MS drugs long term effects Posted: 10-09-08 10:56am
I am writing on behalf of a 32 yo male
friend diagnosed with relapsing remitting
MS at age 20. His main problem so far is
optic neuritis. He took Interferon Rebif
for 5 years, but stopped because the flu
like side effects were becoming too much
for him. During that time, his sight had
not worsened. For the last two years, he
has been taking a cocktail of medications
and this is my concern: his sight has got
worse and, seems to me, the potential long
term effects of the drugs he is taking are
worrying. The drugs are: Endoxan,
Deltacortene,Sandimmun and Azatioprine.
Aside from the eyesight worsening, he says
he feels absolutely fine.
I would very much like an opinion on what
he should do: continue the present
medication or return to Interferon?
Thank you for your time!
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zigemyster
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Posted: 10-09-08 15:47pm
Is this an approved cocktail by his
neurologist? I know of no one who has
RRMS take something like this. I just
received my MSAA Motivator magazine and
the drugs that you say he is taking I can
not find. Maybe these drugs is what is
causing his eyesight to diminish. Do you
know what the side effects would be?
Endoxan is a cancer drug
Deltacortene is considered to be
Predisone
Ciclosporin (Neoral / Sandimmun) is a
powerful immunosuppressive drug. It acts
by inhibiting T-helper cell functions and
blocking production of the cytokine
I'm not too sure what to say about
Azatioprine as what I found is mostly
experimental.
Is he aware that there are other drugs
that he can take for RRMS one being
Copaxone. Yes it is a daily injection but
the side effects are so minimal and there
is no feeling like you have the flu for 2
- 3 days after each injection. When I was
injecting Copaxone my main fuss was
burning and itching at the site for a few
seconds and those bumps so I avoided my
backside...so in truth my lumps were
probably mostly from not rotating the
sites like I should have.
I never went the Interferon route just
because of the side effects alone. I
wanted something that I could inject and
not worrying that it would interfere with
my life (as much as possible).
Other than the Optic Neuritis and failing
vision, how is your friend doing?
