This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

i posted a similar question elsewhere with no results. therefore, i am going to post this same question in the specific drug rooms.

was it your Dr's recommendations or was it due to your own personal preference. if it was your own preference, why this one?

thank you

My choice, not my doctor's. I'm much too self-empowered to let a doctor tell me what to do.

But he did give me a bunch of info on all the ABCRs (this was 7 years ago now). I also did my own research on efficacy and found Rebif was marginally more effective than Avonex. That was a relief because the idea of the big needle and intramuscular shot of Avonex had me pretty wigged out. I chose Rebif over Betaseron simply because it's fewer shots per month. I find I do like even the small degree of flexibility the 3x a week schedule that Rebif gives me (as opposed to every other day with Betaseron). Copaxone? Well, I figured I'd keep that as a fallback if I proved intolerant or resistant to interferons. Although at this point, I'd look hard into Gilenya if I needed to make a change.

thank you for your reply. this is such a taxing decision!

and I should add that I also used the MS diagnosis as the bump I needed to really excel at Wellness 101. I'd been active and exercised fairly regularly, but I amped it up, added yoga, some supplements, etc.

I've since read some of your other posts and I'd say if you're worried about side effects, your worry may be premature. a lot of people don't get them. if you find you do, you can always change your treatment...

First of all, my doctor did not recommend anything, just gave me the list of the crab drugs and said pick one. Geee Thanks.
After some research, Idecided on Rebif, A. because it was not inter muscular, and B. because it was only three times a week versus everyday. C. From what I gathered, it slightly, very slightly seemed to be the preffered drug of the five offered. Apparently, alot of doctors seemed to think it was the more effective treatment. Now, after the recent law suit, I have to wonder.

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The problem comes with the decision of weighing the unknown with the unknown.

Why?
If it works then why worry about a lawsuit?
It's not a class action about a drug that doesnn't work - I live in Europe and I don't understand why the CSVI forum people think this is such a big deal.
The reason why I write this, is because after some research, (Wikipedia) I realised that because Serono isn't a US company, Rebif wasn't licensed as fast as other treatments.
Believe if or not, your FDA is protective about its home-developed drug industry.
Rebif lagged behind and provided incentives to US doctors to prescribe it.

The morals of this are obviously suspect, but I think this sort of incentive-based marketing goes on all around the world.
This doesn't mean that Rebif doesn't work- or Avonex, or Copaxone or Betaseron or Tysabri or Campath or Novantrone. None of them work for everyone with RRMS.

In the UK, you have to 'qualify' for treatment. If you have RRMS then you can choose from the CRAB drugs, if you have relapsing progressive MS, then you'll be offered Tysabri, or if you are lucky, Campath.
My neurologist had to ask for funding. No kickbacks, no incentives.

In my opinion, this website is NOT unbiased. You have a majority of posters with strong views, many of whom do not have MS.
If, by the statistics, most people diagnosed in the US seem to have Lyme Disease, then maybe thisisms should be renamed to either thisisCCSVI or thisislymedisease.
If you don't get on with your drug, you can change. Imagine life before 2002 in the UK, when you had no access to these drugs? The iniquity was outrageous.

Because I get it free for a year and thankfully no side effects

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It was recommended by my neurologist, but it's the one I would have chosen because of the 3 shots per week.