LDN Update!

If you have been following my blog, then you know I have Multiple Sclerosis. I was diagnosed in 1996 after my first symptoms in 1989. It took that long to diagnose me because like most people with M.S., my symptoms were vague and there wasn't a definitive test to diagnose the disease. After I had a pretty severe bout with Optic Neuritis and several M.R.I's and Neurologist, I was diagnosed with M.S.

Since then I have pretty much lived my life. After the initial shock of a life long disease diagnosis, I decided that I felt the same that day as I did the day before so I wasn't going to let the disease get me!

Over the past 20 years I have done various things to deal with the disease. You can click the links to see my opinions on the different treatments I did.

For the past 3 years I have left the conventional treatment for M.S and have been on a treatment called LDN. (Low Dose Naltrexone) Frankly, I am amazed at how wonderful I feel and how it has virtually halted the progression of the disease. I still have M.S. I still have problems where I have nerve damage. I still have a hard time in the heat and if I get stressed. But all in all I feel great. I have had no new relapses since stopping the Betaseron. I took Betaseron for 5 years and in the last year I had another term of Optic Neuritis but in the opposite eye. I was knowledgeable to notice the signs and get to the hospital right a way and start a steroid drip. This greatly improved the recovery time. That was when I decided to stop the Betaseron. While on LDN, I have never had a new area attacked.

In our area it is cool now and I do much better in the cooler weather. I am managing my stiffness and muscle pain with aspirin and Aleve(not together). I've tried the different stiffness M.S. medications like Tizanidine and they make me so dry (eyes, nose) that I can hardly stand it. Plus they make me sleepy. I also take Provigil for the fatigue, which is very helpful.

All in all, it has been a wonderful year. We went to Disneyland about 4 times and I used a wheel chair the beginning of the year (first trip) because I think I may have broken my foot. Somehow I feel wrong on it and couldn't put weight on it. It seemed to be a stress fracture and healed after about 6 weeks. The other times I was able to walk the whole time, which is usually 3 or 4 days, pretty much all day. (estimated 6 miles a day)

So as far as M.S. goes and LDN I would never take anything else to treat this disease. Maybe if they came up with a cure but until then I do not regret switching from Betaseron (the accepted treatment) to LDN (the experimental one). Thanks for reading and e-mail any questions or leave them in the commet section and I will be happy to answer!

LDN update!

I don't know why I put that picture...it just seems like you should have a picture to go along with a blog post.

I quit the traditional Multiple Sclerosis treatment, Betaseron, and have been taking Low Dose Naltrexone for about 1 1/2 years now. You can read in more detail here.

I am very amazed at the lack of progression of the disease since stopping the Betaseron. I truly agonized at my decision, worrying that I would be making a terrible mistake. I was worried that I would end up in a wheel chair. But there I am....goofing off, smiling.

As far as Multiple Sclerosis goes, I am having the same problems. Not really any worse. I have cold and numbness in my feet but am not sure if this is M.S. related, or something worse. I know...I have to have it checked out. I have trouble walking in heat, but no more than in the past few years.

I think some things are better. I just went to the Ophthalmologist who said my eyes looked fine, except for the fact that the optic nerves are pale. When asked what that meant, he said "it's what you'd expect with M.S.". Other than needing bifocals my eyes are great. (that is expected for a 50+ person)

I think I mentioned before I asked for help with my spasticity and am taking a low dose of tizanidine, which helps. I usually only take it at night, because it can make you very sleepy. But a low dose of 2mg really helps in the day when I am really stiff.

I wish I could report that I am healed, but that is not the case. I have not had a new M.S. episode since starting the LDN. In fact, the last one I had was a second optic neuritis attach while on Betaseron. I am concluding that it is keeping me stable. I feel 150% better than when I was on the Betaseron. So, for those of you who read my blog and wonder if you should stop the "ABC" M.S. treatment you are on.....I say, "go for it"!

LDN Update

So my new Momentum magazine came from the M.S. Society. I generally enjoy getting it even though I know it is more of a drug company advertisement.

I was so surprised to find an article titled "Low-dose naltresxone (LDN) The '411' on LDN". Don't get too excited!

The last paragraph pretty much sums it up-
Like most of my colleagues, I believe we need answers before LDN can be considered a reasonable MS therapy. But because the medication is already FDA approved for other uses, it can be acquired. Some people with MS may be interested in considering this therapy now. They should be aware of all the limitations of the current scientific information as well as liability and insurance issues (typically insurance will not cover LDN for MS) and discuss the information in detail with a knowledgeable health care professional.

