Each medicine, however, comes with lots of side effects. Each patient decides if the benefits outweigh the risks. A few common medicines used to fight the effects of MS are: Rebif (an everyday injection with extreme side effects, ex. nausea and vomiting); Avonex (an injection every three days, also with major side effects, but lessened because of the three day gap); Copaxone (a pill with a lot less side effects, but it was less effective in Sherry Zoccoli’s case); and Meclizine (three pills a day, with huge nausea side effects). These all were taken in the knowledge that they would not cure the myelin damage, or even reverse it, just that it would slow or stop the progression of the disease. Currently Sherry takes a cocktail of drugs each month, which have greatly slowed the effects of MS. This includes Tysabri, an hour and a half long transfusion given every thirty days. This is still a very new and expensive drug. Sherry was part of a test group before the drug was released for the public. Today the infusion costs about $35,000 per infusion. The rest of the drugs she takes are not to treat MS but to lessen the side effects of the MS medication. These medications consist of: Baclofen ( one tablet, up to three times per day as needed, to lessen restless leg syndrome); Modafinil (one pill a day, to lessen drowsiness and fatigue); Fluoxetine (one capsule daily, a general anti-depressant); and Levothyroxine (one pill a day, to counteract all the other medicines she takes, specifically damage against her thyroid). Although Sherry did not use them, there are a number of unconventional treatment options, some of which have no scientific backing. (V. Yadav, et al, 2011 ) This includes natural supplements, like ginkgo biloba/ ginseng, extreme cranberry intake (which has some lessening effect on certain symptoms, like numbness), or acupuncture. (June Halper, 2016) Physical
Each medicine, however, comes with lots of side effects. Each patient decides if the benefits outweigh the risks. A few common medicines used to fight the effects of MS are: Rebif (an everyday injection with extreme side effects, ex. nausea and vomiting); Avonex (an injection every three days, also with major side effects, but lessened because of the three day gap); Copaxone (a pill with a lot less side effects, but it was less effective in Sherry Zoccoli’s case); and Meclizine (three pills a day, with huge nausea side effects). These all were taken in the knowledge that they would not cure the myelin damage, or even reverse it, just that it would slow or stop the progression of the disease. Currently Sherry takes a cocktail of drugs each month, which have greatly slowed the effects of MS. This includes Tysabri, an hour and a half long transfusion given every thirty days. This is still a very new and expensive drug. Sherry was part of a test group before the drug was released for the public. Today the infusion costs about $35,000 per infusion. The rest of the drugs she takes are not to treat MS but to lessen the side effects of the MS medication. These medications consist of: Baclofen ( one tablet, up to three times per day as needed, to lessen restless leg syndrome); Modafinil (one pill a day, to lessen drowsiness and fatigue); Fluoxetine (one capsule daily, a general anti-depressant); and Levothyroxine (one pill a day, to counteract all the other medicines she takes, specifically damage against her thyroid). Although Sherry did not use them, there are a number of unconventional treatment options, some of which have no scientific backing. (V. Yadav, et al, 2011 ) This includes natural supplements, like ginkgo biloba/ ginseng, extreme cranberry intake (which has some lessening effect on certain symptoms, like numbness), or acupuncture. (June Halper, 2016) Physical