How do you choose your weapon?
 

I realise that you are in the US so it will be different for me, but being in Australia, i find that I'm being offered the treatment I want at this point.
Besides reading everything written, how do you select your treatment?
If you guys dont have health insurance, can you still get treatment?
what is the treatment of choice in the US?
Can you choose what you want or are you restricted by funding/contributions etc?

sorry to a nosey cow. just wanted to know if there's a wish list out there.

I basically was given the choice of whatever drug I wanted (except for LDN, darnit! I would love to try that one. Stupid doctors!)

My neuro didnt even give me any info packets. I had to look the stuff up on the internet on my own. But, I had already been reading about the meds before I got diagnosed because I was researching for months before I got diagnosed. I already knew about them when the neuro started to talk about them.

I chose Copaxone, because there's no interferon flu. It's seriously irritating to have to do it every day tho, and I keep taking "little" breaks from the daily stab. (I also keep "forgetting" sometimes)

You would have all the same choices as in the US,

Rebif, Copaxone, Avonex, and Beta-feron (known as Beta-seron in the US), also Tysabri which is the latest one

Rebif/Avonex/Beta-feron are all interferons, whereas Copaxone is a Glatirimir Acetate (SP?)

i was given a choice but my dr also gave me his suggestions.
i was given an information kit/video on each drug. i read everything and watched the video and in the end agreed with my dr.

i didn't want the side effects of the interferons and didn't want to chance any mood disorders so i went with copaxone. i decided to trade that for daily shots. while i don't like it i'm in a routine and it's not so bad.

i don't know if folks without insurance can get the meds but i would think that medical care is greatly restricted.

btw, welcome to NT.

I used a scientific approach to my selection, I based it on convenience. I travelled a lot and didn't want to haul around extra cargo, so I went with Avonex. I got over the side effects quickly and it seems to be working so I have stuck with it for several years.

I believe some people can get meds at a reduced cost from the pharma and variouse other organizations. But I imagine there is a strict income criteria that not everyone will qualify for assistance.

I had Insurance, all the choices and for convenience chose Rebif, the only one that came pre-mixed and in needles at that time. I had no problems but it did nothing for me (suspected PPMS) but as I expected that.

I used Copaxone first.....didn't do anything for me. Then went to Betaseron after that. Had terrible side effects and site reactions....plus had even more lesions on follow up MRI. Neuro is pushing Tysabri hard but I have told him "no". Taking LDN now and have stablized more on it than with anything else. It's definitely not a cure but it does give me much sx relief most of the time.

I was diagnosed last November and was in shock when the drugs were mentioned to me. My neurologist wasn't very friendly, at the time, and just told me they were once a week, every day or 3 times a week and gave me some info to read and videos.

I have now been taking Copaxone for almost 6 months and I can't say it gets any easier. I have skipped some days, just unable to face giving myself yet another needle. Sometimes I end up bruising really badly because my hand is shaking so much, or the stress headaches are so strong before the injection that I can barely see straight.

I don't know if Copaxone has helped me. I’m having a lot of cognitive issues, balance problems and daily headaches. I just don't really know if it's doing me any good but I'm too scared not to take it. I guess I’ll find out soon if it’s working because I have a six month MRI coming up at the end of the month.

choosing your meds
 

I went with the sugguestion of a friend who had MS. He was taking Betaseron with no problems. So I went with that. I do okay except for the injection site reactions.

My doc seemed to favor Betaseron also.

Welcome to NeuroTalk, Pud's Friend, Nice to meet you.:)

My Doc kinda pushed Avonex at me, so I tried it for 7 mos. The side effects wouldn't let up, so I stopped it. A couple of years later My new Doc pushed Copaxone at me, so I tried that for 11 mos. It was not helping me...I progressed to SPMS while on it, so I stopped it too.

A few years later (April 2003) I discovered LDN (Low Dose Naltrexone) and am still on it. It wasn't on the approved NMSS list, so my Neuro wouldn't Prescribe it. I found a lovely Doc in Pennsylvania, who, kindly, prescribes LDN for me.

Good luck with your choice of DMD and I hope to see you around this great place..:hug: