@Yes or No to meds on Shift.ms

Yes or No to meds

Hi, Newly diagnosed last month after symptoms starting last December, the MRI showing 4 spinal legions and the lumbar puncture from hell 😂 I've done a lot of research into diet, exercise and supplements. I've been gluten and dairy free since June and in the gym 3 times a week. It started with the standard numbness/tingling and the loss of vision in one eye and got to the point in April/May where walking the dog for longer then 10/15 minutes meant swaying from left to right and dragging my left leg but 3 months after commiting to looking after myself everything has improved, I'm even out running! The only thing I'm struggling to decide on is whether medication is the right choice for me. All the consultants and my MS nurse say that the decision to start treatment is very much patient lead and if it's something I want then I can start whenever. I just don't want to take medication for the sake of it if everything else I'm doing seems to be helping. Hoping someone can shed some light on why they went the medication route and help me decide what's best? (P.s I'm in the UK, seems to be a deciding factor in the treatment options people have) Thanks

the idea of medication is to take the hardest hitting med that we can handle the side effects of. it also depends on funding and how severe your ms disease or disease activity is. And this is to maintain your current health for as long as possible. once you accrue disability that can reverse it- bottom line the sooner you start meds with the strongest meds you can handle, the longer you will maintain your health, your amount of ability/disability and the more stable you and your health will be. but in saying that there is no way to tell if say you have a relapse 5 yrs down the line whether that would have happened with or without the meds. basically better prognosis is proven the earlier you start meds but it is your body, your life and your choice it’s about what you feel is best for you, what you feel you can & cant tolerate both now & in the future. I look at it as a safety net and a safeguard against the what ifs. many combine both diet, mindfulness & exercise and the meds. some chose either / or - part of my descion was based on knowing individuals from both paths and the peeps that choose to delay meds often regret it. best of luck and take care of you ALWAYS!!! and here’s hoping you get lots of responses to help with your descion 👍🤞🍀💪😊