b'located at the Detroit Medical Center, and asme, but its a way to study people in different luck would have it, he was nishing patientage groups, and how their MS is progressing. recruitment for a clinical trial. I was amongAs for future clinical trials, there are very few the last three participants in his trial. Thethat are available to people my age. double-blind study was for a therapy calledD"fampridine" at the time. This later becameDeeaannnnWWaalltteerrapproved by the FDA as Ampyra. I was soMy name is Deann Walter impressed with Dr. Khan and his staff thatand Im 62 years old. I was I asked if he was taking new patients. Hediagnosed on Nov. 7, 2000. remained my neurologist until his illness andThat day I stumbled in and ultimate passing several years later. did my civic duty and voted, 2 others in line were probably 2WWeerreetthheerreeaannyyccoonncceerrnnssoorrcchhaalllleennggeess thinking, Oh, lord, shes drunk and voting. yyoouuffaacceeddiinnyyoouurrcclliinniiccaallttrriiaalljjoouurrnneeyy??When I nished, I stumbled out and by the After nearly two years in the study, I wastime I got home my legs stopped working and certain this therapy was having no effect onI fell getting out of my car. Neighbors called my MS. Fortunately Dr. Khan had enough data911, and they came to pick me up. Later that to publish his results. It turns out I was on theevening,anon-callneurologistorderedan placebo. Because it was a 30-minute drive toMRI and conrmed MS. Three years before downtown and back, I was relieved when thethat, though, I was having strange symptoms trial ended as it meant not having to travel tosuch as buzzing when I would look down and the clinic as frequently.my hand was always numb. The doctor at 3. DDiiddtthheettrriiaallhheellppyou feel more in controlthat point diagnosed me with IBSnot sure orreemmppoowered in managing your MS? of the connection with my neck, hand, and oI did feel more in control of my MS becausewell, that place on my body, but I said, Okay. it helped me nd a neurologist that I trusted.The symptoms disappeared for three years, Not to mention he was one of only a handful ofso I just ignored it. But then, the symptoms published neurologists in Michigan at the time.came back with a vengeance. I spent most of 4. WWhhaatt s urrpprriisseedd y t hee m a mycareerteachingcomputerclassesto su yoouu th moosstt abboouutt p adults until I couldnt stand up for eight hours paarrttiicciippaattiinngg in a clinical trial? I was surprised by the intense record-keepinganymore. The company moved me into web from the staff and the exact testing during eachdevelopment. After some training, I did that for visit: i.e., the timed 25-foot walk, leg and armseveral years. I began relapsing so frequently strength testing, etc. I appreciated seeing thethat my doctor said it was time to stop working. changes that were happening with me physicallyNow, I, and Robin Brown, lead a support group because my MS.here in Frederick, Md. We have a great group of 5 WWoouulldd you participate in futurepeople and have a great time when we meet. c 1. What motivated you to participateclliinniiccaallttrriiaallss?? Yes. Im in a three-year study right nowi naacclliinniiccaallttrriiaall??inwith the University of Michigan. Its simply toWhen I was diagnosed, there were only test the results of walking, math skills, andthree medications to choose from. The one I cognitive,thinkingquizzes,andresponsepicked wasnt working well for me, so I started timespeedtoafewdifferentchallenges.to research the other medications. During Those results will never be made available tomy search, I came across a trial for a new 13 msfocusmagazine.org'