A number of MS meds have been developed over the years. As with most pharmaceutical discoveries, some Multiple Sclerosis meds have proved to be more beneficial than others. Medicine for MS patients is used to treat many common early symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis; tingling, numbness, loss of balance, fatigue, and weakness in limbs. Of course there are additional symptoms associated with MS that are less common such as, distorted eyesight, slurred speech, and difficulty thinking. The meds created for Multiple Sclerosis are designed to take care of multiple symptoms at once.
Meds for MS can be used to alter the course of the disease, which is known as ‘disease-modifying therapy’ or they can be used to control a specific symptom. Patients going through a relapse will take meds that help to make attacks less severe and much shorter than they would be without the medicine. Meds used to control the severity and length of an attack doesn’t have any long-term affect on the disease, they are merely a temporary form of treatment. As of now, no effective treatment has been discovered for primary progressive MS, these other meds for MS patients offer much relief for a number of debilitating symptoms.
New MS Meds for Patients
Very few medicines for MS are in existence today. These generally help slow down the progression of the disease. As of yet, the only ones that have been approved by the FDA are all given via injection. Interferon beta, fingolimod, glatiramer, natalizumab, and mitoxantrone are the only MS meds used in treatments designed to modify the disease. A new Multiple Sclerosis medicine is being studied at the moment, with hopes of receiving FDA approval by the end of 2012. This one can be taken orally, just like fingolimod, which patients tend to prefer. Not only are patients able to get relief without the unpleasantry of receiving it by way of a needle, but there seems to be less side affects with this new medicine as well.
The good news about fingolimod is that after 3 years of monitoring a group of MS patients closely, those taking fingolimod were relapse free. This immunity-suppressing medication is one of the top MS meds that has changed the lives of many people with Multiple Sclerosis. Mild side-effects, such as fatigue, headache, and head colds have been reported by patients. However, these side-effects are more tolerable than the pain and discomfort MS patients feel without taking any Multiple Sclerosis Meds.
