I'd be very interested to learn what progress he's made insofar as increasing muscle mass and strength?

Or, for that matter, what any other individuals with MS have been able to do in regards to those areas.

Any knowledgeable feedback appreciated.

I have many MS patients...



I recommend they all lift weights;  I want them as highly functioning/strong as possible for as long as possible. It makes it easier/quicker for them to physically bounce back from many relapses.





Additionally- I push my MS patients now towards the oral DMD over injections...
I have also heard in some countries that MS patients are able to get Rx'd anabolics to prevent/counteract atrophy...   Just a thought.

Which is what I seek for myself. It's just a bit discouraging to do workouts for months, and see almost no improvement. Or is it unrealistic to expect any noticeable improvement in muscle mass and strength?

What is oral DMD? I googled it, but the results were about dentists.

It's a thought that has occurred to me. Haven't discussed it with my neurologist, yet, though.

So many factors are involved in whether you're gaining muscle after 'months and months'.



Is your program solid?  Are your calories adaquate?  (not, "I eat all the time and never gain weight")  but for a 1 week period track every single thing that passes your lips.  then you'll see what you really do as an intake. Often people get caught up on "I eat so much" because they have one huge meal or one day of eating big... this is not enough.  





CONSISTENT high caloric intake paired with strong weight lifting WILL build mass.   MS is not a muscle disease, it's a nerve disease. Atrophy can occur, but if you can move the muscle, it's unlikely that you'll have much problem with mass IF training and food is on spot.





Sorry, it was late... DMT (Disease modifying treatment)    Oral agents like Aubagio, gilenya, Tecfidera, etc.     They have moderately improved outcomes/reduction in relapses when compared to the injects.   Though nowhere near as powerful as Tysabri... but that's another story.

The compound Ostarine is currently being studied to treat muscle wasting.

I'm pretty sure my caloric intake is more than adequate. Since getting out of the hospital last December, I've been eating four meals per day, and increasing bodyweight 3-4 lbs per month. I ingest as much protein as I can get.

During the first four months, I experienced some size increase in my arms and legs, but for the last couple months, if there's been any muscle growth, it's been too little to be obvious. Unfortunately, the last month or two has seen a noticeable increase in fat around my waist.

Is my program solid? Probably not, by your standards. But, I've done what I can, with what's available to me. I'm stuck in a low-budget nursing home, with no access to a gym. For weights, I have plastic bottles with water in them; maximum weight, 8 lbs. My weekly workout routine is:

MWF

Morning Session
Towel Rows -------------------- 4 sets to failure (currently, about 30, 28, 26, 24 reps)
Bent Over, One Arm Rows --- 3 sets x 30 reps w/14 lbs

Afternoon Session
Incline Pushups ---------------- 4 sets to failure (currently, about 30, 27, 24, 20 reps)
Self-assisted Dips -------------- 3 sets to failure (currently, about 22, 21, 20 reps)

Evening Session
Lateral Raises ------------------- 4 drop sets (6 lbs @ 20 reps followed by 4 lbs @ 20 reps)
Hammer Curls ------------------- 3 sets x 30 reps w/8 lbs


TTS

Morning
Walk (using handrail) up and down steep-incline ramp --- 12 laps. Total distance: ~1/4 mile. Total walk duration: ~30 minutes.

Afternoon
Walk (using walker) up and down steep-incline street ----- 2 laps. Total distance: ~1/4 mile. Total walk duration: ~30 minutes.

Evening
Self-assisted 1/4 squats ----------------------------------------- 4 sets x 15 reps

I have nothing to add but just want to say that you are an inspiration to others. I just recently had a very good friend of mine get the MS diagnosis after her 2nd child was born.

Do you have the balance to try squats? Lunges? Calf raises? Short bridges (as I call them)? Dirty dogs etc etc? I see you are using hand rails and walkers. Even partial reps are better then no reps.

Please, you're making me blush.

I might feel deserving of such praise if I'd actually achieved my goals. As it is, I feel like I'm at best conducting a holding action, when what I want is to be gaining ground.

Bummer. I especially hate to see that happen to parents of young children. Raising kids is difficult enough even for healthy folks.

My balance is pretty much completely shot, and my overall leg strength I'd estimate at maybe 1% of what it was in younger years. If I bend my knees more than a tiny bit, my legs are unable to hold me up, and I collapse to the floor. That's why I'm doing self-assisted, 1/4 squats, where I hold onto one of the grab bars in the bathroom in order to use my arms to pull me back up after squatting down part way.

At this time, I think lunges are out of the question.

Calf raises pose a problem, too. I could easily hold onto a grab bar for balance, and my left calf is still strong enough that I think I could do a few reps with it using full bodyweight. But, my right calf has zero strength. And that's no exaggeration. Even trying to do calf raises while sitting on a chair with just the weight of my lower leg as resistance, the right calf is so weakened that I'm unable to raise my heel even a fraction of an inch off the floor.

No idea what those are.

