Choice of DMT - recently diagnosed, age 64

Symptoms and treatments
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  • Hi everyone,
    My neurologist has offered me DMTs Aubagio (Teriflunomide) or Tecfidera (Dimethyl Fumarate) for my recently-diagnosed RRMS. I’m 64 and because of my age, she has declined to offer higher efficacy DMTs. My understanding is that Tecfidera is good (50% or so) whereas Aubagio is moderate (30% or so).
    Has anyone had direct experience of either of these DMTs that they could share?
    Many thanks,
    Pam :blush:*
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Hi, I am on plegridy and started on avonex. I also tried tecfidera but I didn’t get on with it at all. Made me very sick. Good luck with your choice.

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I’m about the same age as you and have had RRMS for 25+ years. My philosophy on DMTs has always been to take the highest-efficacy thing on offer. There’s no use messing about with MS - getting on top of it is the best way of staying as well as you can be for as long as you can. Or so it has always seemed to me.

I’m sorry about your dx. That must have been a bit of a shock, I’m afraid. Good luck with whatever treatment you go for.

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Thanks Alison. It’s a hard decision to make as at the moment, I’m mildly impaired and can live a pretty normal life. Whereas it seems as though the DMT will mean that my life will be more restricted? Will I need to isolate, for example? Pam x

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Hi, I’ve been on Tecfidera for nearly 8 years and was diagnosed at 50. In my experience it is a first class medication to be on. You will take 2 tablets a day, one in the morning and one at night, broadly speaking about 12hrs apart. I find one with breakfast and dinner in the evening is perfect.

You’ll read lots of posts on this forum about taking the tablets with starchy or carb heavy foods to aid digestion and fend off flushes, I’d say, experiment and find your own path. Personally, most mornings I tend to take my tablet with nothing more than a glass of water and 8 years on, I’m perfectly fine.

You’ll start on week 1 with a lower 120mg dose, then graduate to 240mg from week 2.

Your bloods will be taken every 12 weeks to check your lympho count and kidney & Liver functions. There are more serious risks of potential infection but they are so vanishingly rare I wouldn’t concern myself with them. Flushes or an upset stomach are about as bad as it gets. Personally, I used to get the occasional hot flush years ago but now, pretty much nothing at all.

Best news, tests show Tecfidera cuts relapses by up to 50%.

I’ve been relapse free and on clear annual MRIs for the 8 years I’ve been on it. Bloods are always good too. My EDSS score is also zero. Hopefully you’ll be the same.

Good luck on your journey.

Finally got my options for treatment after being diagnosed with RRMS
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Thank you very much for this helpful and full reply - it’s much appreciated.
Please can I ask to what extent you have to isolate on this medicine? Does it affect greatly how you live your life or can you,for example, go to watch a play or football match?
I apologize that I have little idea yet other than the discussions that were had during the pandemic about isolating. Thanks, Pam

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Hi Pam, I think most DMTs suppress your immune system, that’s just the nature of, and a by product of the condition we live with. The 12 weekly lympho count is taken for that very reason.

Personally, beyond accepting the offer of an annual COVID and Flu booster I don’t do anything else. In fact, sometimes I wonder if I suffer from Imposter Syndrome because I often forget I have RRMS, but that’s a whole other topic.

I guess it’s all about risk v benefit.

Tecfidera is, in my experience, an incredibly easy and effective medication to take. Whether it would be the same for you only time would tell. Hopefully it would be as good if not better. :smile:

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