I'm New Here

[sandon6466]

Just wanted to interduce myself . I Was diagnosed with MS 4 years ago. I started out on Copaxone , but about 9 months ago , I had to change to Tecfidera because the Copaxone wasn't helping me. After getting through the first 3 months of the Tecfidera I started doing better. I am 51 . I used to work as a Veterinary Assistant and was very active , but work was getting hard for me to do . I've been learning to cope with not working . I've came along way, trusting in God helped me . My family is very supportive and is also there when I need them. I want to thank the MS community for places like these to help for support.

[Jesmcd2 CommunityAmbassador]

Hi sandon6466 welcome! What a beautiful pup! 💕I'm glad to hear the tecfidera is working for you!💕 i m in Copaxon myself, so far so good. Only 3 minor flare ups since Dx'ed and one well we don't talk about.😊

What's your pups 🐕 name?

Jes 🌠

[sandon6466 in reply to Jesmcd2]

Her name is Cheyenne. She was a great dog ,but she passed away 2 years ago of old age. I have since then got a Rottweiler and a Australian Shepherd / Rottweiler mix. Their names are Ceirra and Kenzie . I live on a farm and like animals. I am glad the Copaxon is working for you.

[Sukie427 in reply to sandon6466]

Sorry to hear about your dog's passing. She is indeed beautiful. My husband and I rescue pit bulls. We volunteer at the local Humane Society, which is no-kill, and a chocolate red nose pittie adopted by husband. He is a sweet, happy boy. Unfortunately, when we brought him home and took him to othe vet, his bloodwork showed that he has Stage 3 kidney disease and the vet has given him a year. Some jerk used him for target practice and he has a bullet from a .22 lodged in his chest, and a fractured right hind leg that some butcher tried to fix. The vet doesn't want to address any of his other problems right now, but aside from dragging his leg a bit, he seems to be doing OK, and we are going to make whatever time he has left the best he has ever had. He hasn't stopped wagging his tail since he's been here, and he rivals our brindle female as the champion puppy kisser of the world! I walk around with slobber and I don't care!

[greaterexp]

sandon6466 , welcome to a great site filled with wonderful people. I hope you find as much support as I have found.

So many of us share your faith and depend on God for our comfort. How wonderful it is that He puts flesh on that comfort by giving us friends and family.

[jimeka]

sandon6466 hi and welcome. I love your dog, it's got beautiful markings. I am pleased that it passed peacefully of old age. Pets leave such a gap in our lives, you cannot help but get close to them. Enjoy the site, sorry it's under such circumstances as ms. Blessings Jimeka 🦋 🌈

[Kenu]

Welcome to our crazy 😜 MS community. There’s a lot of great information here and some venting which helps all of us 👍 The only stupid question is the one you don’t ask 🤷🏼‍♂️ My name is Ken and on Aubagio the last year and doing well. Have been on several others as I have had MS for 23 years now. Still up and going, trying to stay positive 🙏🙏🙏🙏 Ken

[Yooper]

Welcome and God bless you 🙏!!

[Laur3ncb1]

Sorry to hear Copaxone isn't working for you but Ticfadera may be a stronger/better drug??? I have been on Copazone for at least 10 years and I am now on disability after having worked for 35 years. I too just couldn't do it any longer, mostly due to memory problems. I am 60 now BUT I ice skate with a dance partner every day... in other words, I believe a no stress life and exercise is helping me a lot. I use catheters and take anti-depressants, don't drink and eat a very healthy low-fat diet, keep my weight down.... sometimes I wonder if I would do better with my balance, speech and memory if I took a stronger medication but my doctor says don't fix it if it's not broken...

[FiddleStyx in reply to Laur3ncb1]

Wow, you are my newest hero, you go girl! Your lifestyle certainly is excellent advise for MS newbies and experienced like you and I. I also am 60, I've had MS 18 years and am currently taking copaxone, after first trying avonex and gilenya. I loved gilenya but, tested positive for jc virus. I'm glad to hear of someone being on copaxone for over 10 years and that it's still working for you. I had heard some talk about copaxone not doing the job after several years. Keep up the good work laur3ncb1. Always nice to hear of positive role models. FiddleStyx

[FiddleStyx]

Hi sandon6466. I also am new to this community and introduced myself shortly before you did. So far I have found all of the people to be extremely nice and best of all it's just comforting talking with and reading about people who truly understand what you're going through. I also dealt with trying to cope with not working when I was forced to leave my job. It wasn't easy, but with proper medications to treat my depression and anxiety and most of all with God's help I made it past those dark times. It's so good to hear that you have a supportive family, it makes a huge difference in our situation. If you don't mind me asking how was copaxone not working for you? I have been taking copaxone for about 6 months. You obviously love animals and had a beautiful dog. You are so lucky to live on a farm. That is something I had always wanted to try. Nice to meet you and have a blessed day!

FiddleStyx

[sandon6466 in reply to FiddleStyx]

To answer your question about the Copaxone . I really didn't know that it wasn't working until i went to get my MRI and it came back that My Lesions on my Brain wasn't getting any better and the doctor said there was activity on the lesions. She called it silent symptoms Symptoms you can;t see. I always felt awful and had no energy. Now that I'm taking the Tecfidera I have a lot more better days. It seems to be working for me . I just went another MRI and it was better. Nice to meet you.

[bxrmom]

sandon6466 Welcome to this wonderful group! I'm Jessie, I was diagnosed over 11 years ago. I was Copaxone from the beginning with daily injections until about a couple of years ago when the 3 times a week injections came out which I loved but then the welts just wouldn't heal up for me anymore, no matte what I did. I am not on Tecfidera and I am really enjoying not doing the injections. Have lost 25 lbs since starting it over 9 months ago. Will be looking for a new Neuro this year though as my Neuro really doesn't want to listen to anything I have to say or questions I want to ask. So hoping for a better one this year.

Looking forward to meeting you. Beautiful dog. I have a 9 year old Pittie/Lab named Caddie.

Jessie

[Doubled51]

sandon6466 . Welcome to our world. Sorry why your here but glad you found us

Being we’re all living in the crazy world of MS we all live it from day to day. Though we all experience different symptoms there’s usually somebody that’s either had or going thru whatever you are. So jump right in with questions or comments.

This is an awesome supportive group of people.

Many of us deal with this life thru our faith so if you need prayer your in the right place for that. I’ve mentioned many times that God has been so good to me that at times my glass just runs over without him I don’t know what I’d do. My theory is that when your think your as low as you can go there’s nowhere’s to look but up.

So again welcome and God bless.

Donnie

[sandon6466]

I just wanted to thank everyone for the welcome support . Hope everyone is having a Blessed day. Thoughts and prayers are with you all.

[Sukie427]

Welcome, sandon6466 . Nice to see another dog lover on this site! I was dx'ed in 2010 and started out on Gilenya, which was then quite new. I felt that it was working although it knocked my immune system out of the park, but then I got horrible stomach pain from it and had to go off. It took about a month after I quit the Gilenya for the pain to resolve. Then the dr put me on Copaxone, which was not only miserable to take but also didn't help me. I went without anything until Tecfidera came out, and I've been on it since FDA approval. Seems to be working, but who knows? I am still symptomatic and I have had a couple of Acthar-worthy relapses while on it, but I guess it's as good as anything else.