Drugs or no Drugs?

[JemmAus]

I haven't started any drug regime yet, and have always been  anti-drug (unless you REALLY need it of course) when there are other alternatives, eg get your blood pressure down through diet and exercise rather than a pill, ditto cholestrol. Ditto heartburn etc etc.

I am the type of person who reacts to drugs in negative ways, which makes me scared of trying new ones.

Question: has anyone chosen to go drug free in their MS "journey" (ugh) ? What effect has that had?

Has anyone started a ************** and decided the drug was worse than the disease?

Cheers
Jemm

[Erin0313]

Jemm,

   Hi! I used to be very against drugs as well but now I believe that we can do the best that we can naturally but sometimes the medicines can give us time and hope as well as improve the quality of our lives. Why live a short painful life if I don't have to right?

I have RRMS and am taking weekly Avonex injections. I tried Copaxone but it didn't work for me so the neuro switched me. I figure if the DMD's can slow down my progression long enough science might come up with more treatments or even a cure.

Until then I want to be well enough to enjoy my family as much as I can.

Talk to your doctor and see what he/she recommends and then research the heck out of it. The studies show that the faster you begin a DMD program the more effective it is with slowing down the progression of the disease.

Good luck and well wishes with whatever choice that you make.

Erin :)

[HVAC]

The disease modifying drugs only help with RRMS which is what most people with MS start out with. This is where you have attacks and remissions not constant progression. I took the shots for awhile before they realized I had the wrong kind. They were not bad. It was nice having hope. When they took the shots away and said their is no treatment it was like they were saying sorry you just have no control now nature will take its course. It was very depressing. I have gotten on with my life and do as much as I can.

Alex

[JemmAus]

I haven't even been told which category I fall into yet - RRMS or what - I dont know.....

So it depends which TYPE of MS you have whether the drugs work?

[HVAC]

If you have Relapsing Remitting MS the DMDs help stop or slow the progression by at least 30%. What does it mean if you do with out the DMDs. Pretty much progression. With each case of MS that is something different. Will you have symptoms before permanent damage , no. Before the DMDs people just looked forward to blindness,or loss of color sight, or loss of arms, or loss of legs, or incontentance, or loss of bowels. These drugs are no guarrantees but they beat the alternative. These are serious drugs but this is a serious disease. There is no crying uncle when the damage is done.

I have a form of MS, PPMS the drugs do not work for so yes I am just waiting for my number to come up. There are few atheists in fox wholes, the shots are wonderful if you can get them.

Alex