Traditional MS drug therapies used up through and until the mid 1990’s were all immunosuppressives. Since MS is an autoimmune condition, this approach made sense. These MS drug treatments included steroids and chemotherapy, which usually caused damage to the patient’s body even though they did slow the progression of this hideous disease. Diagnosis of MS usually happens somewhere between the age of 20 and 40, so slowing down progression can significantly improve the quality of life. And since the lifespan is usually not significantly decreased, the quality of life is of utmost importance at this stage of our progress in treating MS patients.
MS drug treatments – a new approach
In the mid-nineties, the so-called “ABC Drugs” started to be used with increasing frequency in MS drug treatments regimens. These drugs – Avonex, Betaseron, and Copaxone are in the category of immunomodulators. While the traditional immunosuppressives would treat the immune system as an entire system, or globally, these ABC drugs fight a specific part of the immune system that has become overactive in relation to MS. These two approaches are still the most common form of MS drug therapies, but they didn’t really address the quality of life issues.
Provigil and Fampridine-SR are two new drugs in the arsenal available to MS patients to improve their life quality while still treating the progression of MS.
A combination MS drug therapy regimen is probably the best
Provigil was originally formulated to treat narcolepsy. Fatigue is usually one of the more troubling symptoms for MS patients. It’s hard to live your life being constantly tired. It was decided that since Provigil was designed to fight fatigue it may help the MS patient. And to everyone’s delight, it was found very effective. Fampridine-SR is similarly promising in treating heat sensitivity and weakness, even though it was not originally intended to be part of any of the MS drug treatments.
So talk to your doctor about combining traditional treatments with some of the drugs now being used to improve the quality of life for MS patients. You may find surprisingly comfortable results. And most patients find that modification to their diets, and exercise, will enhance any MS Drug Therapies used, whether traditional or new. Once you find a regimen that works for you, it is important to stick to it religiously and diligently to achieve the maximum effect.
