@angieH 

Last reply

angieH

In a quandary

Hello folks! Hi so I've been posting a bit now and I've been considering dmt. Just brief of my story. Diagnosed in 1998, symptom was INO, diplopia. Went 19 years with no significant relapse at least nothing that made me go to the dr. I have not been followed by a neuro. Went to neuro in June 2017 due to bizarre bout of lightheadedness and dizziness. MRI reveals several more lesions than 1997 and one enhancing. CSP MRI reveals one lesion. Neuro in my hometown immediately says I should go on gilenya. He did not explain much about it but rather had someone else pharm rep? Talk to me. He gave no other options. I got second opinion at Johns Hopkins MS clinic. There, great consideration is given to the 19 years I had relapse free and the neuro is tempted to call my case benign ms. He emphasized how atypical my ms story is compared to what he sees. He says he is not so eager to recommend dmt at this point. If he were to start anything, possibly copaxone because of the knowledge that is already there about side effects and effectiveness. He seemed to understand my concerns about possible side effects. He was sure to go over the unpredictability of ms and the lack of guarantee of any medication. Looking at me and doing a full neuro exam he saw very little disability, none really. My near 20 years without relapse was referenced several times as possible reason to reconsider dmt right now. So anyway I've read that copaxone is for 'active' rrms and gilenya is for 'very active' rrms. I certainly would not call mine 'very active' I am just looking at these two very different approaches and wondering what anyone here thinks about this.
@potter

Try starting with the Copaxone and see how you do, I was diagnosed at 55 and started on Rebif right away I wanted to slow this disease as much as I could. You can always change your treatment, I have been taking Tecfidera now for 4 years and haven't had any relapses. I had two aunts that had MS before there was any treatment and I know how bad it can get. Potter

@Judie

I blieve my fi