Hi
Had liver function results today. Liver functions up so Neuro has decided to take me off Rebif for 2 weeks to evaluate. However 2 weeks will stretch to 3 because I am back in the UK for a week before returning to Middle East.
I am worried about a relapse - any advice on how to minimise risk? I am currently in CIS stage.
Neuro said he may switch me to Copoxone when I come back from Uk (by which time I will have 35 hookworms and 20 whipworms).
Liver functions up - coming off Rebif for 2 weeks - advice?
Don't worry at all about taking 2-3 weeks off from Rebif. If will have either no effect, or possibly a positive effect.
Interferon ß-1b Treatment by Cyclical Administration
The therapy with Interferon-ß-1b reduces the inflammatory component of multiple sclerosis with positive effects on the disease course. The 8 MUI dose at alternate days is kept constant for years. About 1/3 of patients suspend treatment by three years due to side effects or suspected or accepted ineffectiveness. The main objective of the study is to verify the safety and effectiveness of a cyclical administration (a month of suspension after two of treatment) from the beginning of treatment. There is the possibility that a scheme envisaging therapy free intervals can reduce the onset of negative feedbacks (antagonising the drug therapeutic effect) compared to the standard administration protocol. This might also result in an increase of the drug effectiveness and/or in a longer duration of effectiveness itself. Finally, cyclical administration allows patients to spend actual periods of "therapeutic vacation", with positive psychological effects.
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00270816
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10773853Mult Scler. 2000 Apr;6(2):86-90.
MRI and clinical activity in MS patients after terminating treatment with interferon beta-1b.
Richert ND, Zierak MC, Bash CN, Lewis BK, McFarland HF, Frank JA.
Laboratory of Diagnostic Radiology Research, Clinical Center, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, MD 20892, USA.
Abstract
Monthly MRI activity and clinical disability were evaluated in two relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patients for 4 years during a cross-over treatment trial with IFNbeta-1b, and for a mean of 21 months after terminating treatment with IFNbeta-1b. Post-treatment MRI activity was compared to baseline activity in these patients. Although contrast enhancing lesions (CEL) and the bulk white matter lesion load (BWMLL) on T2-weighted images eventually returned to baseline values, there was a refractory period of 6 - 10 months after terminating treatment, before baseline MRI activity was restored. Although the mechanism for a sustained effect of IFNbeta-1b is unclear at this time, these results have important implications for enrollment of such patients into new treatment protocols that rely on contrast enhancing lesion frequency as an outcome measure.
Interferon ß-1b Treatment by Cyclical Administration
The therapy with Interferon-ß-1b reduces the inflammatory component of multiple sclerosis with positive effects on the disease course. The 8 MUI dose at alternate days is kept constant for years. About 1/3 of patients suspend treatment by three years due to side effects or suspected or accepted ineffectiveness. The main objective of the study is to verify the safety and effectiveness of a cyclical administration (a month of suspension after two of treatment) from the beginning of treatment. There is the possibility that a scheme envisaging therapy free intervals can reduce the onset of negative feedbacks (antagonising the drug therapeutic effect) compared to the standard administration protocol. This might also result in an increase of the drug effectiveness and/or in a longer duration of effectiveness itself. Finally, cyclical administration allows patients to spend actual periods of "therapeutic vacation", with positive psychological effects.
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/show/NCT00270816
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