neuro appointment and confusion

[willowwoman7]

I went for my 6 month followup on copaxone and post dx. The good news is that the copaxone seems to be "doing its job" cause no new lesions. Bad news is that I was dx'd pretty advanced with a bunch of lesions. They told me the damage I already have isn't going away. The rheumatologist wants to figure out a drug that will cover both the lupus and the ms. My neuro started talking about tysabri. It scares the **** out of me. I just looked it up. Rheumie says I can't use any of the interferons for ms since I have lupus. When I told neuro that, he was just kind of like, yeah that's right. Then looking at tysabri, that wouldn't work, either, because I'll probably be on steroids at times. Also neuro talked about steroids for ON. I'm confused, discouraged, and blue. My helpful hubby said I must be bipolar. He's lucky I didn't belt him. My daughter's solution (she's 31) is to go on a raw foodism diet.  Any encouragement or ideas would be helpful. A cave in Montana sounds good about now.

[willowwoman7]

I also have lupus. The docs are trying to figure out how to treat both. I feel like a guinea pig.

[Deb61]

Why won't the Copaxone work?  It's not an interferon like Betaseron, Avonex, and Rebif.  If it's working, how come he's considering changing it?  

None of the drugs, that I know of, will make the lesions go away.  It may help with slowing down the progression of the disease, but it won't make damage go away (unfortunately).

I'd find out about why he wants you to switch your medicine, if it's doing it's job.

Deb