Thursday, April 12, 2012

Flipping a coin

I am faced with an enormous decision. I have been given some information from my neurologist regarding the disease modifying drugs I take for my MS.
Betaseron while it seems to have worked for the last year at preventing an attack, it has also given me the flu like side effects every other day for the past year. I feel I have endured abouther and given up too much of my life with these side effects. Never would I have imagined the drugs meant to prevent the decline in my quality of life would cause such a decline in my quality of life.
The doctor has given me some choices. These different medications had a slew of pros and cons, all that need to be carefully considered. The one option, Copaxone, comes with a hefty monthly price tag and it isn't 100% covered. It also involves daily injections. The pros of this drug is that it doesn't have the flu like side effects.
The other option is Avonex. Avonex is once a week and given into the muscle. The thought of injected a premixed needle once a week was very promising to me. That means the flu like symptoms would still be there but only once every 7 days. Imagine 6 good days in a row? Oh how my life would change.
That being said the studies have shown the lower dose and frequency of the DMDs (disease modifying medication) are not as good at preventing relapses and slowing down the progression of the disease as the more frequent drugs like Rebif and Betaseron.

I gave myself a week to make my decision.
I could choose the weekly injection that would improve my quality of life now. By choosing this I could be taking a risk at my future.

I want someone to tell me where I would be 5 or 10 years from now on the current DMD and then in comparison where I would be if I changed to the weekly DMD.
No one can give me that answer. I ask the doctors, nurses, friends, family and it ultimately comes down to me making the choice. I can get feedback and opinions from everyone, but it is my life and my choice to make.

So, do I just flip a coin? Heads or tails???

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