Week 5.

There is an increase in the number of times I can flex all my toes before the effect falls off (8-10 times), and an increase in the amount of flex.

Week 6.

No change in the toe movement. However, I seem to be regaining the ability to bend my left knee. Imagine standing upright and trying to bend your knee and lift it so that your thigh is horizontal.  I totally lost this ability a few years back. Before that, the number of times I could do it was limited – as if the muscles fatigued out – to about three or four times. Now, I can lift my foot clear of the ground once, the second time the drop foot has the toes still touching – there is no third time.

Week 7.

No change.

Week 8.

There are signs that a minimal amount of voluntary ankle movement is returning to my left leg. The muscles involved seem to fatigue just a quickly as the thigh muscles mentioned in Week 7. Ability to flex my left toes remains the same.

A small digression:

In the medium term, the Med-day sponsored research suggests an improvement in EDSS of 0.5 for those with a score of 6.5. Now the big difference between EDSS 6.5 and all lower scores is the use of two sticks, two crutches, or a walker that needs two hands. A  change of 0.5 implies that the patient is able to do without the support of one hand.  This has always seemed just a touch unrealistic to me – but it will not stop me taking Biotin. There are enough other things that could stand a little improvement, quite apart from the possibility of halting any further progression. Slowing progression is one thing about Biotin that does not seem to be fully explored – but conventional medicine has nothing to offer for the Secondary Progressive, so what is there to lose?