When I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2001, the only treatment option I was given involved strong drugs with many undesirable side effects. I chose not to take the drugs. Since they do not claim to cure multiple sclerosis, I thought the side effects were not worth the risks.
Here are some of the most common multiple sclerosis drugs and their side effects:
Avonex, Betaseron, Copaxone are commonly reffered to as the ABC drugs. These are strong interferon drugs taken every other day or weekly by injection. side effects include depression, flu-like symptoms, liver, heart, blood, and thyroid problems, risk to pregnancy, seizures.
Tysabri increases your chances of getting a rare brain infection that usually causes death or severe disability. this infection is called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PMI). there is no known treatment, prevention, or cure for PMI. These side effects seem worse than the disease.
Patients today, more than ten years since my diagnosis, are still being pushed toward drug therapy only. my treatment option is a life long gluten-free diet. After being on the diet for a short time (i.e. months) all my multiple sclerosis symptoms were relieved and I was on my way to a complete recovery! Do the MS drugs have the same success? no.
Here are some of the most common side effects from a gluten-free diet: NONE.