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Understanding Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Options in India?

There are any different treatment options available for multiple sclerosis in India, including disease-modifying therapies, corticosteroids, plasma exchange, physical therapy, and occupational therapy. The treatment of MS in India typically involves a multidisciplinary approach that includes a neurologist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, and social worker. The goal of treatment is to reduce inflammation, prevent relapses, and manage symptoms such as fatigue, spasticity, and mobility issues.

One of the most commonly used medications for MS in India is interferon beta-1a, which is administered through injections. This medication has been shown to reduce the frequency of relapses and slow the progression of disability in people with MS Targeting inflammation with interferon-β, glatiramer acetate, natalizumab, fingolimod, and other immune-modulating agents reduces the frequency of relapses, but the impact on delaying the onset, preventing or slowing the tempo of SP-MS remains uncertain.

HSCT Stops MS – Autologous HSCT a ray of hope for MS Patients.

Autologous HSCT (aHSCT) refers to stem cells that are derived from a person’s own body, as opposed to allogeneic HSCT, in which the stem cells come from another individual.

By essentially wiping out the body’s immune system and reintroducing stem cells, HSCT aims to significantly decrease or completely stop the demyelination process associated with MS. This can halt disease progression, but also improve sometimes debilitating neurological symptoms.

How HSCT works for halting MS disease progression ?

This treatment is a multi-step procedure that is typically performed only once.

1. Patients with MS are treated with medications that will help release stem cells from the bone marrow into the bloodstream.
2. The stem cells are then collected and frozen until the patient is ready to be infused.
3. While the stem cells are in waiting, the patient must undergo medication treatments such as chemotherapy or immunosuppressants in an attempt to suppress the body’s immune system.
4. Once the patient’s immune system has been primed, the stem cells can be introduced back into the body through an intravenous infusion.
5. The individual is then monitored very closely as they recover.

HSCT (Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation) is indeed a very promising treatment for Multiple Sclerosis.

HSCT attempts to “reboot” the faulty immune system, which is responsible for damaging the brain and spinal cord in MS. At present the total cost of HSCT at major centres like Mexico and Russia cost more than 100,000 US Dollars including travel and stay. At world class HSCT Hospital India HSCT costs about 30,000 US Dollars all inclusive. Please click this link to know more about world’s most affordable HSCT treatment https://hsctindia.com/hsct-treatment-package/

Why you should choose HSCT Hospital India for HSCT ?

1. HSCT Hospital India is one of the finest private hospitals in India and Accredited by JCIUSA. Most Affordable, 30,000 US $ HSCT package includes complete treatment cost for 30 days inhospital stay in a deluxe private room, Doctors Fee, Tests and Consultations, Medicines, Consumables, Neuro-Physiotherapy and also Food and Laundry for both the patient and the attendant, Airport Transfers etc. Large number of MS patients from Europe, America and Australia already treated successfully. Click here to know more
2. Complete 30 day HSCT done in hospital. Private deluxe rooms are very well served for patient and attendant’s comfort and equipped with HEPA Filter with Triple Level Air Filtration. No outside hospital stay avoids risk of infection, 24 x 7 nursing care and best medical attention. Advanced HSCT for MS protocol used does not require any further chemo/ treatment after leaving the hospital. Click here to get complete details
3. International and Globally Renowned Accreditations – HSCT Hospital India is accredited by the Joint Commission International, USA, National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH), and National Accreditation Board for Laboratories (NABL) for processes and high-quality patient care.

Large number of MS patients from Europe, America and Australia have already been treated successfully at HSCT Hospital India. Click here to watch patient testimonial videos

While HSCT is regarded as a treatment option with the potential to at least temporarily suspend disease activity and progression, more research is needed. The treatment also needs to be more accessible to patients.

While research is underway all around the world, multiple disease-modifying treatments, known as DMTs, are used to help manage MS symptoms and also slow the progression of disease.

HSCT vs. DMT Treatment

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society highly advises starting DMTs as soon as possible
following diagnosis after reviewing all pertinent information and therapies.2 Continuous
DMT consumption has been linked to:

• lessen the frequency of fresh relapses
• Reduce the number of new relapses
• Slow progression of disability
• Decrease new inflammation within the central nervous system

DMTs come in one of three ways, either as oral, injectable, or intravenous medications. Conventional DMTs help alleviate some MS symptoms through a variety of mechanisms, including by inhibiting immune cell activation and decreasing the inflammatory response of the immune system.

What Is HSCT Treatment?

While there is currently no cure for multiple sclerosis (MS), there are numerous diseasemodifying therapies, lifestyle modifications, and experimental treatments aimed at adequately managing the disease. Over the last few decades, one such experimental treatment known as Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) has been at the forefront of progressive MS research.

HSCT attempts to reset the immune system to slow or stop MS from progressing, at least temporarily. But it’s only available in clinical trials and not everyone with MS is eligible for it. The goal of HSCT is to potentially “reboot” or reset the body’s immune system. Since MS is an autoimmune disease, the body’s immune system is under attack from itself. HSCT aims to knock out the miscommunication between the brain and the immune system and decrease or completely halt the demyelination that occurs.

In a 2016 study, nearly 70% of people who received HSCT showed no new MS disease activity after three years.1 The study also found throughout the trial and follow-up that recipients of HSCT had a significant recovery in neurological function. This further illustrates that HSCT may not only stop new disease activity, but potentially help repair pre-existing neurological damage.

The study “Effect of Nonmyeloablative Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation vs Continued Disease Modifying Therapy on Disease Progression in Patients With Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis – A Randomized Clinical Trial” was published in the journal JAMA. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2720728

HSCT may be a beneficial treatment option for people who have relapsing-remitting MS (periods of stability between periods of symptoms)

• Have had MS for less than 10 years
• Are younger than 60 years old
• Have had new lesions on MRI or relapse in condition despite appropriate diseasemodifying therapies
• Are unable to take high-efficacy disease-modifying therapies

HSCT has been found to be most effective in people with highly active relapsing MS. While HSCT is regarded as a treatment option with the potential to at least temporarily suspend disease activity and progression, more research is needed. The treatment also needs to be more accessible to patients. At present the total cost of HSCT at major centres like Mexico and Russia cost more than 100,000 US Dollars including travel and stay. At world class Artemis Hospital in India it cost about 30,000 US Dollars all inclusive. Please click this link to know more about world’s most affordable HSCT treatment https://hsctindia.com/hsct-treatment-package/