"Tecfidera doesn't sicken me like Avonex & its helping with my MS symptoms but its helping with the Fibro pain & spasms"

WOW!! YVONNE'S TECFIDERA STORY SOUNDS LIKE A MIRACLE!!! PLEASE GIVE HER (((HUGS))) FOR SHARING THIS WITH US!!

PLUS GIVE YVONNE (((CONGRAT HUGS)))) SHE JUST DID A 2 1/2 HOUR WORKOUT! 

Hi Stan. I am making myself go workout for a few hours (2.5).

By the way - just got back - the reason I love Tecfidera is that it is a pill (not an injection) so I have my weekends back. 

Tecfidera doesn't sicken me like the Avonex used to and, not only is it helping with my MS symptoms but it also seems to be helping with the Fibro pain and spasms!! My husband agrees wholeheartedly with me about that last part. 

I had a spasm last night that lasted less than 5 minutes. They used to last for HOURS...

 

Biogen Idec Inc, the maker of multiple sclerosis drugs Avonex, Tysabri and Tecfidera, boosted its 2013 forecast after Tecfidera sales topped analysts’ third-quarter estimates.

Revenue this year will grow by 23 percent to 25 percent, with adjusted earnings of $8.65 to $8.85 a share, the Weston, Massachusetts-based drugmaker said today in a statement. The company previously had projected revenue gaining 22 percent to 23 percent and adjusted earnings of $8.25 to $8.50 a share.

TECFIDERA WAS DERIVED FROM AN OLD BASIC CHEMICAL: FUMERIC ACID, USED TO MAKE FOODS TASTE SOUR & TO PRESERVE THEM! 


Dimethyl fumarate has been used to prevent mold from growing on furniture during shipping from China. The chemical was implicated in cases of skin rashes in Europe, where dimethyl fumarate is now banned from consumer products.

There aren't very many drugs that are also, essentially, industrial chemicals available in railroad-car volumes...But there are a few. One is lithium carbonate, a staple of glassmaking and ceramic glazes and also the active ingredient in drugs for depression. Another is nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, for anesthesia.

Then there's Tecfidera, or dimethyl fumarate, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in March to treat multiple sclerosis. The twice-a-day pill from Biogen Idec was derived from an old, basic chemical: fumaric acid, used industrially to make foods taste sour and to preserve them.

ECTRIMS Congress 2013: New TECFIDERA Data Show Sustained Efficacy and Long-Term Safety in a Broad Range of Multiple Sclerosis Patients

 ECTRIMS Congress 2013
Data presented today show that TECFIDERA® (dimethyl fumarate) continues to offer consistent and strong efficacy combined with a favorable safety profile in a broad range of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), including those patients who are newly diagnosed with the disease. These data were presented by Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) at the 29th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) in Copenhagen, Denmark from 2-5 October.

“Because MS is a chronic, life-long disease, physicians and patients need to know they are taking a treatment that will offer them sustained efficacy over the long-term with a consistent safety profile”

ECTRIMS Congress 2013: Biogen covers all bases for personalised approach to MS

 ECTRIMS Congress 2013

After presenting fresh data on products old and new, Biogen Idec believes that a more personalised approach to treating multiple sclerosis is the future.

The company is making over 55 presentations at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) congress in Copenhagen and unsurprisingly data on its oral treatment Tecfidera (dimethyl fumarate) has taken centre-stage.

Interim analyses from the ENDORSE long-term extension study show that Tecfidera maintained its effect in reducing disease activity in patients treated for four years. Furthermore, no new or worsening safety signals were observed in patients who had been on the drug for up to six and a half years.

In addition, a separate analysis of the Phase III DEFINE and CONFIRM trials reveals that the drug significantly reduced MS relapses in treatment-naive patients, while delaying the overall progression of the disease.

The data is going to do no harm to Tecfidera's already-impressive sales. The drug was only launched in March in the USA (Biogen is still waiting for European approval and would not comment on when that may be) but there has been a huge uptake across the pond, notably among new MS patients.

