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PML And The JC Virus

December 8, 2012 by Sara

Tysabri is a dream come true for many individuals with Multiple Sclerosis. Personally, I have opted to take Gilenya (for now), but Tysabri was very tempting when I considered my options after it became apparent that Rebif would not work out for me any longer. However, along with Tysabri’s side effects comes one very sinister danger: PML. One patient on Gilenya has been diagnosed with PML, and it can happen to anyone whether or not they have MS. Knowing that medication (especially newer medications) may bring a risk of PML has frightened us all.

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Diary Of A Gilenya Pioneer: Fingers Crossed As I Experience Gilenya Side Effects

August 28, 2011 by Sara

Several months have passed since I began taking Gilenya on May 5. Today I’m focusing on the drug’s possible side effects and how I have personally been affected. The good news is that I seem to be mostly fine so far. In spite of this year’s gloomy start with 2 separate attacks within it’s first few months, I have had no attacks since beginning this treatment. In hindsight I really do feel that Rebif, and probably interferons in general, are just not right for my body. Now that I have begun the drug I have started to focus on Gilenya side effects.

With my Gilenya followup appointment looming in a couple of weeks, I’ll soon find out if Gilenya suits me in the long run. As you can see, I do have my fingers crossed!

Diary Of A Gilenya Pioneer: Gilenya Process Speedbumps

February 19, 2011 by Sara

Almost two weeks ago I posted that I was in the process of switching to Gilenya. Not so fast, I suppose. My neurologist’s office staff was eager for me to let Gilenya set up all of my doctor appointments for me to undergo the necessary tests. By their accounts they faxed in my information the morning I was in their office, and then a few days later when they hadn’t heard anything back. And then again when I called them after a very unproductive phone call with Gilenya. With such a new drug, I should have expected Gilenya process problems.

Several months ago I switched positions within the company to work in a 24/7 network surveillance group. We rotate weekends, leaving me with a “weekend” during the week for a month here and there. I had hoped that I could use these days to get through all of my doctor appointments this month. But the opportunity to accomplish that is rapidly vanishing.

Diary Of A Gilenya Pioneer: Switching To Gilenya!

February 11, 2011 by Sara

As it turns out, similarly to my father’s results with Avonex, Rebif has caused my liver enzymes to shoot up to about 3X the upper limit of normal in the span of slightly less than 2 years. My options?

1) Tysabri : the risk of PML is too severe for me to brave this drug – reputed to be a risk of death or severe disability as high as 1 in 200 for some individuals and 1 in 2000 for others
2) Copaxone : statistically slightly less effective than interferons – works great for my father but I truly don’t want to do a daily injection except as a last resort
3) Gilenya : aka Fingolimod – when this was approved by the FDA I wrote a blog post to summarize all the information I could find – it is the only oral disease modifying drug for Multiple Sclerosis – DING! DING! DING!

I have chosen to switch to Gilenya.

Gilenya: First Oral Treatment For Multiple Sclerosis

October 20, 2010 by Sara

There has been a huge breakthrough in MS treatment! An oral medication by Novartis, Gilenya (formerly Gingolimod and FTY720), has finally been approved by the FDA to be available by prescription as a daily 0.5 mg capsule as a first line treatment in October.