Stage 4 MS is the advanced stage of MS where you experience a significant decline in your cognitive and physical functioning.
Symptoms of stage 4 MS are weakness, numbness, difficulty with coordination, balance problems, posture problems, limited mobility, paralysis, cramps, stiffness and muscle spasms.
Other symptoms of stage 4 MS are cognitive problems which include memory loss, difficulty with concentration, attention problems, problems with judgement and making decisions as well.
Vision problems, hearing loss, pain, fatigue, changes in mood or behavior, blood clots and pressure sores are also other symptoms of stage 4 MS.
You can live with MS without medication if you have mild MS although without medication the MS can become worse overtime.
It's always best to take medication to slow the progression of MS.
The new MS breakthrough drug is Briumvi also known as Ublituximab-xiiy, Aubagio, (teriflunomide and PIPE-307.
Briumvi or Ublituximab-xiiy is an FDA approved drug which treats relapsing-remitting and active secondary progressive MS and it's administered intravenously and prevents certain immune cells from being able to produce antibodies that can damage your brain and spinal cord.
Aubagio is a DMT drug that reduces the risk of a first clinical demyelinating event by 72 percent in people that have radiologically isolated syndrome.
The miracle drug for MS is Ocrevus also known as Ocrelizumab.
Ocrevus slows progression of disability and myelin lesions in MS or multiple sclerosis and is approved to treat both relapsing, remitting adn primary progressive MS.
The MS walking pill is Ampyra also known as dalfampridine.
Ampyra is a medication taken by mouth that helps improve walking in people with multiple sclerosis.
Ampyra or dalfampridine is a potassium channel blocker which strengthens the signals that are sent by the brain through your nerves that are damaged by multiple sclerosis or MS.
You can take AMPYRA once a day and some people may need to take AMPYRA twice a day and if so you need to take the doses of AMPYRA 12 hours apart.
Don't take more than 2 doses of AMPYRA in a day or 24 hour period.
If you accidentally take two AMPYRA then it can cause a possible seizure and increase your risk of kidney problems.
You can overdose on AMPYRA just like with other medications so you should not take more than your recommended dosage.
Symptoms of an overdose of AMPYRA include shaking or tremors, confusion and tremor and in serious overdose cases it can even be fatal.
You can stop taking AMPYRA but only do so under the direction of a doctor and don't suddenly stop taking AMPYRA as it can make your condition worse and cause side effects.
AMPYRA does not cause weight gain nor does AMPYRA cause any hair loss.
You will know if AMPYRA is working when you notice improvements in your balance and walking when taking AMPYRA.
Most people taking AMPYRA will notice improvements in their walking, walking speed and balance within a few weeks although some people may not have improved walking, balance, walking speed until 6 weeks.
However AMPYRA does not work for everyone who takes it and some people may not notice any improvements and may need a different medication.
For most people AMPYRA works as quickly as 2 weeks although it can take up to 6 weeks in some cases for AMPYRA to work.
The success rate of AMPYRA is 46 percent although it can take a couple of weeks for most people taking AMPYRA for it to start working.
AMPYRA helps improve walking in people with multiple sclerosis by blocking the tiny pores, or potassium channels, on the surface of nerve fibers.
Blocking the potassium channels can improve the conduction of nerve signals along nerve fibers whose insulating myelin coating has been damaged by MS.
AMPYRA also known as dalfampridine has been found to improve impulse conduction in demyelinated nerve fibers and to increase synaptic transmitter release at nerve endings.
The side effects of AMPYRA include.
Problems with balance.
Back pain.
Weakness.
Nausea.
Headache.
Dizziness.
Trouble Sleeping or insomnia.
Urinary Tract Infection.
Some people taking AMPYRA experience improvement in their walking ability within a couple of weeks.
Other people taking AMPYRA notice improvement up to 6 weeks after starting AMPYRA.
Neither hair loss nor weight gain has been reported as side effects of Ampyra.
People who experience unexpected reactions after starting on a new medication are advised to seek guidance from their doctor.
Doctors will also sometimes use Ampyra off-label to improve MS symptoms, such as fatigue, spasticity (muscle tightness), and visual fluctuations.