The MS Wire

News, info and tips for living with multiple sclerosis

Tag: DMTs

Worrying About MS Treatment Side-effects?

MS treatment

Over the past few of weeks, warnings have been issued about side effects of two MS treatments. First, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned about a “slight” risk of seriously worsening MS symptoms if someone who is using the disease-modifying therapy Gilenya (fingolimod) stops using it. The FDA’s alert said the worsening symptoms could “result in permanent disability,” but the alert failed to provide details about how rare these…Continue Reading

My Lemtrada Journey: Round 2 Plus 8 Months

Lemtrada

I’ve just passed the second anniversary of my Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) treatment. My first infusion round was the first week of December 2016. Round 2, delayed by four months, was done last April. So, it’s time to update my Lemtrada journey for you. Lemtrada, in case you’re not familiar with this treatment, has been described by some as “HSCT lite.” The medication kills specific B- and T-cells that are thought to play…Continue Reading

MS Patients Get Caught on an Insurance Deductible Snag

MS drugs are expensive. Many people with MS are able to afford their high prices only because their insurance covers most of the cost. Then what remains as a copay has often been covered by the pharmaceutical companies that produce those meds, who have offered patient assistance programs or discount cards to help pay the copay. So, your out-of-pocket costs have been minimal or none. Now, however, that paradigm is…Continue Reading

It Shouldn’t be This Hard to Get Our MS Medications

I got a phone call from my MS One to One nurse, Lynn, a few days ago. One to One is the patient support service provided by Sanofi Genzyme for patients on the biotech company’s MS disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) and Aubagio (teriflunomide). Lynn called to ensure that all of the paperwork was up-to-date and ready for my second round of Lemtrada infusions, which is scheduled to begin the…Continue Reading

Pills, shots or infusions for your MS?

[This first appeared as my column on www.multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com] Oral multiple sclerosis meds appear, more and more, to be the first choice of patients who are just beginning to receive an MS treatment. A recent report by the independent marketing research firm Spherix Global Insights shows that oral disease-modifying therapies captured a significantly higher share of the market at the end of 2016 compared to 2015.  Tecfidera was at the top of the…Continue Reading

Lemtrada: Is this MS Drug HSCT “Lite?”

(This is an updated version of my column that appeared earlier this month on www.multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com) My neurologist calls Lemtrada “HSCT lite.”  She says that not only is the drug able to reduce exacerbations and limit the overall progression of Multiple Sclerosis, it’s actually reversed some symptoms in some of her patients.   I guess I’m going to find out if she’s right about Lemtrada because I’m getting ready to start…Continue Reading