what are crab drugs?
what is ldn?

I'm on several drugs: rebif, cymbalta, lorazapam, vitamin d & calcium supplements

I've also been on iv steroids, baclofin and a few others

From my understanding they call the MS drugs crab drugs such as rebif, copaxone etc.

LDN is a drug some individuals take for MS.

I take Avonex - reluctantly

CRAB - Copaxone, Rebif, Avonex, Beta-Interferons + Tysabri
LDN- Low Dose Naltraxone (2-4 mg)
It was used at high levels (40-50mg) for decades to help those addicted to drugs not get the high and thus not want to "use." If you are on pain meds you probably do NOT want to use it. It has been shown to have very few side effects (no adverse effect to blood work) and has an effect on GI tract. It seems to help some people with MS and others not at all. You can google research done with LDN on other diseases at Penn State, etc (ie Crohn's)

Best wishes on finding something that works for you,
EP

The CRAB drugs are not supposed to make us feel better, but reduce the time between MS "attack," thus reduce the time before we end up in a wheel chair.

I hate drugs, but don't think I have a coice about this one.

Best of luck.

I didn't get the impression that we would all end up in wheel chair.

From what I have been reading it seems like about a 50/50 chance of a long/fullfilling/mostly functioning life or ending up in a wheel chair (many with early deaths.) (Not saying that people in wheel chairs cannot have fullfilling lives or that they necessarily will die early.)

Sorry I am being cynical, but I had an aunt and also a family friend with MS who both ended up in the wheel chair. (The family friend is unable to use his arms/hands as well.)

I know the drugs royally sucks and are expensive, but I am not taking any chances.

There is a similar thread under "Treatments" on the top of the page that you might want to check out.

Nothing could stop me from doing some form of treatment. When something as important as my health and being there for my kids is at stake, I want to do anything I can to put the odds more in my favor.

xaviermom, not ALL of us will end up in wheelchairs but many of us will and none of us can pre-determine who that will be. What determines how life altering the disease is is how much damage is done to your nervous system. The damage isn't something you can detect until it is already done and too late. the CRAB drugs are designed to slow down that damage.

You may or may not be in the wheelchair. I personally choose to lower my chances as much as possible. I take the copaxone EVERY SINGLE DAY because it might keep me mobile. It's a price I'm willing to pay to lower my odds of being able to keep walking.

er, i meant to INCREASE my odds of being able to continue to walk :)

Actually, that percentage is wrong. The percentage of people with MS ending up in a wheelchair is 25%, which sounds a hell of a lot better to me! Anyway, i have a few friends that i've met over the years who do not do any of the ms modulator drugs and they are both in a wheelchiar. I have begged and pleaded with them but they are too afraid to take any drugs at all. I hate to think of the time they have wasted debating this with other people and if i have any chance of postponing or eliminating the chance of being in a wheelchair, than i will do it!
hugs,
Dawn

I SOOO agree with Dawn

I dont take any of the crabs as I reacted real bad to betaferon then avonex. It did not seem to be slowing anything either in my case as i was having flare ups about every 3 months.
I have been gradually getting worse after each flare up & wish something would slow it down. I take medications just not injections.
There is always a variety of pros & cons & it is an individual decision with their dr - my opinion

I use Rebif. It didn't take much of a relapse to convince me to use one of the drugs. I tried copaxone first, but the injections just hurt so bad I changed to Rebif. I hate the side effects, but I have to be able to take care of my family. One of my friends takes no drugs. She is mid 60s and hasn't had a relapse for several years now. She had many relapses in her 30s, and is convinced stress is related to her MS. She is active and walks with only a slight gait impairment. Her last relapse put her in the hospital on steroids though.