Hey check this article out when considering going with out meds? The view of what remission is--rewiring.

http://www.mscenter.org/images/stories/InformsSummer09lowres.pdf

I got dianosed in 2003 and have been on Rebif. It made me really sick so I chose to go off of all meds. I feel pretty good, but have my days with the heat and all. Guess Ive been lucky, but lately tons of stress, need to get back with a neuro when I move back to Oklahoma City,, Afraid of what a new MRI might show,,

To decide to take or not take DMDs is a personal choice that really should involve honest discussions with your neurologist. Unfortunately, you serve as your own control in a disease like M.S. They don't know how to predict outcome very well yet.

You should also ask your neurologist about the natural history studies that the Mayo Clinic has performed for the last 50 years on a cohort in MN.

A comprehensive review of all drug studies has been performed by Oregon Health & Sciences University. It is a little dated and some newer studies have since been published. However, this document is available to the public.

The link should work. If not google it and the .pdf file is available on the Oregon H&S U website.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bookshelf/br.fcgi?book=ms

"Drug Class Review on Disease-modifying Drugs for Multiple Sclerosis."
Final Report
Drug Class Reviews
Marian McDonagh, PharmD, Tracy Dana, MLS, Benjamin KS Chan, MS, Sujata Thakurta, MPA-HA, and Andrew Gibler
Oregon Evidence-based Practice Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Mark Helfand, MD, MPH, Director

I one of the people that do not take meds with my MS and it feels wonderful. I will be trying some new pain medication called lyrica and I am not sure how it is, but if it is to much trouble I will stop it because it is just not worth having so many side effects.

As for your comment about speeding up to process, I am enjoying my life right now and I find being active and eating right is making me stronger. You should of seen me this time last year, big difference.

Stopped my Avonex weekend B4 Memorial Day. It was a scary decision, but the side effects were, FOR ME, greater than the tears in the decision to stop the injections. Why should I have to take a handfull of crap just to combat the side effects from one tiny shot? I have not tried other meds, but that isnt saying I wont at some point. I just switched neuro's, and had a new MRI. The only active lesion I had has SIGNIFICANTLY shrunk, and I have no symptoms at the moment (knock on wood). I have managed this Summer with a few tingles and some parathesia. It comes and goes whwn I get too hot, still learning to listen to my body.
I cant explain how much i HATE those nasty shots. One day I know I'll have to return to some form of treatment, but until I'm forced, in the famous words of many 1st graders... NAH NAH NAH NAH< YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!! ;)

I am not on any medication write now but was taking copaxone. just stoped for a bit due to liver and kidney pain.

I'm not taking any meds now and I really have no intention of taking them in the future. I have now incorporated Fish Oil and Vit. D suppliments into my diet as that seems to be the things that my brain is craving or lacking or something. But my neuro and I talked about it and he agreed with me that I don't need the meds. He just said that I need to knock off the denial of symptoms when they present themselves.

I chose to go on a dmd and I'm pretty sure it has worked for me.
Diagnosed in 95 after several attacks, one of which required hospitalization. Then tried Betaseron only to quit after just a few doses due to side effects.
Went on Avonex in June 96 one month after it went on the market.
Did have some side effects, but they were not too severe and they diminished and went away within a year.
I have remained on therapy for over sixteen years. My MS has stabilized which was confirmed by an MRI late last year which showed no new lesions.
I do understand the the disease is quite individualized and respect those who chose not to go on a dmd. In my case, however, there is little doubt that Avonex has slowed if not stopped disease progression.

I have never used any crabs, I was on LDN for 6 years. I went off of LDN to have a baby, and just haven't decided what route I am going to go now... I have had 2 flairs, since initial flair, which dxed me.

My husband just recently started taking AMPYRA, he has secondary progressive MS, I have noticed sudden out-burst of aggression and anger from him and this is so NOT him, it frightens me.

I was not on an medication for the first 10 yrs after diagnosis. Since then I've tried drugs off and on for about 7 yrs. Stopped and am only on LDN now. My choices now are Tysabri or Gilenya. I am currently choosing neither. I have been fortunate and have been able to care for our 4 childern without any outside help. Of course I think the 4 pregnancies helped. But I walk fine, keep up with the house and the homeschooling. My checkbook is a bit of a mess, but math was never my strong point so not sure I can blame that on MS. I think if after 19 yrs I was not doing so well I would consider a drug. But I don't want to do something just because I'm scared. My doc gave me 2 months to think about it. And the more I do the surer I am about NOT taking the drugs. It has also spurred me to investigate ways to stay as healthy as possible and improve diet/supplements/habits to help. I've never taken steroids either.
And they are always coming out with new research that may shed light on what is really happening with this disease. When I first was diagnoses I'd have symptoms for a few months every winter. Since then the relapses are not so severe. More of a background noise that just stays there. But I can live with the tingly hand, the lightly heavy legs, and the one eye that never fully recovered from optic neuritis. And I don't have to worry about brain infections or killing my liver, or any more injection reactions.

I am also on Avonex. I definitely had relapses when off the therapy drugs. Noticeable when off of interferon. Went off of interferon for two months -- one month before Tysabri and one month after Tysabri and I had a bad relapse. I kept losing my balance and falling.

But with Tysabri, I had a severe allergic reaction and cannot ever take that again. Some others I know on Tysabri also have problems with it.

For me a healthy diet and interferon are the two keys for me (along with vitamins and fish oils) to keep the MS at bay or slowing the progression down.

Yes I tried all the shots only to not really see enough difference to put me through that nightmare. I did a lot of research since I have the rest of my life to sit around and something called lo dose naltrexone.
It is a experimental drug but I have been on it since January and will never go back to the shots. My main problem is depression and fatigue. I just can't seem to overcome either. For one I just can not accept the fact I have this disease. It really stinks. But trying to stay positive and play the hand I was dealt.

I am currently not on any meds for MS. i tried all the Crab drugs none worked and tysabri had bad results. So right now im on nothing and im doing better then ive been in years knock onn wood. The doc wants to think bout putting me on LDN in jan cuz of stress mngt thru holidays but im not sure ive gone this far. my only problem is osteopenia from anorexia that pain is killing me my lower back and neck hurts awful. other then that im fine. i hate to say it. knock on wood and thank god. So i feel for all u that dont feel well. cuz when i dont its really bad.

I am not currently on any MS Meds. My body did not react well to any of the CRAB drugs or an oral chemo that I used. Since going back to work in September (I'm a teacher) my neuro has me gettting 1 dosage of steroids 1/x a month. When I go in to see my Dr. in November, the center would like me to start Fingolimod since it was FDA approved. Not being on any meds for such a lengthy time, I was concerned that my MS would progress. Yet , my MS has not progressed. I don't know for sure what has stopped the progression, I'm just happy about it.