Friday, January 21, 2011
What happened to the apple-a-day?
For those of you who are unaware of the fact, I have suffered from Multiple Sclerosis since 1995. Upon my diagnosis, I was fortunate enough to coincide with the indroduction of the first round of pharmaceuticals used to actually treat MS. Not to reverse anything, or relieve anything, but merely to slow the progression.
Seems like a good thing, right?
Well, it all depends on what you consider to be a "good" thing. See these meds, called Interferons, have a wonderful side effect of flu-like symptoms. For some people, they subside after a while. For others, one of which am so lucky to be, they continue for the duration of usage.
So not only to I have to self administer the injections thrice weekly, I get to have the flu after each dose. Basically, three days per week I have the flu. Three days per week I'm recovering from the flu, and one day I get to feel relatively normal. Of course, my disease has progressed very slowly since I was diagnosed, but there's no guarantee that the medicine is resposible for that. So it's a constant battle inside my head; "Why put yourself through this year after year when it might all be pointless?" vs. "Are you willing to risk it by not taking the shots?" Then I think about the unfortunate ones who were crippled overnight; or that are unable to sit in a chair unassisted and even type a blog. I think being able to walk far outweighs the discomfort of tri-weekly bouts of flu.
The crazy thing that makes interferons work is that it's basically a poison. It contains something that shouldn't be in your body, so the antibodies attack that foreign substance, as opposed to the myelin sheath that protects the nerves.
My medicine gets delivered in a cooler via USP, and one side of the box is always covered with the huge pharmacy information sticker. Recently I saw what has been hidden under that sticker.
Chinese hamster ovary cells?!? Really?!? Is it any wonder I feel like crap?!?
And the insurance pays almost $1500 per month for this. Seems like it would be cheaper just to eat a hamster every month.
Seems like a good thing, right?
Well, it all depends on what you consider to be a "good" thing. See these meds, called Interferons, have a wonderful side effect of flu-like symptoms. For some people, they subside after a while. For others, one of which am so lucky to be, they continue for the duration of usage.
So not only to I have to self administer the injections thrice weekly, I get to have the flu after each dose. Basically, three days per week I have the flu. Three days per week I'm recovering from the flu, and one day I get to feel relatively normal. Of course, my disease has progressed very slowly since I was diagnosed, but there's no guarantee that the medicine is resposible for that. So it's a constant battle inside my head; "Why put yourself through this year after year when it might all be pointless?" vs. "Are you willing to risk it by not taking the shots?" Then I think about the unfortunate ones who were crippled overnight; or that are unable to sit in a chair unassisted and even type a blog. I think being able to walk far outweighs the discomfort of tri-weekly bouts of flu.
The crazy thing that makes interferons work is that it's basically a poison. It contains something that shouldn't be in your body, so the antibodies attack that foreign substance, as opposed to the myelin sheath that protects the nerves.
My medicine gets delivered in a cooler via USP, and one side of the box is always covered with the huge pharmacy information sticker. Recently I saw what has been hidden under that sticker.
Chinese hamster ovary cells?!? Really?!? Is it any wonder I feel like crap?!?
And the insurance pays almost $1500 per month for this. Seems like it would be cheaper just to eat a hamster every month.
Labels: MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Rebif
¶ 3:40 PM
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I did not know you were living with MS. I have a cousin with it, being diagnised about the same time. She's having a very hard time right now.
Um, I hear they LOVE a little hamster in peru ... or, is that guinea pig? Same diff.
Um, I hear they LOVE a little hamster in peru ... or, is that guinea pig? Same diff.
So sorry to hear about your cousin, Laura. What medication is she using for treatment? I've been through several of them, so I would be more than happy to offer any help I could.
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