Short Bridge
http://www.google.com/search?q=short+bridge+exercise&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=z2S4U7fgOY-JogT3wYKQCA&ved=0CDUQsAQ&biw=1276&bih=706

Dirty Dogs
http://img.webmd.com/dtmcms/live/webmd/consumer_assets/site_images/articles/health_tools/better_butt_slideshow/webmd_rf_photo_of_side_kick_exercise.jpg

Donkey Kicks
http://www.google.com/search?q=donkey+kicks&client=safari&rls=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=cmW4U6jHOsv1oATcjICACA&ved=0CCUQsAQ&biw=1276&bih=706

Stuff like these. Not weight bearing but it would seem weight bearing is not really in the works for leg exercises for you anyway. But something is better then nothing in most cases.

Yeah, my friend is 28 or 29? And has an aggressive form of MS with lots of lesions. I actually IM'ed Dark Tide and he was very helpful and bytheway DT, she really appreciated your input, don't remember if I told you or not. She wasn't able to do the main drug you wanted as she was JVC positive and she had some other issues, either way. Hi jack over.

Stanc, no advise but I do want to give you some encouragement.  I don't have MS but I did get Lyme which went untreated for about a year and settled in my spine, where I have several MS-like lesions.  Keep a positive outlook!  There are victims and survivors, but survivors are happier while dealing with the same issues.  As someone who has also survived extensive 3rd degree burns and grafts, I try to remember that.  

Please update this thread, I'd like to know how this goes for you.  I seem to get nerve relapses as my physical condition improves, but I think it's coincidental.

Do you have those bungee cords.  You can do that for calf raises on the right foot, while in bed as well.



ETA: what city are you in?

Ah, thanks for those links. I have seen those exercises before, but didn't know what they're called.

Ouch! I cannot imagine going through something like that. You are truly a survivor.

Sure, if there's anything noteworthy to report, I'll be happy to give an update. Although, at the present snail's pace of progress, it may be a while.

Nope. I've tried 'em a few times, but disliked working with them.

Escondido.

I'm right down the road from you in Oceanside.

I don't have much to offer, but good luck!

You know, my wife is an excellent Pilates instructor...I wonder if something like that may help you out?

Dude!  Have you seen RoG's wife???  Pilates will definitely help.

lol

Howdy, neighbor!

I dunno. How is Pilates for producing a substantial increase in muscle mass and strength?

It's great for strength in the core- here's the thing though, it sounds like you're not going to be able to do anything to really substantially increase muscle mass. I think there may be some potential for pilates to help strengthen you enough to help with day-to-day life.

I can squat 400+ and she can kick my ass in 5 min...it's fucking hard, but at the same time can be done by people with severe limitations.

I'll talk it over with the wife when I get a chance and see what she thinks.

I was gonna say something along these lines but don't really have any experience with pilates. But I will echo what RoG said about building mass. Couple of things, you lack some of the stuff (material equipment) to really "build mass". You have some limitations with balance which make doing anything under load dangerous.

I think continue doing what you are doing, add in the recommendations from this thread. Remember, strength and size don't always go hand in hand. IMHO I think you should add a good deal of emphasis to static strength exercises balance depending. Like Squat holds against a wall type of stuff. Holding yourself in the leaning rest. Leg raises with the heels held 6"s off the ground etc. You can do static stuff for most muscles but it would depend on balance. Don't need you to go face planting into anything.

But you are doing great IMO

I am just praying to God my friend retains the ability to walk in 10 years...

Yup. I also have "structural" limitations imposed by ankylosing spondylitis, in addition to a very large inguinal hernia.

I don't expect (nor do I want) to be anywhere near as big as, say, Ronnie Coleman. I'd just like to achieve what, to me, would be good musculature.

Concur. I began my workouts as more of an experiment to see what development I might achieve, given my age and medical problems. I suppose I should stick with that idea.

Sure, I know that. My arms have responded fairly well to my workouts, insofar as size, shape, and definition are concerned. But, their strength is far below what one might expect for the size.

I hope so, too. With MS, you never know.

Keep up the good work man

Ok, so I talked it over with the wife. She has not worked with someone with MS before but is willing to. The woman who taught my wife Pilates (who is fucking awesome, worked with the US Downhill skiing team and is super cool) has though, and has given her tons of good info on it. She has worked with people with it, and has helped them quite a bit (I don't know the exact metrics or anything).

I'm not going to lie- private sessions are not particularly cheap but if you want to give it a shot. IM me and I'll give you her contact info so you can set something up with her.

Thanks very much for the info. I deeply appreciate your efforts, but I'll have to decline. It costs me $3000 per month to stay here, which has put me into deficit spending comparable to that of the politicians in Washington DC. I don't spend any additional money unless it's absolutely necessary.

No worries man, I wish you the best of luck.

Update for those who might be interested. Changes in workout from last month noted in red below.

A tiny bit of improvement in number of reps for a couple of exercises, but still no discernible increase in muscle mass over what it was 3-4 months ago.

I'm wondering if going to failure might be counterproductive? In younger years, I never did exercises to failure, but always made noticeable gains. Of course, that was also prior to the neurological disorder.

My friend is gonna do the chemo stem cell treatment in Chicago.

Keep up the good work.

A small improvement is still an improvement!

I wish her all the best.