med question

[bagheesmom]

The MS specialist reccommended I be put on Trazadone for sleep and 4amino-pyridine to help with my fatigue and other symptoms. I have heard of Trazadone and can find plenty of info on that, however I've never heard of the other and am having trouble finding much on it. I was hoping maybe someone on here knows something about it or has used it and could help me out? Thanks in advance

[kwarendorf]

I have been taking Ampyra for the last 3 months. I find that it helps with my gait.

As Lulu mentions, the generic name for Ampyra is 4-Aminopyridine. Outside of the U.S. Ampyra is marketed as Fampyra. Aside from cost, the big difference between the two is that Ampyra is time released. I take it every 12 hours rather than every 4 hours.

As to cost, if you have insurance, the manufacturer has a program that caps you monthly cost at $40.

Kyle

[Lulu54]

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Multiple-Sclerosis/FDA-approves-drug-for-MS-walking-problems/show/1155388

We had a great discussion about this on the above link.

[Lulu54]

4apis also called fampradine.  That is the name for the generic, compounded version of the drug.  There is a branded version of 4ap, called Ampyra in the US and Fampyra in the UK and Canada.  We talked. About the differences quite a bit when Ampyra was released here.  There are pros and cons for the name version as well as the compounded one.  There is a HUGE difference in cost.  

You might  want to search here for Ampyra and read some of the older discussions.

[torikat32]

Hi I never taken this drug before but here is the info I found on it at the ms society maybe someone who has taken it will chime in

4-Aminopyridine is an experimental drug that may reduce symptoms in some people with MS, particularly those who are more sensitive to heat. 4-AP blocks potassium channels on the surface of nerve fibers and may improve conduction of electrical impulses through nerves whose protective myelin sheath has been damaged or destroyed by MS.
Studies Show Drug Helps Some People

Early clinical trials of 4-AP, given either intravenously or orally, showed that the drug provided temporary improvement in symptoms such as weakness, imbalance, and decreased vision in small numbers of MS patients.

In a somewhat larger study, involving 68 MS patients over a three-month period, 27% reported improvement in symptoms while they were taking 4-AP, compared to only 2% (1 patient) who reported improvement while taking a placebo, an inactive substance used as a control in testing new drugs. In addition, 10 patients on 4-AP significantly improved their rating on a neurologic function scale called the Expanded Disability Status Scale, or EDSS, while none of the patients taking a placebo improved their EDSS rating.

Patients with more neurologic impairment and those more sensitive to heat were more likely to be helped by 4-AP. Although this was a controlled, double-blind study—neither the patients nor the investigators knew who was taking 4-AP or who was taking the placebo¾41 patients correctly guessed that they had received 4-AP rather than the placebo.
Side Effects Can Be Troublesome

Side effects in this trial included dizziness, numbness and tingling, and instability while walking. Less common side effects included nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Some of these side effects, however, also occurred among patients taking the placebo­.

Serious side effects of 4-AP treatment included generalized convulsions, confusion, and one case of liver inflammation (chemical hepatitis).