Multiple Sclerosis News Today Forums Forums Living With MS Have any of the drug treatments you have tried helped your MS?

  • Have any of the drug treatments you have tried helped your MS?

    Posted by debi-wilson on October 12, 2018 at 2:22 pm

    Do you  feel the drug treatments you have tried have helped your MS ?  What treatments seem to work the best and  can you tell if it’s helped slow disease progression ?

    debi-wilson replied 5 years, 5 months ago 2 Members · 4 Replies
  • 4 Replies
  • ed-tobias

    Member
    October 13, 2018 at 10:32 am

    It’s hard to say, because there’s no way to know to what point my MS may have progressed had I not been treated with DMTs. However, at 38 years post-diagnosis I have to believe that my symptoms have progressed as slowly as they have due to the treatments. And…..I think that Lemtrada has actually improved some symptoms slightly!

     

  • debi-wilson

    Member
    October 14, 2018 at 11:18 am

    That’s good to hear, Ed.  How is Lemtrada different than other DMT  treatments? What does it target?

    • ed-tobias

      Member
      October 14, 2018 at 3:51 pm

      Debi –

      Lemtrada is a monoclonal antibody and is given as a series of infusions. The medication attacks specific “rogue” B and T cells in the immune system that are believed to be the ones that are responsible for attacking our myelin. After they’re killed the body produces new B and T cells and, hopefully, these new cells are normal, i.e. they don’t act like the “rogue” cells. The treatment is carried out over two years (normally) and it may take several years for the new cells to replace the old.

      I’ve written several columns about this. My most recent is here: https://multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com/2018/07/17/ms-lemtrada-journey-roller-coaster/

      Ed

  • debi-wilson

    Member
    October 14, 2018 at 3:55 pm

    Good information, Ed. Thanks!

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