Campath?

[Kell4UT]

Does anyone out here have any thoughts on this treatment?
I know it is not FDA approved yet but I know of 2 people who have had this done and many of their symptoms have improved a great deal. I live in the Nashville, TN area and there is only one MS Specialist in the region who has recommended this treatment for some of his patients. My Neuro will not even talk about it. I am so ready to do this treatment but this Specialist is not in my network of doctors right now. Hopefully he will be by the first of next year. Also, insurance will not pay for the treatment because it's not FDA approved. My boss's wife had it done and this doctor went to bat for her with the Board of Insurance and she did get half of it paid for. I think the cost is around $7,000. If I have to take a loan out for it I will. This disease sucks and is ruining my life!!!!!!!

Any thoughts?

[Justsayyes]

I do suggest you search Campath on this site and read previous discussions, very interesting and may help you get the info you need. Here is one previous thread:

http://www.msworld.org/forum/showthr...hlight=campath

[BigA]

Thanks for posting the link. Campath is the one I've been excited about. There are trials in my clinic with it right now. They seem to be developing a safer protocol and I think one was published.

If you have doc who will do it for you, it's interesting to think about. Certainly, it sounds more promising and less risky than stemcells.

Let us know what happens!

[petsrus6]

Campath

I was in one of the early studies of Campath. I did it for 2 years, and it was fantastic for results. I felt better and somehow my sxs reversed and stayed gone long after it was pulled off the trials.
I hope it will be approved soon, because, since I was already in a study for it, I can't do the current studies of Campath.
All things considered, the price that they want to charge you is pretty cheap, considering it's only a once a year treatment.
GL, Laurie aka Pets

[Kell4UT]

Thanks all for your responses.

justsayyes: thank you for the link....I did read all the posts and did find some of them interesting.

petsrus: I didn't realize that this is supposed to be a once a year treatment. Does that have anything to do with how far progressed you are or do you know?

BigA: I will keep you posted!

I know everybody feels differently about how they want to manage their MS but I know how I feel and I will have this treatment as soon as I am able. The one thing that gives me hope that I have heard about Campath is that it is supposed to stop progression completely. If anyone else has heard differently please let me know.

[teacher4life]

Hi Kell4UT,
The neuro who does give campath (campeth?) was once my neuro (is no longer). He has the reputation of being very aggressive. I was in the ofc. receiving IVs one week while several people were there (all day) receiving their campeth. I honestly do not know, with ALL the federal regulations, how this neuro was able to get away with some of the stuff he did. The people receiving the treatment seemed confident. Honestly, I think they were desperate. I am happy not to be his patient anymore for a plethera of reasons and I think he is on the edge. Based on lots of evidence, he could certainly be using MS patients as guinea pigs and if I were you I would wait it out until other neuros start using this drug.

[BigA]

Who could blame you? I wonder why we don't hear much about this drug. My Neruo talks more about the orals, even though I never ask.

[Kell4UT]

Hi Kell4UT,
The neuro who does give campath (campeth?) was once my neuro (is no longer). He has the reputation of being very aggressive. I was in the ofc. receiving IVs one week while several people were there (all day) receiving their campeth. I honestly do not know, with ALL the federal regulations, how this neuro was able to get away with some of the stuff he did. The people receiving the treatment seemed confident. Honestly, I think they were desperate. I am happy not to be his patient anymore for a plethera of reasons and I think he is on the edge. Based on lots of evidence, he could certainly be using MS patients as guinea pigs and if I were you I would wait it out until other neuros start using this drug.

Yea your probably right. I just get so frustrated sometimes (like all of us do) and want to believe in something that may not be the best thing at the time. I do know that I am getting ready to start Tysabri in about 2 weeks so I will go with that for a while and see how it works for me and take it from there. Thank you for your response.