Robert Shin, MD, director of UVA Well being’s MS and Scientific Neuroimmunology Division, helps sufferers with MS perceive their therapy choices.
When you could have a number of sclerosis, you know the way necessary medicines are. They cut back your relapses and preserve your illness from getting worse as rapidly. However on the subject of MS medicines, there’s no one-size-fits-all. The most effective medicine for you is determined by many elements, together with your life-style and medical historical past.
So how do you select? We requested Robert Shin, MD, director of UVA Well being’s MS and Scientific Neuroimmunology Division, what it is best to contemplate when deciding between MS medicines.
The three Important Kinds of MS Medicines
With regards to MS medicines, you’re taking a look at 3 classes of one thing referred to as illness modifying therapies (DMT). That’s a flowery phrase for medicines that focus on the underlying reason for MS. DMTs don’t remedy MS, however they’ll sluggish it down and forestall relapses.
First Era Injectable Therapies
These have been the primary DMTs accredited by the FDA, within the Nineteen Nineties. They embrace beta interferons and glatiramer. They’re obtainable underneath many model names, akin to Avonex and Glatopa. Glatiramer can also be obtainable in generic kind. You inject these your self, at residence. Relying on the medicine, you could do that day by day, a number of occasions per week, weekly, or 2 weeks aside.
Oral Medicines
MS medicines in tablet kind got here in the marketplace within the 2010s. These are day by day medicines with no needles concerned.
There are various kinds of oral DMTs, together with:
- S1P brokers, with model names like Gilenya and Mayzent
- Fumarates, akin to Bafiertam and Tecfidera
- Teriflunomide (model identify Aubagio)
- Cladribine (model identify Mavenclad)
You’re taking most of those a couple of times a day.
Monoclonal Antibodies
The third sort of DMTs, monoclonal antibodies, got here on the scene beginning in 2017. These could also be the best medicines obtainable to deal with MS, Shin says. They’re given as both intravenous (IV) infusions or injections.
These embrace:
- Natalizumab (model names Tysabri or Tyruko)
- Alemtuzumab (Lemtrada)
- Ocrelizumab (Ocrevus or Ocrevus Zunovo)
- Ofatumumab (Kesimpta)
- Ublituximab (Briumvi)
You’re taking these month-to-month or as soon as each 6 months. Infusions are given at clinics, infusion facilities, and hospitals.
Issues to Contemplate About Your MS Treatment
Shin shared these key inquiries to ask your self once you’re selecting between MS medicines.
How Nicely Does Your Present Medication Work?
If you happen to’re utilizing an older medicine and fighting relapses, it could possibly be time to modify. The newer meds, particularly monoclonal antibodies, are likely to work higher total.
Want Assist Managing Your MS?
At UVA Well being, our a number of sclerosis specialists are right here to assist you thru all of the challenges of MS.
That doesn’t imply that you simply robotically should swap should you’re on an older med. In case your MS is well-controlled, you could need to persist with what you’re taking. However should you’re not getting sufficient MS management from an older medication, one of many newer ones might work higher for you.
Are You Having Aspect Results?
Uncomfortable side effects from MS medicines fluctuate from individual to individual. Some individuals have extra gentle unwanted side effects. Some have extreme reactions. If unwanted side effects of 1 sort of med are too onerous or harmful to tolerate, you could need to strive one thing totally different.
Which Choice Is Most Handy for Your Schedule?
Partially, this comes down to non-public desire. If you happen to dwell removed from an infusion heart otherwise you’re fearful of needles, you would possibly favor a tablet. Or if remembering to take a medication daily, setting apart someday each month or each six months for an infusion or injection may appear simpler.
Are You Pregnant or Considering of Having a Child?
Amazingly, being pregnant is quickly protecting towards MS. Which means your MS is probably not as unhealthy when you’re pregnant.
However you’ll need to speak to your physician about stopping MS medicines earlier than changing into pregnant and beginning once more after you could have your child.
