Hey there,
This is the latest 2015 disease modifying drugs pdf from the national MS society, it discusses everything you could possible wish to know about the DMD's and well worth reading through.....
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/NationalMSSociety/media/MSNationalFiles/Brochures/Brochure-The-MS-Disease-Modifying-Medications.pdf
Hope it helps
Cheers..........JJ
Thank you for that link, JJ. Very helpful resource.
I have used Avonex for years, and I consider it a “success” because my condition has not deteriorated and I haven’t had a relapse in years. But you will find Copaxone, Rebif, and Betaseron users that will tell you the same thing. On the other hand, others take those medications and still face significant disease progression and/or find the drug side effect intolerable.
Many users of newer oral drugs also find success, although those drugs have not yet stood the test of time. I tried Gilenya for 19 days a few years back, and obviously that was a failure for me. The side effects included effects on my heart, but many other MS patients are not predisposed to problems there.
All medications have side effects, but those vary unpredictably from person to person. With steps to mitigate those effects, I find Avonex tolerable, but Gilenya wasn’t. Another perfecly sane person might have the opposite result. Find the medication you can tolerate, the one you most reliably take without missing doses. And remember that you can always change and try something new as I did, so don’t overthink the decision.
I say the same thing that the other ladies have spoken of.
I myself have not had much luck with DMD's...... I have been on Copaxone, Avonex, (2) , Aubagio, and now waiting to try out the Tysabri ... the big guy I'm told.
I felt best on Copaxone, but it do alot of damage to my skin leaving it hard , and indented, and no sensitivity .....
Avonex, I flushed, and got incredibly hot and felt like I had the worst case of the flu, could not get warm and stuff like that, so that is why we stopped that one.
Aubagio I went off because of my skin peeling, fingernails peeling, and general all over not well. My hair fell out alot, ( I was told a bit more than your hairbrush) after you brush your hair. Well, I have been off it for 2 months not, was only on 7 weeks, and my hair is still coming out in handfuls.
I hope this helps, are you taking Gabapentin , baclofen or anything like that ???
Hope this doesn't scare you, but YOU are the best Dr. of YOU !!! Don't let the Dr's dismiss you, and make sure you make them listen, and if they don't, go with your gut feeling, and change Dr's. I went through 5-7 Neuro before I found one that was OK, not great, did not really like her, but she was the better of the bunch.
Right now, things are going along, and we wait, as we all seem to at so many times in this journey. We are here, and don't feel worried, it does work out in the end, but my advice for certain, "keep looking, keep digging, and don't take what they say without checking it out and make sure you are ok with it" , Most Dr's I have now, after almost 7 years now, everything changes everyday, it seems and that is why we must be our own advocate too !!!
Hope this helps,
Candy