Vitamin D treatment for MS?

by Tootie
(Vermont)

I am a 38 year old female and have just recently been diagnosed with Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS)/MS. I had one episode of numbness on the entire left side of my body for approximately 10 days back in late May/early June. An MRI was done of my brain which indicated two lesions that were not extremely prominent, and an MRI was done of my spine which came back clean. Blood work indicated that my Vitamin D level was only 17 and from what I understand should be at least 25.

I met with my neurologist just last week after this series of tests and he prescribed 50,000 IU of Vitamin D each week for 4 weeks, then every other week for 8 weeks and after that down to once every month. I should mention that I live in northern VT and am fair skinned (my father is of Scottish decent).

I am extremely interested in understanding more about the link of Vitamin D to CIS/MS in terms of the lesions. I have been symptom free since early June. Interestingly I started to take 2,000 IU of Vitamin D on my own about 3 weeks ago based on some research I had been doing and I have been feeling my best yet.

What concerns me is that my neurologist still wants me to go on Copaxone daily injections at this point and I am simply not comfortable with that approach. I understand that Copaxone will likely erase the lesions I have, but what I am wondering is if studies have found that proper Vitamin D levels in the body can do same?

Any information or other sources you can point to would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!