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Q: MS drugs long term effects
asked by: Mini321 on October 9th, 2008
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I am writing on behalf of a 32 yo male friend diagnosed with relapsing remitting MS at age 20. His main problem so far is optic neuritis. He took Interferon Rebif for 5 years, but stopped because the flu like side effects were becoming too much for him. During that time, his sight had not worsened. For the last two years, he has been taking a cocktail of medications and this is my concern: his sight has got worse and, seems to me, the potential long term effects of the drugs he is taking are worrying. The drugs are: Endoxan, Deltacortene,Sandimmun and Azatioprine. Aside from the eyesight worsening, he says he feels absolutely fine.
I would very much like an opinion on what he should do: continue the present medication or return to Interferon?
Thank you for your time!
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zigemyster
replied on October 9th, 2008
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Is this an approved cocktail by his neurologist? I know of no one who has RRMS take something like this. I just received my MSAA Motivator magazine and the drugs that you say he is taking I can not find. Maybe these drugs is what is causing his eyesight to diminish. Do you know what the side effects would be?

Endoxan is a cancer drug

Deltacortene is considered to be Predisone

Ciclosporin (Neoral / Sandimmun) is a powerful immunosuppressive drug. It acts
by inhibiting T-helper cell functions and blocking production of the cytokine

I'm not too sure what to say about Azatioprine as what I found is mostly experimental.

Is he aware that there are other drugs that he can take for RRMS one being Copaxone. Yes it is a daily injection but the side effects are so minimal and there is no feeling like you have the flu for 2 - 3 days after each injection. When I was injecting Copaxone my main fuss was burning and itching at the site for a few seconds and those bumps so I avoided my backside...so in truth my lumps were probably mostly from not rotating the sites like I should have.

I never went the Interferon route just because of the side effects alone. I wanted something that I could inject and not worrying that it would interfere with my life (as much as possible).

Other than the Optic Neuritis and failing vision, how is your friend doing?

~Zig
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