You can read the article for yourselves here. (Click on PDF under the "Healthy Living" section)

Now...I love the part about liability and insurance issues! Especially the part that says "typically insurance will not cover LDN for MS".

I guess we (LDN) users are stupid! First of all, if someone would run reliable studies it would be great! (that requires big bucks, and since there is no profit....you get it) Check out the LDN site to see information about the great results with other diseases like Crohns disease. The comment about insurance is designed to make people not want to even look into it. I took Betaseron for 5 years! It's cost was $1,500.00 a month. When my insurance would only cover 70% (after my yearly deductible was met) I had to apply for aid from the Betaseron people. They were so nice to give it to me for only $50.00 a month! (well, after they received the 70% from my insurance which was around $1,050.00) LDN costs about $50.00ish for 3 months! Are we all seeing it now? Drug companies make no money on drugs like LDN. I've been on LDN for 2 1/2 years now. I have not had a major attack or even a new area attacked. What I don't have is the feeling of flu 24 hours a day, horrible bruising from injections and terrible exhaustion. When on Betaseron I had several new episodes. I had a new bout with optic neuritis, various problems with my bladder and one where I couldn't even hold a pencil! So, I would say that I have stayed the course. I haven't really gotten worse. Yes, I have to use a wheel chair at Disneyland, but I did that at least once before while on Betaseron.

Look, the LDN people have no reason to lie about their opinions about the helpfulness of the drug. They don't have a vested interest. They seem to be people who just want to help. I would say I am better than when I was on Betaseron, just because I don't have the horrible side effects. LDN doesn't cure M.S. but it seems to stop the progression, at least it has in me!

I love the comments about no help with depression in people with M.S. Well, first of all people with M.S. get depressed. In my case it is not because I have M.S. but because I can't do things I want to! Like when I try and walk but my foot does not follow with my mind! Or the fact that I can't do a lot of things on my own because of fatigue. I think those things are personal struggles every person with any kind of serious disease has to deal with. I just don't think there is a "happy" pill that can make you feel great when you are struggling with doing the normal everyday things of life!

They claim irritability is a side effect with some people....hummmm....I don't know where they get that from! :-D Maybe we are irritable because of stupid articles like this! Look, you have to take control of your own illness. Search out all the information. Don't be scared into taking one of the ABC drugs just because of the fear of being in a wheel chair. The statistics are that most people with M.S. don't end up in a wheel chair. A big majority of people have minor problems and live to a normal age. Yes, it is a disease that can take away your freedoms bit by bit. But so does AGE! Anyway, if any of those other drugs cured M.S. we would know about it! Remember IT IS YOUR LIFE! Find a doctor that understands that and is willing to let you decide!

So, I finished reading that article and saw this

hold the presses...a thing of beauty!

Look at that sweet i phone case! Don't get too excited...

I'm bummed at the Momentum magazine so I opt to peruse the Martha Stewart Living magazine that came the same day. Let me defend myself. I quit subscribing to the Living magazine years ago. Why? Well, I basically couldn't stand feeling like a looser reading it. I mean, she came up with the weirdest things. (and still does) I started getting this magazine because my beloved Mary Englebreit magazine stopped publication. (can you hear the tears?) They sent me Living to fill out my remaining subscription. Man...what a drag! Anyway, while flipping through the pages I saw that picture above! What is it? I want one! Oh wait, it's Martha Stewart! It is a cell phone cover made of wood by Miniot. It comes in several woods including mahogany. I should have known. A cell phone case that nearly costs nearly as much as the phone - $80 euros plus shipping (something over $100.00 + shipping). And it comes from Europe. And you can have it engraved with a message, your initial or your personal logo, WHAT? I don't think so. Especially since the last expensive one I was given broke after only a few weeks! (it was a sweet gift for Christmas)

Boy, this was a bad day all around! I better stop typing because people might think I am irritated!

LDN Update!

Thanks for the request, Debbie.

Here is the latest on my M.S.

It has been almost one year since I stopped the Betaseron and started taking LDN.

I live in the Central Valley of California and in the summer it gets HOT! I didn't do well this summer. I had a hard time walking. After a block or so I began limping. It just seemed like I could not pick up my right leg. That is discouraging, of coarse, but I don't believe it is because I stopped the Betaseron. One thing I've noticed, now that I am facing menopause, is the heat really bothers me. Whatever the reason, I was not able to walk in the evenings when it was near 100 degrees. I opted for a Magnetic Resistance Recumbent Bike. This has been very helpful when it is too hot to walk. This way I can still exercise in a way that is comfortable for me.

