im on copaxone, only been doing treatments for 5 months (today) ill be getting an mri in 7 more months to see how its working..hopefully it is :) and those steriods are horrible :( i was up 36 hours when i took mine...but no real advice for you sorry :( hope avonex works for you

No one has ever won the lottery with just buying only one lotto ticket. Heck, millions of people regularly play it with the imagination that some day will be their day.

The human body is just as finicky because there is so much to the treatments that can only be discovered through trial and error. And what may have worked for one person may be a total dud for someone else.

Just hang in there and don't give up because so much of what your treatment is may totally rely on trial and error.

Love how you put it ravenous wold

Just sharing my experience on this subject.
I was on Avonex for about 2 years. Was still getting sick for two days each week. Doctors noted that per the MRI's I was not getting a slow-down they had wanted to see. So, I got switched over to Tysabri. According to the MRI's while I was on that, the disease did show a slowing down, (at least somewhat).

I had to quit being on Tysabri, due to a move to a different state, and change doctors. I was given an MRI 6 months ago, and the dr. I was seen by then, said that the disease is in a Rebound Effect, meaning that the disease has kind of tried to jump ahead of where it was at. Meaning the lesions are in a more active mode than they ever have been.

I have not been able to get back on any med. due to my finances, but the dr. said, I need to! I know that while I was on the Tysabri, MS was getting slowed down.
As of the last MRI, I had 3 x's more active lesions than I had when I was on a drug treatment.
So, in my opinion, yes, the drugs do slow down the progression. At least in my case.

I just need to get back on something!

I so get your feelings on this darn disease. And, the frustration over the confusion that neuros put on us. I feel so sorry for so many that do not have a dx, do you? All the tests, and the waiting, all while experiencing horrible symptoms that no one can fully explain for you. Hang in there, this is a good place to start learning of the unpredictability of this disease, but it is from the real experts, plain folks having MS, the best source.

I started on Copaxone, but experienced an allergic reactions to it, so I had to stop it. I went to Avonex too, and it was horrible for me. Do a search on Avonex and see what most folks say about it. It seems most folks suffer side affects like me, intolerable ones. I wonder, did your neuro discuss going on Gilenya with you? or Tasabri? I left Avonex and went to Tysabri. Been there for 14 months and was quite pleased. Became JC Virus positive, with a history of melanoma, so my neuro stopped me immediately from Tysabri just Wednesday (so I'm still in shock) , and wants to put me on Gilenya. Just can't handle the injectables. So Good Luck to you in your big change. Too bad Copaxone wasn't doing it's job any longer. If you can, come back to this thread and let me know why your neuro didn't offer you something other than an injectable? I would love to hear what your doctor said, especially since I am making a switch too. Thanks - Lynne

I've been on Avonex for about a year with minimal side effects and no new lesions. I like that I have only one injection a week. I hope I never have to switch. I've heard a lot of good and bad experiences with all of the CRAB meds. No way of knowing how you'll react til you try. Someone gave me a tip when I first started and I don't know if there is any scientific merit to it but it seemed to help me. My first couple shots I had a bad headache and horrible chills. Another Avonex user said that after you allow the syringe to come to room temperature, hold it in your hand for another 10-15 minutes so that it reaches body temp. I started doing this and haven't had a really bad reaction since. Of course, don't forget a pain reliever an hour before injection. I think we all know that. (Ibuprofen seems to work best for me.) Another tip my neuro gave was to massage the injection site a little afterward. He said it helps disperse the med through the muscle. Not quite sure why either one works but I'll stand on my head and whistle Dixie if it means no side effects. Lol. Wishing you luck!

Like everyone said, we all have to "pay our dues" so to speak with playing the med game. I've tried copaxone, betaseron, tysabri, gilenya and monthly steroid (solumedrol) infusions. I've had various issues or lack of response to each. However, right now with a Gilenya and monthly steroid infusion combo, I've gone 6 months with NO new lesions (just continued activity on old ones). Maybe this will work for me. Who knows. But doing something is better then doing nothing and at least I feel like I'm fighting back in what ways I can.

I've been on Betaseron for more than two years, since my dx. Every other day, no side efects for me, Doc wants to wait until there's more info on Gilenya before I try it. Minimal relapses, I'm pretty much in the same shape I was two years ago, so hopefully it's not progressing.

My neuro feels that if there's no negative change in my condition, there's no need for additional MRIs. They would just show the same thing.

No way! I have totally quit all the meds and IM DOING BETTER!! Less lesions, I don't use a cane anymore--my neuro couldn't explain it! She seemed actually mad at me LOL ;)
I refused her meds and went on natural/alternative medicine. It's not a cure but obviously side effects are minimal :) I was deteriorating so fast on all of the drugs I tried it seemed hopeless and my neuro constantly confirmed it. I would be in a wheelchair and unable to walk SOON, the flares constant, the pain to ridiculous levels (TN, ON, the works)

There is hope off the meds--you just have to be brave! (And strict very strict with diet, supplements)

I don't think one CRAB drug can be labeled as weaker than another. Copaxone has a completely different design than the interferons.

And people react differently to the different drugs. I got more lesions on Copaxone but only on it one year. 10 years on Avonex did not do much but I only had migraines as a side effect.

My Dr. should have tried something else. But I did all I could do and really could not get the help I needed. I don't know why - a lot of carelessness here.

You never know what your outcome will be so keep trying. If you are in RRMS you want to try as hard as possible to stay there

A recent article I posted said with all the med options out today it is likely MS can be treated as a chronic disease.

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/27/health/new-drugs-raise-hope-for-patients-with-ms.html?_r=1&nl=health&emc=healthupdateema6

Good Luck. Stay positive.

Melanie

PS I am on no drugs, take lots of supplements but I am wheelchair bound and completely dependent on help. Maybe there will be a turnaround and maybe not. MS is hard to predict you just have to do what you believe is best for you.

M

I want to thank all of you for your input. I'm going to try the Avonex but I'm going to stop the monthly steroids. If the side effects from the Avonex are to radical I may try no meds. Hope everyone has a great weekend:)
Hugs,
Tammy

Like many other here, I was on Avonex for 18 months, with little to no side effects. Thanks to my neuro who ordered 800mg of Ibuprofen to take one hour before my injection, I had very little illness afterwards. I, too, found that warming the syringe in my hand to get the medicine to body temp. helped. There are some Youtube videos on Avonex that gave some good info. Unfortunately, I had more activity in my spine and my neuro now has me on Tysabri. So far, that is going well.
I wish you all the best as you travel this wild and crazy road of MS.