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Linda Elsegood: I'd like to welcome Kaija from Germany. And Kaia has multiple sclerosis. Would you like to tell us your story, Kaia?
Kaija: Oh, hello? Hello.Uh, but I had my first symptoms here in Germany, and it was just after I left school. Um, and, and the sort of, you know, stuff handy for stuff in your life.
Um, and, uh, that's how. Turned out
Linda Elsegood: what symptoms. Did you have at that time?
Kaija: Um, I had, uh, my very first symptoms, uh, was, uh, a numb area around my backside. It's really difficult to explain. Isn't it? Um, yeah. And then, um, I went to doctors, and they couldn't find anything. At first. And, uh, then, uh, I had the move to England, and of course, it was, um, quite an exciting time and, uh, you know, really
unsettled and, uh, Uh, I then had, uh, many more symptoms and there weren't kind of symptoms like in the book. I could walk very well. My, uh, my sense of balance when, uh, the, um, couldn't really walk stairs very well. Um, what else? Anything I had just about everything. In the book, it was very easy. And I went to a doctor, and he'd known ms.
You had patients before. And he said, well, that looks very much like he was honest about us, which I'm very happy about.
Linda Elsegood: so how old were you at that time?
Kaija: 21
Linda Elsegood: And how that affects you emotionally?
Kaija: I was devastated, you know, I was just about to start a new life.
I just finished school, you know, uh, and you know, I was going to embark on a new life. Now with my partner at the time. Yeah.
Linda Elsegood: So where did you go from there? I mean, you were diagnosed, and you had all these awful symptoms.
Kaija: I stayed at home for a while. I didn't do much, but after about a year, I decided to go to college.
Right. Uh, and, um, uh, And I had this idea. I wanted to study fashion and fashion design, and I went to college and right.
Linda Elsegood: So were you given any medication at that time? Uh,
Kaija: I can't remember? I think so.
Linda Elsegood: Did your MS . Progressed from there or did it, was it relapsing and remitting?
Kaija: um. For a while. Yeah, it was sort of the first year, uh, it happened quite often and, uh, and then the photos tape it down, you know, and it went into, uh, sort of secondary progressive offers out, you know?
Linda Elsegood: So what were you suffering with? You said everything in the book. I mean,
Kaija: I can, I can read out because I broke down a few notes. Okay. Uh, my, my business was affected my balance, my coordination. I felt numbness in some parts of the body. Um, my speech was affected, which was very handy as I, uh, sometimes in language, school talk. And, uh, it's was a bit difficult time, uh, anyway, uh, my walking, um, that's about mainly what was, yeah.
Linda Elsegood: Yeah. What about your bowel and bladder were they, okay.
Kaija: Um, my bladder is in fact, uh, I, if it was at that time as well.
Linda Elsegood: What about fatigue?
Kaija: Yes.
Linda Elsegood: Okay. So life was quite difficult. I take it for you.
Kaija: Yes. Yeah. Yeah. And they end up the first year. But after that, uh, it's sort of, yeah. You know, as you know, you know, kind of seems to disappear and you keep on hoping that it does.
And uh, you know? Yeah.
Linda Elsegood: So when did it start to come back again?
Kaija: Uh, late run-up after about five years.
Linda Elsegood: Right. And then what Happened?
Kaija:Um, Hmm, hang on. Let me think. Uh, I've gone back to Germany. I started work. Yes. I was at work for a few years, and everything seemed to be fine then. And, uh, then I, uh, I felt weaker, you know, my fatigue set in and of course, uh, I worked full time. Which was a, it hard for that. Um, later on I started taking time off.
Yeah. I spent my holidays to be ill, but you know, I never really went away or anything out of work sort of four days a week or something.
Linda Elsegood: what were your symptoms like before you found LDN that they all come back game?
Kaija: Um, well when, um, Hmm, the LDN was a lot later, you know, I found out about 2004. Which was, uh, quite a long time after I fought for the, you must, you know, I started in 1980, so 24 years later.
Um, so I actually write about it, uh, in, in your magazine, right? Uh, uh, and, uh, And in fact, it was, my husband was and said, well, why don't you have a go and try? I said, well, you know, I don't keep trying and hoping that things go back to normal or anything, you know, sort of, uh, I lived life, Metro factually sort of thing, you know, you know, try to, um, Within the boundaries of this illness.
Linda Elsegood: what were you like at that point?