I think some would say that I would be better off with Betaseron (it is the drug of choice for M.S.). I was on Betaseron for 5+ years and started to feel terrible. (that isn't including the near year it took for my body to "accept" the drug) But the truth is that I am 51 and have M.S. I have to come to terms with the reality that I am not going to wake up one day and be completely better. Maybe if I would have started the Betaseron (or LDN) when I was first diagnosed (1996), then I might have been better off today. But they didn't give it to me and I didn't know about any treatments. (or the treatments that existed were not widely used)

So, if I would grade my summer performance, I would give me a C--. Right when I thought I was going rapidly downhill it became cool and I could walk the entire route without limping. I take this to mean that I can't tolerate the heat like I use to. I wouldn't say it was necessarily worse than any other hot summer. A couple of years ago, I had to use a wheelchair at Disneyland because of the heat.

The numbness in my legs was bad for a while, but I decided to take sublingual B12 and my numbness is much better.

I haven't had a major episode since optic neuritis, which I had over a year ago and when I was on Betaseron.

I don't have any side effects of the LDN. One side effect is vivid dreams and that hasn't happened since I first started the treatment. (they weren't "bad" dreams, just vivid)

To sum it up.....I feel the LDN has done what it is reported to do, which is stop the progression. I have problems within the areas that are already damaged, especially when it is hot. But I haven't had an attack in a new area. I don't have to use a wheelchair or cane and my vision is ok, except for the normal over 40 reading glasses stuff.

Here is a comment from the (LDN site) linked above:

From: Dr. Skip Subject: Naltrexone Date: October 23, 2003 As I have said before, if I had MS, the only drug that I would absolutely be taking is LDN..... In 4 years of dispensing LDN, with over 10,000 patient months, I have heard of only three cases of exacerbation... this is truly a no-brainer. I would find someone to prescribe it no matter the cost or effort. Skip Lenz, Pharm. D.

Thanks again for the question, Debbie. Hope all goes well with you and if I can be of anymore help, please write!

To answer Tamara

I received a request from Tamara on the very first post I did, way back in October of 2006. I thought I would answer here, because it is an archived post, and I wasn't sure if she would see the answer.

Here was Tamara's comment:

Tamara said...

I was diagnosed with MS about 1 1/2 yrs. ago. I have been taking Betaseron. I recently stopped taking it, and already feel better. I had been having dark/depressing thoughts in the last 6 months. How is the LDN working for you now? Any side effects so far?

My answer:
Hi Tamara!

Thanks for stopping by and visiting me. I have a couple of updates posted. I will give some general answers and if you want more detail you can click on the link listed below.

I have been off Betaseron for about 2 years now. I haven't looked back, not even once! If I am honest I admit my M.S. is not really "better". I am stiffer than when I was first diagnosed and have a limp. But, I feel so much better mentally and physically after coming off Betaseron. I have M.S. (diagnosed for 13 years) and so far there is no cure for it. But the LDN seems to be keeping it from progressing. I haven't had any NEW relapses or symptoms. The biggest problem I have is spacisity. I have tried whey powder, as was suggested by a nice reader. But frankly, it is just too bad tasting and it is too much work to have the shakes every day. (several times a day) The heat seems to really make the things I struggle with worse. (walking for example) But, I just try and work with the heat. It is hard since I live in an area that is really hot in the summer. (and by summer I mean May-October) Today it is suppose to be near 90!

I do become discouraged at the things I can no longer do, or do well. I think anyone with a life changing disease has to go through this kind of discouragement and depression. The truth is that there are worse things in life than having M.S. (or even forms of M.S. that are much worse) I have learned not to try and do things that are too much for me. I don't "look" sick for the most part, and that can be a problem. People often think I can do things I really can't. The problem is, when you try to manage your disease you can end up alone a lot of the time. I have learned to say "no" to a lot of things. But I digress!

The medication that really helps me with my side effects (of M.S.) are:

1. Provigil. I really couldn't do much of anything without this one. It is a medication used for narcolepsy, but it is being used in M.S. to help with fatigue. It works great. I have no side effects from it. Just don't take it late in the day!

2. Tizanidine. It is for the spasticity. It helps a lot, but has the side effect of making you sleepy. So, I take it at night. During the day, if I am really bad, I take a 1/4 dose. It helps. I have also tried a herb called Valerin from Wonder Labs. It helps a lot too. As I mentioned before, I tried the Whey Powder advised by a commenter, but I just can't do it with any regularity. So, I can't really say if it works or not.

