Mixed emotions at MRI results
Edited to add - this is quite an old post being brought back up, but I’ve since completed Mavenclad, and was happy with that option :)
Hi everyone. Haven't posted much lately but I felt inclined to share today.
So, I hadn't had a brain MRI in 2.5 years, and they finally set me for one last month. I don't see the dr until February so I asked my chiropractor (who also does neuro rehab etc) to get the results for me. We went over them today and I found out that some of my existing lesions have gotten a little bit smaller, but I also have two brand new ones. So I'm glad to hear about the smaller ones, not so glad about the new ones. Also frustrated that I won't get to see my neurologist until February to go over these results. Last time I saw him I inquired about lemtrada which he said I'm not a candidate for, and that perhaps in the future if things progress I will be. Now I'm not sure if these two new ones will be enough for him to consider it or not, but I'm hoping so. Even though I'm also a bit scared of the process of having it!
Just yet another MS rollercoaster over here, though got sharing with my fellow MSers might help me wrap my head around it all a bit better :)
@melissa-g , MS is what it is, a progressive and degenerative condition. Your present treatment, Tecfidera, is supposed to reduce the frequency and severity of relapses, but it may not halt progression! Lemtrada works in a different way, it allows the immune system to regenerate, without the MS characteristics. Ideally, you would think that Lemtrada should be a first line treatment. Why try treatments that slowdown damage, when you can have a treatment that can stop the damage? You can understand the philosophy of the "hit it hard, hit it fast" camp. I saw my Neuro yesterday, following an MRI scan earlier in the year, my first one since 1997. I had already been told that it showed no activity. My Neuro said that MRIs just don't tell the whole story...... Do your research about Lemtrada so that you can make up your mind if you want it. Then, you have to be able to build up a case so that your Neuro can't deny you. @tracyd posted a very good case sometime ago. :wink:
@melissa-g If the rules for prescribing Lemtrada are the same in Canada as the US and UK then those 2 new lesions should meet the qualification criteria, if you drop me a PM with an email address I'll send you the 'case building documents I have xxx