Hey Nadja!
Welcome back! I honestly don’t know whether there is a chance that Tecfidera could help with the walking. I DO know that it seems to be helping me with my ever present symptoms (mostly pain, muscle spasticity, numbness and altered sensation) but since my walking improved drastically about 3 years ago, I wouldn’t know if it might have helped with that too. When people comment on my lack of using a cane and comment on how well I am getting around, I joke that I got a divorce. Although STRESS is a huge factor in everyone’s health and it definifly played a big role for me, the truth is that I began taking Ampyra (Biogen.) I am not completely sure what they claim it helps with (I think balance is what they say) but I call it my walking pill. I credit a LOT of my improvement, mobility wise, to it. Have you ever looked into that one?
I hear you on the some days and stopping the stupid stuff and just letting it be, BUT I think for me, I would rather that I go down fighting….meaning if it DOES get worse, but I have tried what is available, then at least I tried. If it gets worse and I didn’t give the new medications a shot, then I am pretty sure I would be pissed off at myself.

And although Spring may SEEM like it is a LONG ways away it seems (at least in MY life) that time just FLIES by!!!
Take care & keep in touch!

Oh and Nadja,
Thank you so much for the kinds words about my blog. Have really been enjoying writing, wondering what the heck took me so long and desperately want to find time to pull the damn book out and get it published!

Cheers and keep in touch.

HA, and I was mad at myself for not responding earlier when I first read your comment, but was on my phone and haven’t figure out how to do that from the phone. Ask your dr and let me know.

Cheers!
Meg

Hi Meg, I was glad to find a comment so Soon, thank you! The Way you are Talking abaut “this Wonderful disease” is really amazing.
To answer your question, I don’t exactelly know, when Tecfidera will be avaiable, I will ask my doc…but it is so expensive, isn’t it?
Cheers and I will stay Tuned for more Updates!
( Sorry for all the misspellings)
Nadja

Nadja,
HI! Thanks for reaching out! When will Tecfidera be available? So far, it has proven to be a great fit for me. I will continue to post updates, and I actually have been talking to the Biogen reps here in my area, about becoming a patient advocate for them. I would love to have the opportunity to go out and speak, to not only tell people about MY experience with the drug, but about everything that has come along with having this “oh so wonderful disease.”
Cheers and stay tuned for more updates and stories.

MS fog one of the symptoms?:) Sorry, that was only because of the two comments and one to Teri. Believe me, I know a fog:) Sometimes feel like I am living life a bit buzzed…ALL the time. And I worry that because of that, that I am missing out, not really being able to focus and enjoy moments that happen in my life. BUT…for the moment it is better, and for that I am thankful.
Back to your questions, below you asked I was really feeling better, and I can NOW (after about 3 1/2 months) confidently say I am feeling better. BUT can I say that it is in fact because of the Tecfidera? NO, unfortunately I can’t, but I am going to just be thankful. I did not expect this drug to do ANYTHING for the day to day – EVERY day symptoms – the ones that have NOT left since I was diagnosed in 2007. That would be numbness in my feet and legs, often reaching up to my waist – accompanied by pain – which most of the time is a burning feeling but sometimes can be joined by massive muscle tightening and fatigue. BUT right now, it is better, I have mornings (and sometimes going into afternoons) that I can almost “feel” my feet.
I will give an example, that is going to be in one of my next posts.
I am currently on the East coast visiting with my family. It is an amazing island, and the kids and I spend our days vacillating between hanging on the beach, sailing, fishing, swimming, playing tennis and other “rough life” activities. One of my FAVORITE things to do while we are visiting is to go clamming down off the dock. A big part of that love is the fact that I LOVE eating clams, BUT the actually activity is SO much fun. As a young girl, my mother taught me how to stand in the water, about waist deep and shimmy and twist, to dig my toes/feet down into the sand, to find the clams, and to the dig the clam out with my toes, grab onto it and pull it up to grab it with my hand. NOT surprisingly MANY of those skills where lost when my MS set in. Certainly did not have the balance (was using a cane and my segway 100% of the time) so no shimmying or shaking for me. As for digging down and finding the clam, not a chance in hell, because I could feel a thing. BUT I am stubborn and so the first year, I went along with my dad and kids, down to the dock, determined to clam as always. I alligned myself next to a small boat that was moored off the dock and held onto it, while attempting a distorted (and pathetic) shimmy/shake. NOT surprising, I did NOT find a single clam that year, BUT I apparently DID find a large piece of glass, that as I flailed about trying to “feel” for clam, ripped the bottom of my foot apart, which I didn’t KNOW cause I didn’t FEEL until I was climbing back up on the dock (crawling actually because that was how I did it because I was scared I would fall) and my daughter, who was behind me screamed “what happened to your foot?!!” That was the end of clamming for me.
UNTIL YESTERDAY….I went out, I STOOD…I SHIMMIED AND SHOOK….AND I found more clams than anyone else!!!! To me, that is better! And so I WILL credit Tecfidera.
I would love to connect with you and I can tell you more about what I have had as far as symptoms and what meds I have tried, if you have any interest, please feel free to email me (if you prefer to NOT do this for the “world” to read:) meglewellyn@gmail.com. There is SO much that I still want to write up on my blog, just background info what, when, where, how stuff but there is never enough time in a day for everything I want to do:)
Take care and PLEASE feel free to write with questions!
Cheers,
Meg

Sharon,
PLEASE forgive my delay in response, as you may have noticed if you read my most recent post, I am on vacation and although I REALLY intend to be on here blogging every day, it is proving to NOT happen that way. I notice that there are two comments here on my blog, one addressed to me, and one to Teri, wondering if the second one was intended for another blogger that you have found that is on Tecfidera. Just don’t want you to think a message was sent out to someone that never responds, because it accidentally ended up with me.
SO, let me start by asking, what are you currently taking, and why are you thinking of switching? Is it not working? And is that determined by MRI or because of flair-ups and how you are feeling? There are many questions that I could ask, and although EVERYONEs MS is different, I am more than happy to try and answer any questions you might have. As I said, I see another comment, addressed to me just above and I am going to jump up there, to answer the questions you have asked already,
Cheers!
Meg

Hello Meg,
My name is Sharon and I am a newly diagnosed patient (10 months ago). Would you mind describing some of your MS symptoms to me. I am feeling some kind of way all the time. Just want a little feedback on how other patients with MS are feeling. Thanks a lot for sharing.