There are various complications associated with multiple sclerosis. Side effects of medication are among these complications. They occur when MS patients develop adverse reactions to the medications they are taking to manage the symptoms of their MS and to slow the progression of the disease.
More about Medication Side Effects, Multiple Sclerosis
The pharmaceutical drugs used in the management of multiple sclerosis are powerful drugs. Not surprisingly, they have the capacity to provoke myriad side effects in MS patients. Some of these side effects are standard: they happen to some degree in all the patients who use the drugs. If they are mild in degree, then patients simply tolerate them. They know that whatever benefits they derive from using the drugs outweigh the associated negatives. If, however, the side effects are severe, then the medicine could pose more harm than good to the well being of the patient.
For one, the adverse side effects could be life-threatening or could cause the drastic deterioration of the patient’s quality of life. Another possible impact of negative side effects is that they discourage patients from complying with the recommended treatment. If patients hate what their medication is doing to them, the likelihood that they will start skipping doses and eventually stop taking the medication altogether is high. For all these reasons, it is imperative for MS patients to speak to their doctors about the side effects of their medications and to explore less harsh options.
Some of the side effects of multiple sclerosis medication include hair loss, which can be frightening to patients who haven’t been told to expect it. They may think that the hair loss is a symptom of their MS and that, therefore, it indicates the worsening of their health. Hair loss can also be a blow to a patient’s self esteem. For some patients with multiple sclerosis, side effects of medication can also include such symptoms as nausea and vomiting. Yet other medication can cause patients to feel drowsy and sluggish, adding to the fatigue that is often associated with multiple sclerosis. Side effects of this nature make it difficult for patients to spend their days engaged in productive activity.
Because of all the complications associated with their medication, some patients choose to seek alternative treatments for their multiple sclerosis. Side effects are not limited to pharmaceutical drugs, though. Thus, these patients should take the time to learn about the complications associated with alternative treatments. Their side effects may or may not be better than those of pharmaceutical drugs.
