If I took multiple sclerosis Medication then found out I did not have it would the medication hurt me?

Question

I am afraid, they sent me all my MS medication and I am afraid if I start taking it and then they found out that I did not really have MS then the medication would hurt me in the long run. Maybe I am just hoping they will tell me I dont but I have one specialist say they dont think I have it and one that thinks I do so what should I do . Just scared

Answer 1

check with the pharmacy about side affects. Get a second opinion..only anything like this.. Do you have anyone to talk to or go to the doctor with? I would not go alone because they say a lot and sometimes you don't remember anything..

Answer 2

If you are talking about the injections like copaxone or avonex or rebiff....well, a nuerologist has had to diagnose you before they will give you them which means your spinal tap and brain have multiple lesions on them and you are in need of these injections. If you do not take them you are at further risk of the disease progressing. The injections make the disease more manageable and you are more like to stay in remission longer and your disease will kind of halt at the stage in which it is now, so you won't get anymore ill than you are right now for a long time.
Just know that your body needs to get used to the medication and you may feel like you have the flu for the first few times that you take them. Copaxone is a daily injection with a smaller needle...avonex is the weekly injection which has a larger needle and the injection site needs to change or it tends to become infected more often than with the smaller needle.
If you are talking about amitriptaline and bacclophen then those drugs are not really neccessary unless you are having bad spasms and tension in the muscles or a bad bout of depression. If you are talking about these drugs it is up to you and your doctor to find alternative methods.
There is also a histamine patch that you can wear which helps somewhat with tremors and fatigue...
All drugs are harmful....so take them as prescribed and keep open communication with your doctor and nuerologist so they can treat you correctly.
I am sorry to hear you have Multiple Sclerosis.

Answer 3

Get a third opinion to be sure. First off, they usually do not prescribe traditional ms drug therapy without a positive dx of the disease. Second, if the one doctor thinks you have MS, they would've done an MRI to get a confirmed dx. Third, two of the 4 ABCRs out now are just increased doses of a material already found naturally occurring in the body (interferons). Additional doses via the drug will not harm your body (i don't know about the non-interferons, such as Copaxone).
Based on the limited information you provided, I wouldn't be able to say one way or other that the symptoms you exhibit are symptomatic of MS. You can go to www.nmms.org (the National MS society's website) and get details on symptoms, and could give you ideas on the possibility of your condition being MS. But *definitely* get another opinion.

Answer 4

Sorry about your predicament. The drugs approved for
MS are all relatively new. While the drug companies will sing the praises of these high priced drugs, and call their studies statistically significant, there are no definitive statistics. Certainly, no one has studied the effects of these drugs on people who do not have MS to begin with. ALL drugs have known and unknown side effects and known and unknown risks. That is why the FDA tells people to take drugs that have been on the market longer than others if those drugs have a longer safe track record. In fact, no one knows what the long term side effects of these drugs will be for the people who have MS. FDA approved drugs have just not been on the market long enough. I don't blame you for feeling scared. No one can tell you what to do. I have MS. I am not advising you to do anything one way or the other. You can only educate yourself as much as possible and make the best informed decision that you can. I myself would never take the interferon drugs even though I have MS. I opted to take Copaxone for the first two years. Like many of my friends I have opted not to take any of the FDA approved drugs at all now. There are other options for disease treatments. If it is any consolation, the disease is not fatal. Some cases of MS are very benign and some are far more serious and progressive. I would certainly go to a neurologist at a nationally recognized clinic specializing in MS for an opinion. MS at times can take years to diagnose so you are not alone in your dilemma. Many of us have been faced with this decision in the past. You are more than welcome to email me.

Answer 5

Hello,
I have a friend that was diagnosed with "probable MS" The Dr.s were 90% positive that it was MS but yet something just wasnt right about the lesions.The Dr first put her on Avonex for a few months then copaxone because he felt it was important she be on the MS drugs.After about a year, she was diagnosed with Attaxia(sp?) and not MS. She didnt suffer any kind of harm or negitive side affects.
I also have MS and feel that the drugs are most effective when started early. Good luck with your diagnosis

Answer 6

I was told 24 years ago I had progressive MS. A MRI will tell the doctors if you have MS. They put me on medication to slow the MS down. It has kept me going. MS must be treated as soon as possible. Your body is telling itself that your brain and spinal column does not belong to you. So the system attacks and does damage that may not correct itself. I have got black holes and other stuff showing up in my MRIs. I can still do most things that a want to I just have to watch have much energy I use. I work part time, garden, raised 3 kids, playing with 2 grand-kids, I getting by. You need to be aggressive!!!!!!!!

Answer 7

Multiple sclerosis is one of the most debilitating and discouraging conditions anyone can have. Waking up day after day knowing you are stricken with MS that gradually drags you, healthy young person, toward chronic illness and maybe shorter life. Suddenly you no longer expect to enjoy many of life's greatest experiences. The inside story on Dr. Gary remarkable Multiple Sclerosis cure

Read on to discover what really causes your multiple sclerosis!

Answer 8

I am sorry for your predicament.
M.S. is not lightly diagnosed. It usually takes M.R.I. confirmation to diagnose.

It sounds like you are in denial and are hoping it is not true. M.S. comes in many degrees, and with the medication today one can live symptom controlled

Wishing you good health.

Do not allow your fear to cause you not to take the medication. The medication can slow down or even possibly prevent further progression for many years.

My daughter has M.S. and has not taken her meds as she should and now she wishes she had. She has restarted them and can already see some improvement. She wonders how much better she would have been had she done it from the start.

Do what your doctor says. Don't find out later that you wish you had.

Answer 9

Get a 3rd opinion.

I don't think the medication would hurt you if you don't have MS.

Ask you pharmacist as they'd know what all the meds do. You can also read the information booklet that came with your meds.

Answer 10

I don't think a Doctor would prescribe a medication before he was sure you really needed it