3. Low Dose Naltrexone. I have gone up to the normal dose of 4.5 MG. I have no side effects and am very happy with the treatment so far.

So, Tamara, I am very happy with the LDN. I really wouldn't change what I am doing, except if they found a true cure! I would not recommend nor would I take any of the typical disease modifying drugs. I am not convinced they really work. I took Betaseron for 5 years and can't see it really helped my disease course. I felt terrible on it and at the end I started having serious new episodes, like Optic Neuritis in the opposite eye. All the spacisity happened at the end of the Bataseron treatment not since taking LDN.

As promised click HERE for a link to my other updates.

A few thoughts- Enjoy every moment you have! M.S. is not a death sentence. Enjoy your life within the boundaries of the disease. Find new things that you can learn and enjoy that doesn't depend on your body performing perfectly (hence the photo...I try to take fun, interesting and unusual photos). Don't let people tell you how to manage your disease. You need to research it and make the decision you feel is right. This disease is not like others, there is no treatment you must do. They try to scare you with the threat of a wheel chair if you don't take the standard treatment. Most people who have M.S. will not be in a wheel chair even if they don't have treatment. I truly wish you all the best! May the Lord bless you!

The thing that really gives me strength is my relationship with Jesus. He is the one who is always there. And my church, the people are always there and ready to help in any way I should ask. (I never really ask, I guess I should learn how to) And of coarse my family is so wonderful. I am so blessed to have my children live near me so I can have the benefits of being a Grandma!

And when I am really down....I can go to Disneyland! Life is great! Stop by anytime.

Beads & LDN

I wanted to give a LDN/MS update. I stopped the Betaseron in late October 2006. I have posted previously in detail why I quit taking the Betaseron. Please read that post if you want to know more detailed information. I started LDN about a week after I stopped the Betaseron. I ordered my first refill this week, so I have been on the LDN for almost 3 months. I still can't believe the difference in my quality of life. Right now I am sick with a cold/bronchitis thing that has been going around. I seem to have it the same as everyone else. I don't seem to be as sick as I usually am when I was on Betaseron. I hope to be able to heal like another person without having to go to the doctor for antibiotics. We will see....

Meanwhile, this is an LDN update! The cold/bronchitis has slowed me down a bit (mostly because of not being able to breath) but my MS symptoms are pretty much much non-existent. If I am not in a major attack (optic neuritis, not being able hold a pen, or something worse) I have certain effects from Multiple Sclerosis that I live with. Some of the more serious ones are left side numbness with pain sensations, difficulty walking because my legs are "heavy", hard time holding a pen or doing other small motor skills, foggy thinking, bladder trouble, I'm sure there are more if I think harder. Anyway, you see I have a real disease with real struggles. The pain numbness sensations in my leg is the most amazing positive side effect of LDN, or lack of pain numbness in my legs. At night I would be in such pain I would try anything. I tried Vioxx, (they took it off the market) then Bextra (they took it off the market), then various other things like Celebrex, which didn't work, and viocoden, which is not something you want to take all the time.

Well, I take none of that now. I don't have that pain anymore. I do notice I still have a hypersensitivity in the nerves because when I take a shower the water hitting my left side makes my side feel numb and tingling, it is a cool sensation like using a peppermint wash. But it isn't bad or bothersome. One attack I had years ago did this but so bad that I couldn't even take a shower without crying because of the pain. I think there must be some damage left over from that attack.

My "heavy" legs are light! I can walk fast and long and rarely stumble. The bladder control is greatly improved. I can hold a pen fine and the foggy thinking is much better. (probably foggy today because of the cold)

So, in just about 3 months I have gone from a quality of life that made me very depressed to a very positive outlook on the future. I am pretty much pain free and functioning much more like a 50 year old. I am on less medication and never run a fever. (I ran a low fever pretty much all the time)

So if anyone is reading and are considering switching from their interferon treatment to LDN, please try it. I am so happy I did.

So why the title Beads and LDN? I don't know. I thought this picture of my beaded roses is lovely and wanted to use it on my post. A year or so ago I read an article on french beaded flowers and I started looking for them. I ended up finding a great source, (you guessed it) eBay! The light dances off the beads and brings a smile to my face!

Have a great weekend!

