Chain Reaction: To be a guinea pig or not

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

To be a guinea pig or not

Would you involve yourself in this Study if you were having increased symptoms and disability over the past two years while on Copaxone?

http://www.nationalmssociety.org/news/news-detail/index.aspx?nid=4440

2 comments:

Tricia said...: My husband never had any luck with Copaxone - he continued to get worse while on it. With Tysabri the physical progression has slowed and would be stopped but he has stopped trying to exercise and is losing strength all the time now. BUT he has not had a major relpase in over 2 years.

The cognitive disfunction continues to progress though.

I am not sure I'd do a trial, especially if double blind cause you may end up with placebo. I'd just switch to Tysabri if you can.; January 19, 2011
Travelogue for the Universe said...: I am on combi rx study. I would try most anything but look into why they stopped trials before? good luck. second opinions are good as well.; January 20, 2011

For those who don't know MS first hand - An Important Excerpt from Wikipedia on MS:

The person with MS can suffer almost any neurological symptom or sign, including changes in sensation (hypoesthesias and paraesthesias), muscle weakness, muscle spasms, or difficulty in moving;^[15] difficulties with coordination and balance (ataxia);^[15] problems in speech (dysarthria) or swallowing (dysphagia),^[16] visual problems (nystagmus, optic neuritis, or diplopia),^[17] fatigue, acute or chronic pain,^[18]^[19] and bladder and bowel difficulties.^[19]^[20] Cognitive impairment of varying degrees and emotional symptoms of depression or unstable mood are also common.^[21]^[22] The main clinical measure of disability progression and symptom severity is the Expanded Disability Status Scale or EDSS.^[23]

Multiple sclerosis relapses are often unpredictable, occurring without warning and without obvious inciting factors. Some attacks, however, are preceded by common triggers. Relapses occur more frequently during spring and summer.^[24] Infections such as the common cold, influenza, or gastroenteritis increase the risk of relapse.^[25]^[26] Stress may also trigger an attack.