copaxone vs tysabri

I'm signed up to start Tysabri in the next couple weeks. My doctor really recommended it as he thinks it would be a good option for me. It's just kind of difficult for me to wrap my mind around because it seems like it's used more as a last resort rather than a first line of defense. This will be my first DMD, and I'm a little nervous. Is anyone else using this as a first DMD? What kind of side effects can I expect?

Last week I started my 3rd significant relapse this year, my specialist nurse is now talking about Tysabri. I was on Rebif for about 15 months and wasnt getting on with the side effects so I switched to Copaxone 6 weeks ago, which I'm quite happy with. I looked up Tysabri when I got home and all I got was all the bad news about the PML patients. They say that theres a 1/1000 chance of getting it, that seems quite high to me.

I skipped CRABs and went straight to Tysabri infusions. I'll have my 6th on Sunday. My recent MRI's showed no new "progress" of my MS and this confirms the lack of relapses and symptoms since I started Tysabri. I like the relative convenience of once a month infusions rather than daily/weekly injections. I think it's still too early to know whether Tysabri is working it's magic, or my MS is in a naturally dormant phase.

I find it rather disconcerting when docs do an about-face without explanation. True, Tysabri is more aggressive. But that was true when he put you on Copaxone.

t do copaxone, your insurance should revisit the request and hopefully approve it. I went from copaxone to Tysabri without doing the interferons.

For me, Tysabri was more effective then Copaxone, but if you have MS and are thinking of switching, Tysabri is a very dangerous drug, inform yourself before making the decision.

If so, if your fearful of the Tysabri you can always go to Rebif, which is 44mg, or Betaseron 1ml vs. the 30mgs you are on w/the Avonex. And, there is always the daily Copax, which I'm sure you know has shown to work for some too - though by different mechanism than the interferons. If you stay w/interferons, least your body is already 5 months into them and it would just be an increase and sub-q. Did they treat your ON Jason?

My sister had her first Tysabri infusion today and all went well! I was so anxious for her, but for no reason--she sounded great. She had to start the Tysabri because she was getting this terrible-looking, itchy rash which hurt which her neuro (actually our neuro) had said was probably a reaction to her Rebif. She also was progressing in her disease.

So now he wants to take me off of the Copaxone, I have been on for a month and a half, and put me on Tysabri. I started the application process and now waiting for them to call me and get the ball rolling on that. Now he mentioned that this is the top of the line MS medication so that does give me some relief. P.S. I did test negetive for the JC Virus. Any thoughts, experiences etc on this Tysabri??!!

I had 2 exaccerbations while on copaxone and 3 new brain lesions in my relapse in January. We talked about Tysabri but decided to keep it in our back pocket if I need to come off gilenya for any reason. My neuro wanted to skip the interferons altogether as he said the effectiveness was about the same as copaxone and I'd likely end up in the same situation with one of them as I did with copax - OK for a year or even less and then progression starting again.

I have MS, and recently switched from Copaxone shots (on for 5 1/2 yrs) to Tysabri infusions (I've had three) due to slow decline. I have a flu shot every fall and was wondering if I should have one this year since I'm on a new med.

Hello James, I am guessing you mean drugs to slow the progression such as Rebif, Copaxone, Avonex and Betaseron . All but Tysabri are reasonably safe which is more affecective in slowing progression in some MS patients. The deal with MS drugs is the better they work at slowing progression the more dangerous they are because at the same time they suppress the immune system. Yes and the cost of all are very high.

The Meds that are 1st choice in Treatment, I beleive, are Copaxone, Avonex, Rebif and Betaseron. There are less risks with those than Tysabri and Gilenya. I had my 1st Tysabri infusion yesterday, and it was not an easy decision for me. I was MUCH more comfortable with Copaxone. I tested negative for the JC virus, but I am still worried. I too have young children, and I do worry about the side effects of Tysabri.

Could you give us a little background on what meds you've tried and for how long? I'm sure you've mentioned it before but I have a hard time keeping track of so much.

( AVONEX, REBIF,COPAXONE BETA, TYSABRI?) I AM ,I HAVE TRIED ALL, GETTING READY TO TRY BETA, MY DOC WONT PUT ME ON TYSABRI, AFTER THIS WHATS NEXT? I DONT WANT TO GIVE UP. I'M SO DEPRESSED I'M AFARID IM GONNA BE ALLERGIC TO BETA THAN WHAT? PENNY K.

Hi Miche Sorry your having problems. Tysabri is a step above Copaxone,Avonex, & Tecfidera in terms of strength. All of them are more designed to stop the forward progress of MS rather than repair damage already done. What does you neuro have to say?

Hard to answer your question without more information. Why do you have only those four choices? Avonex (which I’ve used for 11 years) and others are notably absent from your list. Avonex, Rebif, and Betaseron have been around longest and have the strongest safety profiles. If your MS is more aggressive, then you may be more inclined to consider Gilenya, Tecfidera, Aubagio, or Tysabri. All of the DMDs are discussed from a neutral perspective at the link below: http://www.nationalmssociety.

I think your doc probably had reasons for going right to Tysabri. My doc felt I was beyond the reach of the CRABs (Copaxone, Rebif, Avonex, Betaseron), These are the traditional first meds. I had zero side effects from Tysabri. Other than the PML issue, one of Tysabri's benefits is its fairly innocuous side effect profile. Given that you diagnosis is fairly new, I might be inclined to think your fatigue is MS related, rather than Tysabri related.

Over the last 12 years he has been on Avonex, Betaseron, Copaxone drugs. Now he is completing the 2 year mark of using Tysabri. Dr Appointment in 2 weeks assume he will stop infusions. I wonder what is next???? How are others doing after all these treatment and now what do they take???

Some drugs have washout periods, but it would depend on what your new DMD would be. Going to Tysabri required me to do at least 30 days off Copaxone. Going from gilenya to Tysabri is something like a 90 day washout period but they haven't decided what the timing should be to go from Tysabri to Gilenya. Or I may have that reversed, but you get the general idea. I'm not sure what would be required if you go from copaxone to one of the interferons.

I had my first Tysabri infusion yesterday, but was previously on Copaxone. I liked the Copaxone, but am one of the lucky 4% who had migraines as a side effect. I've always had headache issues, but the beginning of month 2 they started getting much, much worse and nothing helped them. Took me a little while to figure out what was causing them. Other than that I didn't have bad site reactions at all. Good luck with your decision!

I just went to the neurologist yesterday and he didn't tell me anything good. I was diagnosed in August of this year and I have been on Copaxone for two months. I just recently started having tingling in my back and some numbness in my bottom lip. I thought I might be having another attack. The neurologist said he does think it's another attack and that it is probably effecting my brain stem because of my symptoms.

Copaxone vs tysabri

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