Low Dose Naltrexone

I have been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis for 10 years now. I am guessing I had it much earlier. The first time I felt symptoms was in the late 80's. I went to the doctor with numbness in my left arm and I mentioned I was dropping things. He said I had carpal tunnel syndrome and told me to take Advil around the clock for 4 weeks and come back to be checked. Did I mention he did a test on me where you close your eyes and stand erect. As I kept falling to the left he said, "now concentrate, if you can't do this then something serious is wrong". I kept falling and then I said "well maybe I can't do it because I had taken allergy medication this morning". Needless to say he didn't do any further tests and I came back in 4 weeks. Of coarse the symptoms were better, so everyone concluded I had carpal tunnel syndrome. The problem persisted on and off for years. I thought I was having problems because I loved to cross stitch and felt maybe I was just over doing it. Then in 1996 my mom died. It was an extremely stressful time. A couple of months after her death, I can still remember driving in our van and wondering why I couldn't not see out of my left eye. I thought I had injured it somehow. At the time we had an HMO and I had to go to my family doctor first. He didn't see anything wrong with the eye. He sent me to an ophthalmologist who ran several tests. After 3 hours and a consult with another doctor he came in and told me there was nothing he could do for me and that I had to go to a neurologist. I said "why"? He said for the possibility of demylenization disease, then he promptly left the office. I sat there stunned and wondered what that meant. As I was standing in line to pay for the office visit a nurse came up to me and said do you have any questions? I said "well...yes, what is demylenization disease"? She said "MS". I can still remember the feeling I felt. I was so horrified. All I could think of was Annette Funicello who was recently diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Then I started to be worried that I would be blind in my left eye.

To catch us up to what the post is suppose to be about I am going to skip ahead. I was diagnosed with definite relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. At this time, in our city they were doing nothing for multiple sclerosis. As time went by and I became educated I began to understand that the standard treatment for MS was one of the "ABC" drugs. One year, about 4 years later, I had 3 pretty major episodes. I went to a new neurologist who did all the standard tests. I had more spots on my brain and was definitely coming out of an episode. So she put me on Betaseron. This is a every-other day injectable interferon. I was told that I needed to take this medication to slow the progression of the disease and to avoid a wheel chair. Of coarse I knew this was standard treatment so I agreed to take it. I mean what other option did I have? For the first 10 months I had horrible side effects. Flu like symptoms, which means fever, chills aches and pain. I was instructed to take it at night and take Tylenol to help with the symptoms. After 10 months I was able to go to the standard dose, up until this time I was on a 1/2 dose. Things went along for about 5 years but I steadily became worse. I didn't have any major episodes, but I did have some mild ones. I had about 6 weeks where I could not write very well, I was declining in my ability to walk and be active. I was visibly discouraged and my neurologist wanted to give me anti-depressants. I tried to tell her that I was not having trouble because I was depressed that I was depressed because I could not do the things I wanted to do. About 6 months ago I had another bought with optic neuritis, this time it was my right eye. I had to go to the hospital for 4 days and have an IV Methylprednisolone drip over 6 hours each day. This seemed to help as it cleared faster than the first attack I had over 10 years earlier. But what was interesting was how wonderful I felt after the treatment. I thought it was because of the steroid, but have come to think it was because I stopped the Betaseron for about 6 days. After I began the Betaseron again my side effects came back with a vengeance. I felt like I was trying to walk through water all the time. My limbs were heavy, I was always running a fever, I was gaining weight-all in all I felt terrible. I was even thinking about a wheelchair. Then I went in to my family doctor because I had another case of bronchitis (2 time in just a few months). He asked me if I ever thought some of my symptoms and sicknesses were due to the Interferon I was on. Then he told me about a drug he was told about from another doctor, Low Dose Naltresone. He gave me a DVD and some information. Honestly I thought...."here we go another weird CURE for MS". I took the information and went home and watched the DVD.

Needless to say I was astounded. Astounded that there was a drug out there that no one talked about. One that had vertously no side effects and really seems to work! I don't want to get into the political reasons why drug companies may not want us to know about this, but I will just say that Betaseron cost around $1,600 a month and LDN cost about $30.00 a month. Anyway, I took the information to my neurologist, but I could tell she didn't want to talk to me about it, I believe it is because it is not a recongized treatment for MS by the FDA. Anyway, after a week or so of agnozing about my options I decided to stop the Betaseron and went to my family doctor to get the LDN prescribed. I can't believe the difference in my quality of life. First of all almost immediately upon stopping the Betaseron I could walk. I had no muscle pain anymore. I could get up out of a chair without pushing myself up. I could do more physical work without having to rest. My general countance is happier. My fevers stopped and get this....after 2 weeks off the Betaseron I lost 25 pounds (without even trying, doing NOTHING different) Everyone notices how good I look and feel. I was off the Betaseron for about 10 days before I received my LDN in the mail. You see you have to have it prepared for you from a compounding pharmancy. I use Skip's in Florida. They sent the LDN and even a goodie bag of candy! I started taking it (a 3 MG dose) a week ago. I really can't believe the difference in my general well being. LDN doesn't cure MS but it claims to stop the progression. I am being causously optamistic. All I know is that 3 weeks ago I couldn't walk without pain and I was considering buying a wheel chair. I was running a fever on a regular basis. All I could think about was how bad I felt and how I didn't want to feel like this the rest of my life.

