Hello im new here and as a family we are struggling to come to terms my brother has just been diognosed with ms can anyone advise he has been given some treatment options and he is undecided on which is best hes been told he can go on the pills but he will have a higher chance at relapsing or he can go on injections which will have a lower chance at relaps but it will affect his ammune system does anyone have any advice on which may be a better option for him? And does anyone have some advice or helpful tips on the best way i and my family can help sopprt him through this thank you
The approach to treatment options is a very personal thing and we’re all different. The disease modifying treatments to control MS are all safe drugs - they would not be licensed otherwise. I think it is fair to say, however, that (in broad terms) the better a drug works, the more the risk of unwanted side-effects.
For my own part, my priority has been to keep my MS under control and I am content to accept a small increase in the risk of side effects in return for the benefits of one of the more powerful DMDs. But not everyone feels the same.
One of the things MS does is that it pitches a person into a new world with a myriad of drug choices in an area that we are totally not educated in and know very little about. I have always relied heavily on my neurologist to advise on which one to go for, having explained that my priority is to keep the MS under control and I want the strongest drug that is available to me. I suggest that your brother think about what his priorities are in that regard (and they might not be the same as mine, of course), explain them to his medical advisors, and ask them to give him a a recommendation.
Hi Robby, I tend to agree with what @alison100 says. I think it would be good if you also had a good look at the relevant section of the MS Society web site with the list of the various treatments.
I have a weekly injection of Avonex which is one of the older treatments but there are newer and better treatments around these days. As Alison says, they all bring side effects and from what I remember some of the more recent ones need careful monitoring. I would say that reducing the number of relapses is a priority and, in the event that your brother finds that the more effective treatment doesn’t suit him he can always change it.
Hard to say exactly how you can all best support your brother but I do remember that when I was diagnosed it took sometime to come to terms with it. Emotionally and mentally it’s a lot to deal with so perhaps just be there for him and gently help him in learning about MS. It does take time to adjust and accept- a gradual process . Everyone is different but I spent a lot of time learning what I could about MS including how diet, exercise, meditation/mindfulness can help ( i used the book and website of Overcoming MS from an Australian Professor of Medicine who has MS himself).
If it’s of any reassurance to you and your brother. I was diagnosed 18 years ago and can still walk ( admittedly not far) and generally enjoy life
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Hello thank you noth so much for your replys i think hes now decided on the best course for him now and we are trying to learn as much as we can in order to give the best support thank you all 
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