vol2 - Page 83

 29. The doctor emphasized that ACTH was the only
 therapy likely to be of any help to me. He explained that
 my MS was very severe and had progressed very rapidly. He
 ....
 repeated all of his warnings about ACTH_s adverse effects
 but recommended another three months of therapy. He again
 increased the dose, this time by fifty percents
 30. In an effort to provide _me with some relief from
 sleeplessness and to calm my nerves and reduce spasms, he pre-
 scribed a sleeping pill and Valium. I agreed to give ACTH
 another try_
 31. One or two days later I asked the doctor if I
 could discontinue taking ACTH. I had decided that ACTH was not
 helping and ! continued to feel worse° I was bedridden.
 32. _e strongly advised me against stopping ACT_
 and told me there was no other hope; I should stick it out.
 I promised to try to stay on the therapy°
 33. I took ACTH one more time, then phoned the
 doctor to tell him I was discontinuing the treatment. The ACTH
 was making me worse and the side effects were overwhelming
 me. I could not take it any longer. If it was a choice
 between my MS and this treatment, I would rather have the MS.
 34. Almost as soon as I stopped taking ACTH I
 began experiencing sight problems. My vision became blurred
 and I had bouts of tunnel vision. I could not focus and
 lost my ability to reade My MS was attacking me in an
 .... entirely different way and ! wondered if stopping ACTH was
 responsible.