This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

I have recently been reading about low dose naltrexone (LDN) and was wondering if it slows brain lesion growth.
I was diagnosed in 1998 with MS and have been taking copaxone ever since. Motor function and balance are not a problem but my neurologist is concerned about a new lesion that showed up on my latest MRI. My neuro recommends Rebif but I'm concerned about the side affects, such as liver problems. If anyone has any info on this I'm all ears...... thanks.

Sharon,

If you visit other threads on this forum, you will find that MRI's, lesion loads and what they have to do with the mechanism of MS are insignificant.

For what it's worth, my past two MRIs have shown a reduction in lesions. The first reduction was shown after suffering on Avonex for nearly seven years, the second was after being on LDN for 9 months. On both occasions (different neurologists), I got some funky explanation suggesting that my case is but an analogy. (Funny, other people in the same situation have received similar reactions.)

All switching drugs will amount to is switching drugs. Because "the experts" (the FDA) say that MRIs are not an effective tool for monitoring disease progression, it's unreasonable to expect that any drug can effect lesion activity. If you're doing well on Copaxone, I would question your doctor what it is outside an MRI that makes him want to try a different treatment.

If you are concerned about the risk of Rebif damaging your health, but you get convinced that it's worth it, may I suggest getting some baseline data on your general vitals: CBC, enzyme count, blood pressure, physical ability, etc. After a reasonable duration (6 mos, 1 year, or more), check those vitals against your baseline. Use these results to decide if a drug is worth the risk.

First and foremost, I take care of my well-being. There are too many unknowns (and bad math) with MS for the "maybe" of a drug's efficacy to hinder my overall health. Remember, none of the approved medications is a "cure" for MS, nor have any shown 100% efficacy; therefore, they are all experimental.

How much of a guinea pig do you want to be?

Be Well,
Rev. Leonidas

Sharon, I've read nothing over the years that say's LDN has a positive effect on lesions. Some people with ms have a great ability to heal, I'm not one of those.

Quote "If you visit other threads on this forum, you will find that MRI's, lesion loads and what they have to do with the mechanism of MS are insignificant."

This is from the webcast about Tysabi that has a different view.


DR. RICK MUNSCHAUER: I agree with Julie. I think MRI - you can't look at an MRI and know what the patient looks like. But I think all of us who have seen patients over many years accumulate T2 burden of disease, accumulate T1 black holes and have progressive atrophy, know that that patient is headed for trouble

And there was this from the same webcast

I'm very impressed with the MRI data - very, very impressed, especially the T2 data. It's hard to find that type of an effect with other agents at one year, and to be able to make an investment in saving brain tissue so that down the line you're going to have less disability, I think is the best place to target it.

I think that for those of us who have lesions in the control centers of their brain that correlate perfectly to their symptoms lesion load means a lot. And I couldn't imagine lesion load in the Brain Stem being inconsequential.

Peter