Well I had my follow up appt with my neuro after going to the MS center a few weeks ago and it was extremely annoying. He spent half the appointment looking up articles on meds on the internet that I had already read. My neuro is not a ms specialist. Then he quizzed me as to what I knew about them. I felt like a med student. Then he decided that I should have a new MRI. This is what they recommended at the ms center. It has been over a year since my last one. I agree that I should have another one (in fact I suggested this in January), but why did I have to drive an hour for this appointment? He could not have done this over the phone?

Basically, if the MRI does not show any active inflamation, he has relunctantly agreed I can stay off of a treatment and then have another MRI every 6 months. If there is evidence of active lesions, he wants me to try imuran. this is also what they have recommended at the ms center. I am going to consider it. I told him that I was not willing to try rituxan.

(For those of you who are not familar with my med history, I had an allergic reaction to betaseron, several servere reactions in the few months I was on copaxone, and developed antibodies and had infusion reactions while on tysabri.) I am also allergic to benicillin and sulfa, and have had problems with some other meds.

He also told me that he does not prescribe stimulants for fatigue. This same neuro told me last spring when I was first dx that he does not prescribe anti depressants. He did agree with me that I could try increasing my dose of baclofen in order to help with stiffness. I have only been taking 10 mg as needed in the evenings. (He originally implied I should only take it if I was experiencing muscle spasms.) I am going to gradually increase to 20 mgs every day and see if I can tolerate it. He did mention I could try zanaflax (sp) if the baclofen does not help or makes me too sleepy.

I am switching my insurance from my HMO to a plan where I can choose my own doctors in July. I think at that time I will see if I can switch neuros to a ms specialist even if it means I have to drive 150 miles each way for my appoinments. I liked the doctors I saw at the ms center.

Sorry for the long post.