Question about CRAB's...

[Ocoee]

Has anyone heard of Copaxone being favored/effective only for milder cases of RRMS (i.e. situations where there is almost complete recovery and little residual symptoms), and interferon’s being favored in cases where there are more residual symptoms present with RRMS.

Or is Copaxone being used regardless of the severity of the RRMS?

Any advice/information is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[agate]

No, I haven't heard of this--and I've been keeping a weather eye on the ABCRs for a few years now.

I have heard that people who are concerned about side effects or who have a rough time with them often choose Copaxone because it seems to have fewer side effects (or more tolerable ones).

My neuro told me I could choose any of the ABCRs. He said they "all do pretty much the same thing." That may be an oversimplification, but I believe the point was that everyone with MS should be on one of the ABCRs.

That is his opinion. Mine is that if you already have a moderately severe case of MS and have had it for many years (SPMS for me), you might hesitate to start a drug that may cause you to have more physical problems than you're putting up with already.

[Niko]

The CRABs all have the end result in common, to slow down the progression of MS, that's in short. But where they differ is the patients reactions to them.

I'm on Betaseron myself. My neuro gave me the info on all the meds (just the ABCs back then) and let me decide.
It did take a bit of time for my body to adjust to the med. but after that I was doing much better. Side effects will vary for any of the meds.

Niko

[Ocoee]

Thanks for the replies.

I’m really having a tough time deciding. At the time of diagnosis, my neurologist felt I was PPMS, but a little over a year into it, he thought I might be having a relapse so he gave me Solmedrol and suggested I consider a CRAB.

Agate, I hear what you are saying about being cautious about taking a drug that can have a negative physical affect on you, when you are already dealing with a bunch of MS symptoms. I have a number of symptoms that seem to be permanent, however I’m staying as active as possible, so the thought of feeling fluey all the time really concerns me.

Despite these drugs less than stellar results, and my MS not being a clear case of relapsing remitting, I’m pretty sure I will try one of them, but it sure it hard deciding which one.

Thanks for you input though!

[notasperfectasyou]

Has anyone heard of Copaxone being favored/effective only for milder cases of RRMS (i.e. situations where there is almost complete recovery and little residual symptoms), and interferon’s being favored in cases where there are more residual symptoms present with RRMS.

Or is Copaxone being used regardless of the severity of the RRMS?

Any advice/information is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Actually, it's the opposite.

Copaxone is not an IFN. It is different and the idea behind it is very different than the IFN's. Copaxone has been found to work in patients that do not respond so well to IFN. NAB's is one issue, but at the end of the day IFN's work to shore up the BBB, and Copaxone acts to moderate the activity of Th1 v/s Th2 cells. I know this is short, but research it here. Copaxone also works very well with novantrone which is another SPMS therapy. napay