One of the four types of MS includes the MS secondary progressive form.  The Multiple Sclerosis secondary progressive form is the stage that typically follows the relapsing-remitting stage.  This type of multiple sclerosis is found in most people who have been initially diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS.  The secondary progressive stage can begin between five and twenty years into the disease, the average being around ten years.  It is characterized by progressive worsening of classic MS symptoms, such as numbness and tingling, muscle weakness, and cognitive problems.  In this stage of multiple sclerosis, certain types of treatments are no longer as effective.  This can include medications such as Copaxone, Rebif, Avonex, and Betaseron.  At this point in the disease, medications can be switched around in order to find the one that will be most effective at treatment.

Rather than having cycles of remission and relapse, the MS secondary progressive form tends …