This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

Kronk, I've been on Tecfidera for over a year now and have been lucky with no side effects. While on Copaxone, I had terrible hives at the injection site and experienced frequent relapses. Unfortunately, since it is a long-chain protein, there's a greater chance of skin irritation. I also had to rem...

Hi Pktpkt- I know exactly what you're going through as do the majority on this site. When I was first diagnosed, I was in pretty bad shape. I woke up one morning with the right side of my face drooped. My husband thought I had a stroke, but I had no symptoms associated with it. We then thought it mi...

As far as I know, melatonin is supposed to be GOOD for people with MS! I had a neurologist tell me directly that's what he recommends to MS patients and I had another tell me it was okay for sleep purposes. One neuro has a Ph.D in chemical engineering as well as her MD. Unless I am mistaken, we lose...

Hi Steve- In relation to an earlier posting, Medicare did put Tecfidera on their formulary and I've been on it for over a year now. Good news is I've had no side effects! I used to be on Rebif and I always felt like I was run over by a Mack truck post injection days. I was concerned about the stomac...

Hi Punchy- Not to be evasive, but I think it depends on the symptoms. I have some symptoms such as spasticity in my right foot, slurring of speech and brain fog that get much worse when my body gets overheated. When it's hot outside, they come back with a vengeance! Thankfully, once I cool down the ...

Hi madaket78, Welcome to the club is right! Sorry to hear of the diagnosis, but at least now you know what you're dealing with. It will take awhile to process everything and by all means, take your time. My first neuro didn't prescribe meds either and I had to make a lot of decisions on my own. Read...

Hi Ladymac- Fantastic news on the Tecfidera!!! I have been on it for over a year now and am having an MRI done for my next neuro apt in September. That will tell the tale, but your experiences are very encouraging. I too am one of the lucky ones with no side affects. I feel better overall than on th...

Treat Me, Not My Age: A Doctor's Guide to Getting the Best Care as You or a Loved One Gets Older by Dr. Mark Lachs is a terrific read about negotiating the healthcare system in the US. It is mostly about geriatrics, but a good chunk of it can apply to people like us with chronic illnesses.

Since the subject of the Ebola virus has come up, a great read on the topic is The Hot Zone by Richard Preston. It is frightening in that it's true.

I loved the nurse practitioner I saw, as she knew about as much on MS as my neurologist did. Unfortunately, university politics or something equally unsavory caused her to leave. As for the difference between DO's and MD's, it's all in the training. Here is a decent explanation of the difference bet...

Thank you, Harry Z for stating what I've wanted to for a long time! If I may interject, a neurologist said one time that even if we go into remission and don't have symptoms, it doesn't mean the disease just magically disappears. Run far away from anyone that says they can cure you! I personally was...

As far as avoiding intestinal distress, the only suggestion I have is taking the Tecfidera with food. In the morning, I'll eat half my breakfast, take the pill, and then finish. At night, I take it by itself last thing. I used to eat a little something with it at night, but decided to try without on...

micheleinva and jllandryusa, So glad to hear you both are (finally!) faring well with the Tecfidera. At almost a year later, I am one of those lucky people that encountered no negative side effects at all. I was a little worried in the beginning, as I am a wimp when it comes to any sort of stomach d...

Mikkosan5, I would have to say taking Tecfidera as an oral drug has been a huge blessing! In all honesty, being a human pin cushion and suffering from moderate to severe flu-like symptoms on post-injection days with Rebif was miserable at best. I have not had any side affects at all from the Tecfide...

Thanks for the insurance input. If I did not have insurance or not on Medicare, I would qualify for the assistance program offered by Biogen Idec. Since Tecfidera is so new, my neurologist's office said they have received a ton of calls from insurance companies for approval. I had a similar problem ...