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In Canada, it’s recommended that people living with MS start treatment with a disease-modifying therapy (DMT) soon after diagnosis to reduce their risk of worsening disability.
When it comes to making a treatment decision, know your options
DMTs can delay disability progression. For MS, this means taking medicine to reduce relapses (attacks). In MS, DMTs help to reduce inflammation and nerve damage.
Let’s break down DMTs based on how they are taken: orally, with an injection, or with an infusion. Consider how these different options align with your needs, wishes and priorities. There are many factors to consider when making a treatment decision.
Injectable medications are injected subcutaneously, in the fatty tissue just under your skin. Injectable medications come in easy-to-use auto-injectors or pre-filled syringes, so you can complete your treatment at home. A medical professional will train you in the injection process so that you can safely administer your own dose at home. How often injectable medications are taken depend on the kind of medicine prescribed. This could range from a few times per week to once a month.
Another option for treating MS is intravenous infusion. Instead of entering your body intramuscularly (deep in a muscle) or subcutaneously (in the fatty tissue, just under the skin), infusions go directly into a vein. The infusions must be given in a clinical setting by a trained professional. Some treatments may involve taking a premedication before your infusion. How often infusions are given ranges and depends on the kind of medicine prescribed. Some treatments are given in treatment cycles, with more frequent infusion periods and breaks between, and others are just given every month to every few months. Infusion appointments can range from 2-4 hours, depending on the medication you take.
Oral medications are taken by mouth and require that you maintain a regular dosing schedule. Most are taken once or twice daily. Some oral medications have a slowly increasing dose, which means that the dose within the tablet or capsule is increased over the initiation period, until the maintenance dose is reached.
Remember, how the medication is taken is only one factor of many to consider. Talk to your doctor about all the treatment factors, and what your priorities are, so that together you can decide which MS treatment might be right for you.
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