Kaija: Oh yeah. That's what you want to know. Yeah. Sorry. I'm sorry. Um, well mainly affected by the fatigue. Um, my walking wasn't very good. Yeah. Which isn't very much now. Because I don't walk at all. I use a wheelchair. yeah, and the, the coordination, you know, the hands, I've always been very good with my hands and artistic and everything. And the fact that anymore.
Linda Elsegood: Yeah. Upsetting then, isn't it. When something, you know? Yeah. It's on him anymore. so your husband tried to get you to take LDN. What happens? How did you manage to obtain it?
Kaija: It's really good. Mmm. Um, I feel stronger. Sorry.
Linda Elsegood: Sorry. How did you manage to get the prescription?
Kaija: Um, I've got a friend doctor. No, my husband's got a friend who's a doctor. Right. Who agreed to prescribe it for me.
Linda Elsegood: Was it easy to obtain the LDN in Germany?
Kaija: Yes. Yeah. Right. You know, we have heroin addicts here as well, so, you know, they pay cause don't, they.
Well, they take it in
Linda Elsegood: So, um, what were your symptoms? Did you have any initial side effects when you started taking
Kaija: Netherlands? It's wonderful. And in fact, I, uh, I picked off my MF friend. We live quite far away, but, uh, uh, I, I, I told her about this, and she's tried it, and she's feeling much better as well.
So because we're both sorts of a 30 year, um, experience, uh, I miss people. So, um, it's really great.
Linda Elsegood: So what did you find it did for you?
Kaija: Um, Well, I feel stronger and, uh, feel well, you know, when your sense of balance is better, and when it wasn't, you feel more grounded, you know, um, Even though I can't walk. I think, but if I, if I say help, I can say top without holding on.
Right. You know, that sort of thing, that, that wasn't like that all the time. So it helps, uh, it's improving my bladder control, physical things, dental, well being, uh, wrote down. Basically, the nation. My handwriting is legible now. Oh,
sorry.
Linda Elsegood: So your handwriting is better.
Kaija: yeah, it's, it's metrical now it doesn't even look that bad.
Linda Elsegood: So would you be able to draw again
Kaija: now? Yes, I do. Do you? Yeah. Well,
Linda Elsegood: fantastic.
Linda Elsegood: So that must be quite a lift for you.
So you, um, will be continued taking indefinitely?
Kaija: definitely. Yeah. And I've, I think I've taken it four or five years now. Seven years.
Linda Elsegood: Seven years. Well, that's good.
Linda Elsegood: So what would you say to other people in Germany who would
Kaija: have a go
Linda Elsegood: and how easy and how easy do you think it would be for them in Germany to obtain a prescription?
Kaija: Well, if you have a front of Patrick doctor, uh, it works, but you know how you can get it. Uh, if even any other doctor can prescribe it for you. So you could ask your friendly dentist to prescribe it for you. Okay.
Any a doctor can, can, you know, and in fact, uh, some I, um, I joined some, um, Uh, the cold and internet type.
Yes, you're in Germany. Uh, and some, some somebody says, why don't you try your dentist? You know, my dentist is my friend, and I asked him, and he did, you know, so I thought that's a good idea. I have to try. Yeah. So I tried, and I got a prescription, so it's no problem.
Good. Well,
Linda Elsegood: is there anything else you'd like to add?
Kaija: Mmm, no. I can only for commend to have a go. Is it, is it really, if it's my a friend who tried it she calls it a wonder drug.
Linda Elsegood: maybe you could ask your friend if she'd like to share her story with us.
Kaija: I thought I could ask her,
Linda Elsegood: does she speak English?
Kaija: Um, I think so.
Linda Elsegood: Okay. Well,
Kaija: I'm not sure whether she feels, uh, she feels she can do it well enough, but I can let her know.
Linda Elsegood: Okay. Well, thank you very much for sharing your story with us.
Kaija: Thanks very much for letting me, Ferris.
Linda Elsegood: Thank you. Okay. And Kaija, before you go, um, if anybody in Germany wants to talk to somebody in Germany, who's taking LDN. Would you be willing to do that?
Kaija: Oh, yes. Yes.
Linda Elsegood: Okay. That would be
Kaija: great. Yeah.
Linda Elsegood: Thank you very much.
Any questions or comments you may have, please contact us. I look forward to hearing from you. Thank you for joining us today. We really appreciated your company. Until next time, stay safe and keep well.