Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Neuro appointment

A quickie:

Drove out to see the neuro today, err rather his N.P. or his P.A or something else with initials. I get the funny guy who speaks good English; that was my choice when I first went there. The other doctor is good but when he speaks my hearing is on a pause-delay system and by the time I understood what he's said, he's on to talking about something new.

So I go to see funny guy and I don't really have much to report. I talked about the urgency issues for #1 and #2. He suggested Ditropan (sp?) for issues with number one but I told him I'd rather hold off on more meds for now.

He suggested I actually take the fish oil that I store in the freezer and that will help me with my leg cramp issues. The more I do physically, the more I cramp.

I told him I noticed that I walk slower but that's just the nature of this beast. I can walk, heck I could even do something akin to a run if absolutely needed (it just wouldn't be pretty or feel good).

We shot the chit for a while as we usually do and then he brought up the oral meds coming out within the next year or two. He told me flat out that they would not be suggesting or allowing any of their patients to start on the oral meds right away. He said that he is hearing their efficacy rate to be around 45%, which he says is lower than anything out on the market already. They are coming with some hefty possible side effects like heart problems and lymphoma. Then again Tysabri, my current med, comes with the possible side effect of PML and death.

So I won't be switching from Tysabri any time soon. I will watch what happens with the oral meds for the first few years and then see what happens. Maybe down the road I won't need to take time off each month for an infusion. Maybe I'll just pop a(nother) pill and that will be all I need to fight off MS, plus all the symptom meds.

Either way, in the meantime I'll still be seeing the kinda cute initialy guy. I have another appointment in six months and we're not doing any new MRIs unless something comes up between now and then.

Sounds like I am doing okay for being on summer vacation, folks. Now if we can just make it through setting up my new room at school in early September and make it through the whole school year we'll be doing swell. It would be the bees' knees, baby.

2 comments:

Mike said...

You let slip your secret. The "kinda cute initialy guy"? lol

Glad to hear things are going pretty good for you. Just try to keep a positive attitude. That always helps. Oh, and laugh as much as you can. They say laughter is the best medicine and to be honest I laugh more now than I have in the last 10 years.

:)

Denver Refashionista said...

I'm glad things went ok.

Too bad about the oral meds. I was really hopingto get some soon. Alas-- this disease just keeps on giving.