One purpose for this blog is to share my experience. If you have any automunine disease, please look into LDN. You have nothing to loose. There are no side effects, except possible sleep disturbance in the first couple of weeks. I haven't even had that. LDN is a real treatment option that thousands around the world have been using. You don't have to struggle with the side effects of the traditional drugs. If you would like to read a book that has a great testimonial in it read "Up The Creek With A Paddle" by Mary Anne Boyle Bradley.

I don't know if anyone will read this or if it will be lost in cyber-space, but I am trying to tell people my story in hopes it will help. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions or want more detailed information.

Have a great day!

Here it is....

I may as well milk all the Irish cheer you can out of my St. Patrick's day celebrations! Notice my awesome vintage pearl pendant! I have a whole range of items from them and truly love them all. I'm thinking about getting Gene and I matching bands for our 35 wedding anniversary this coming year...but I digress..you are wanting the long awaited M.S./L.D.N. update.

Let's just say it...Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. Ok...I said it! I have been upgraded from Relapsiping Remitting. What this means to those of you who are not up on the disease of M.S., I'm getting worse. Now....I'm not having new episodes-meaning attacks in areas where I have never had an attack before. I am having a worsening of existing symptoms.

My doctor wants me to take this medication. The sales pitch is a huge binder with a CD explaining how great it would be for me. I watched it. And, I don't know, it seems to this drug is more for RR than for SP, I was on Betaseron for 5 years and was always sick (with horrible flu like symptoms) then I had another bout with Opitc Neuritis. You can see what it does to you by clicking here.

I decided then to stop the Betaseron and try a new drug called Low Dose Naltrexone. I have been on this inexpensive, invasive medication for 5 years now. I can say am fairing better than on Betaseron but to be fair I am definitely progressing, meaning-I have no new areas of attack but the old already damaged areas are experiencing more problems. Thankfully my optic nerves seem fine.

Here is a list of some of the things I struggle with:

1. Numbness. My Neurologist says there is nothing that can be done about this.

2. Strange nerve pain and sensations-pain that arises from nerve dysfunction and not as a result of injury. I have been given Gabapentin, 300 MG 2X a day. It was helping enormously but not not so great now.

3. I have terrible stiffness (spacisity). I have been prescribed Tizanidine. I don't like to take it because of the side effects, but I have to lately because I'm so stiff and sore that I have to do something. So, I'm altering my make-up because the Tizanidine make my eyes so dry that I need artificial tears. Which ruins my make up.(girls and vanity!) I'm not to happy about this.

4. I have been taking 600 MG of ibuprophen 3X a day to cope with the pain. I know this is not optimal, but sometimes you have to do something. I have pain in my muscles like you do when you over exercise. You know, the sore all over feelng. Well, I have that all the time but it just doesn't get better! This is a problem because the body tends to not want to move the area where you are sore and this can cause you to fall. And I have done a lot of that lately. Well there it is. Not to great. I don't know if the progression of the disease is because of stopping the Betaseron or just because that's what the disease does. It's kind of a sad time for me. There are worse things to have and I'm sure I will cope. I am considering using the Copaxone, if it can be done in a economical way. When we went to the pharmacy, they wanted well over $1500.00 a month. Well, that is not going to happen. I don't want to stop the LDN. One thing that bothers me is this comment "all of the CRAB drugs (Copaxone, Rebif, Avonex, Betaseron) are pretty much equally effective overall". How can this be true? Then there is this "Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) is a different formulation than the other CRABs, which are interferon-based. Therefore, it has different side effects -- it does NOT have the flu-like symptoms, possible links to depression,T potential liver damage or effects on white blood cells or thyroid function of the interferons. This makes Copaxone a popular choice for people working full-time, mothers of young children or other people who cannot afford down time due to side effects." That sounds good, right? I just wish I felt more confident about this drug.

I'll keep you posted. Thanks for reading.