What is an older person to do when all the established treatments can't be used?

[cocogirl]

I have run the course of all the DMDs. I am presently on Ty and have been doing beautifully for 33 treatments with no new lesions and a pretty great quality of life although not symptom free.

I have had many problems with the Ty the last 6 infusion and the last 4 have been getting progressively worse. I am JCV + and I chose to stay on Ty. I don't know how much longer the neuro will allow this with all the problems I am having.

I just need to know what is available to someone who cannot take the steroids due to highly allergic reactions. I am not wealthy so cannot even consider a stem cell transplant even if I wanted it. What is there left for me?

[Redwings]

ACTH (possibly), Gilenya, Novantrone, Cytoxan, Rituxan, Cellcept, Imuran, methotrexate, IVIG, LDN and (later) Campath. Cladribine has been abandoned, but there are a couple more things in the pipeline.

[Tawanda]

I have run the course of all the DMDs. I am presently on Ty and have been doing beautifully for 33 treatments with no new lesions and a pretty great quality of life although not symptom free.

I have had many problems with the Ty the last 6 infusion and the last 4 have been getting progressively worse. I am JCV + and I chose to stay on Ty. I don't know how much longer the neuro will allow this with all the problems I am having.

I just need to know what is available to someone who cannot take the steroids due to highly allergic reactions. I am not wealthy so cannot even consider a stem cell transplant even if I wanted it. What is there left for me?

Ever try "bee sting" therapy ? Just trying to lighten the mood. I don't think stem cell therapy is panning out for M.S. the way it was originally hoped, so I wouldn't worry about that right now.

I asked about Gilenya(sp?) at my last Neuro appt. Yes, I could try it, but the amount of side-effects and the fact that it's so new would mean constant monitoring by my doc. When he went into the details, it sounded like it would be easier to just marry him or move next-door to the hospital he works in! On the bright-side, he did say something more effective and with less side-effects is on the way. Of course I forgot the name of it, but it might have been one of the treatments Redwings mentioned in her(his?) post.

Hang in there. Take care of yourself in other ways to the best of your abilities through exercise, nutrition and postive thought wherever possible. I have learned over the years that DMDs are but one weapon in the M.S. arsenal. You don't want to put all your eggs in one basket when you're up against this type of a fight.

Good luck.