Drugs or No drugs?

I saw my neurologist in September of last year and finally told him that I was no longer taking the Avonex (interferon beta-1a) that he was prescribing and had not been in sometime. I started my treatment for MS with Rebif (interferon beta-1a). The three times a week subcutaneous injections weren't so bad, but the side effects from the drug were terrible. I started missing doses because I just didn't want to feel like hell anymore. I went back to my neurologist and was perscribed Copaxone (Glatiramer acetate) daily. There weren't supposed to be any adverse side effects. The problem with this drug is it is highly acidic and injection site reactions are extremely common. The first time the nurse shot me in the flanks it swelled up so badly she had to phone her supervisor to see if I required hospitalization. I stopped injecting my butt and rotated between legs and stomach. I wasn't too concerned about the necrosis in my abdomen as I had already had a child and there was no way that it would ever look “normal” again. The daily stings were a small price to pay for a drug that was suppose to have 0 negative side effects. A few months later I went to the dentist and found 9 cavities that had to be filled in 2 sittings. Prior to this I had one cavity at 20 or 21 which I cried about. I stopped taking the copaxone as it was the only drug that could have caused the problem. I switched to Avonex a short while after and faced the same (but worse) side effects of the Rebif. This was a once a week intramuscular injection. They say flu like symptoms which is a laugh because I have had the flu before and never thought I was going to die. I remember putting a cold cloth on my eyes trying to hold them in my skull. When I woke in the middle of the night I was incapable of speech and through my chattering teeth my ex would ascertain that I needed some tylenol with codeine. I'd hop in the shower at 3 am which warmed me up, but each water drop that hit me felt like a stab of a pin. Once I was warm the sweats would kick in and I'd sweat and shiver at the same time. Ever had a fever so bad your hair hurt? Kinda similar. The drugs prescribed for MS don't actually battle the disease it's self, but reduces the rate of relapses which lead to the disability. If an attack or relapse happens the only way to treat it is with a big dose of steroids and I mean big. 1000 mg daily for three days. Having only once had the experience of taking so many steroids I can say that it isn't fun. Having my face and arms swell up was not a thing I wish to repeat. My life is nicer not looking like a Mr. Potato head doll. It's also really difficult to get the supply of steroids needed. The pharmacy which I procured my near lethal dose of drugs only did so because they were familiar with the procedure. I decided to come off the drugs all together because my quality of life was so poor. I have not regretted it at all. The only drug for MS I take is Modafinil which battles the crippling fatigue that is most times more debilitating than the disability. This being said, this is MY experience with the drugs used to “treat” MS. Individual experiences may vary.