Aging with MS considerations
Yesterday was my 72nd birthday, so of course I needed to read this interesting thread. I have had MS for almost 50 years. Thank you all for posting.
Recently, I have been reading that as MS patients age with MS over decades, brain atrophy is frequently more of a factor in progressing disability than is inflammation. DMT's address inflammation and are evaluated for that. With brain atrophy (due to MS and even from aging itself) becoming more of a factor for us older MSers, I can see that DMTs could start to seem irrelevant. But the multiplicity of factors I know affect my own journey with MS make me question whether "seeming" is believing.
My thinking is that each of us knows our own life best. If you take DMTs and they appear to be helping, why change? If you are burned out on taking them and your neuro agrees that they aren't having much effect, why not set yourself free?
Another note, there is a recent study that suggests the drug ibudilast can slow brain atrophy in progressive MS. I read about the study in "Healthline." The Cleveland Clinic study was funded in part by the National MS Society and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke for the NeuroNEXT Clinical Coordinating Center, part of the National Institutes of Health. Ibudilast is approved for use for asthma.
I admire how expert many of you seem to be in examining research and trials. Maybe you will want to look into this.
Again, thank you for the thread.
Mermaid Susan
Yesterday was my 72nd birthday, so of course I needed to read this interesting thread. I have had MS for almost 50 years. Thank you all for posting.
Recently, I have been reading that as MS patients age with MS over decades, brain atrophy is frequently more of a factor in progressing disability than is inflammation. DMT's address inflammation and are evaluated for that. With brain atrophy (due to MS and even from aging itself) becoming more of a factor for us older MSers, I can see that DMTs could start to seem irrelevant. But the multiplicity of factors I know affect my own journey with MS make me question whether "seeming" is believing.
My thinking is that each of us knows our own life best. If you take DMTs and they appear to be helping, why change? If you are burned out on taking them and your neuro agrees that they aren't having much effect, why not set yourself free?
Another note, there is a recent study that suggests the drug ibudilast can slow brain atrophy in progressive MS. I read about the study in "Healthline." The Cleveland Clinic study was funded in part by the National MS Society and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke for the NeuroNEXT Clinical Coordinating Center, part of the National Institutes of Health. Ibudilast is approved for use for asthma.
I admire how expert many of you seem to be in examining research and trials. Maybe you will want to look into this.
Again, thank you for the thread.
Mermaid Susan
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