Why are all MS medications injections?

[Rosie1021]

My daughter will be starting on her MS medication and was given options for about 6 different drugs.  They are all injectables.  She is starting on Avonex once a week, and is dreading the weekly shot and the awful side affects.  I know there are a few clinical trials going on right now for  a pill form.  Are there any nearing FDA approval?? And if so, when might we expect them to be available to the public?

[Rosie1021]

Thank you for your responses.  Its good to know that there are others care when you feel isolated and alone. Its funny, when you tell people your child has MS, they think they know so much about it, and then they find out they really know very little and are unable to give you any kind of moral support. My daughter was diagnosed with MS quite quickly which seemed to surprise alot of people.  No one was more surprised than us! We thought she had tennis elbow (I wish) or carple tunnel (another I wish) so when we when we met with the doctor to get the results of a cervical MRI, we were completely unprepared. The doctor said "early stages of MS". Her left side was numb, arm, hand, leg, then her right leg started to get numb too.  It was very frightening. She went for a brain MRI. Now both MRIs showed lesions in the crucial areas of the brain and lesions on her spine, along with some herinated discs.  We're finally coming to terms with all of this, but right now she has some feeling back in her left side and is managing to return to work after being out for 6 weeks. She hasn't gootten enough feeling back and has to type with only her right hand.  She'll get her first shot of Avonex this Saturday. We're hoping that the progession will subside and that she will regain full use of her left arm and get more feeling in her legs. We just don't know what to expect. Again, thank you, all, for responding. I will pass all the information on to my daughter, Andrea.
My best to you all,
Rosie

[Quixotic1]

Usually meds are available only in pill form because they have not found a way to keep the stomach from breaking the med down or because they haven't yet found a way to get it in a form that is absorbable from the digestive tract.  I suspect this is the problem with the MS meds, but I don't know for sure.

Quix

[JonM]

Why are they all injections?  Have no idea.  

However, Avonex is not so bad.  The side affects (Mild Flu symptoms) can be mitigated.

Inject about an hour or two before over night sleep.  Drink plenty of liquids the day of and day after and take at bedtime two Tylenol and two Advil or Naprox.  Repeat when she rises in the morning.  Most of the icky flu period will past while she sleeps.

[Rena705]

Hi Rosie and Welcome to our Forum!  I am sorry to hear that your daughter has been diagnosed with MS but at the same time, being surrounded by so many here on the forum that have not been able to get a diagnosis I am glad that your daughter will be able to start the disease modifying drugs that are so important to all of us with MS.

The last I heard, the drug companies are estimating "sometime in 2008" as to when some of the drugs may be available in pill form.  I will do some digging for you and probably copy and paste the information I find into a personal message for you ok?  I will do what I can and get back to you as soon as possible...

I do hope that you will stay with us however, you will find that we have a great group of people with a lot of knowledge and if we don't know it...we will do our darndest to find it for you!  You may be surprised as well that you may have some information that could help someone else here on the site and that is important as it is what keeps us going...so please, let us know how your daughter is doing and keep in touch ok?

Lots of Hugs,

Rena