Biogen has also been presenting fresh data on its blockbuster Tysabri (natalizumab) which showed that use of the drug beyond two years continued to  reduce disability progression and maintained very low relapse rates. Alfred Sandrock, chief medical officer, noted that the analyses also "build upon a growing body of evidence that demonstrates greater clinical benefits for people with MS when Tysabri is initiated earlier".

Data is also being presented on Biogen's investigational MS drugs, such as Plegridy (pegylated interferon beta-1a), the pegylated version of its older blockbuster Avonex and daclizumab, a once-monthly subcutaneous injection being developed with AbbVie.

ECTRIMS Congress 2013: Biogen Idec's new multiple sclerosis drug Tecfidera remained effective for patients taking the medicine for at least 4 years with no new safety problems

 ECTRIMS Congress 2013
Biogen Idec's hot-selling new multiple sclerosis drug Tecfidera remained effective for patients taking the medicine for at least four years with no new safety problems, according to interim data from a long-term study presented on Friday at ECTRIMS in Copenhagen.

In addition, there were no new or worsening safety problems observed even in patients taking Tecfidera for up to six and a half years, according to the interim analysis presented on Friday at ECTRIMS

Tecfidera, which analysts expect to eventually dominate the MS market, had sales of $192 million in its first quarter on the market - nearly triple average Wall Street expectations.

The Endorse extension study followed patients who had taken part in two pivotal Phase III trials that led to the U.S. approval of Tecfidera.

The drug maintained its ability to reduce disease activity as measured by relapses and disease progression in patients treated for four years, the interim data showed.

Patients in the extension study also experienced a low frequency of new MS brain lesions similar to what had been observed after two years.

BIOGEN HAS 3 NEW MS TREATMENTS THEY ARE WORKING ON THAT ARE BEING PRESENTED AT THE WORLDWIDE MEETING OF NEUROLOGISTS: ECTRIMS

Data at The ECTRIMS Meetings will be presented from across Biogen Idec’s portfolio, including:

Investigational medicines:

PLEGRIDY(pegylated interferon beta-1a): a potential new molecular entity for relapsing forms of MS in which interferon beta-1a is pegylated to extend its half-life and prolong its exposure in the body. Pegylation offers a less-frequent dosing schedule.

DACLIZUMAB HIGH-YIELD PROCESS (DAC HYP): is being developed as a once-monthly subcutaneous injection. DAC HYP is believed to target the activated immune cells that can play a key role in MS without causing general immune cell depletion. DAC HYP is being developed under a collaboration agreement with AbbVie, Inc.

Anti-LINGO-1 (BIIB033): is the first candidate being investigated for its potential to repair neurons damaged by MS.

delete With the Tecfidera $10 Co-pay Program,* you pay just $10 a month for your treatment.

Tecifera offers comprehensive insurance counseling—with help sorting through benefits, including:

Medicare—along with financial assistance programs, including a $10 Co-pay Program.* We can even provide Tecfidera for free to those who are truly in need.

With the Tecfidera $10 Co-pay Program,* you pay just $10 a month for your treatment. This program includes:

No income requirements* – most people regardless of income can enroll in the $10 Co-pay Program
No time limit – you can re-enroll every year for as long as you take Tecfidera
No waiting – your specialty pharmacy can enroll you immediately into the program so that you can get Tecfidera right away
*Co-pay details and eligibility include:

Please note that for the $10 Co-pay Program, cost per month assumes one box of Tecfidera, containing 30 days of doses. You are eligible to enroll in the $10 Co-pay Program for as long as you are treated with Tecfidera.

Federal and state laws may prevent eligibility. People covered by Medicare, Medicaid, the VA/DoD, or any other federal plans are not be eligible to enroll. In addition, some insurance providers may prevent eligibility or restrict eligibility to people with demonstrated financial need. If you are not eligible or not sure of your eligibility, please call MS ActiveSource. There are charitable programs and even a free drug program sponsored by Biogen Idec that may be able to help you with the cost.

FREE: PILL ORGANIZER

You don't have to take Tecfidera with food, but, if you do, it may help with flushing. Be sure not to crush, chew, or sprinkle Tecfidera on food. Swallow it whole and intact. If you have a bottle of Tecfidera that’s been open for more than 90 days, just throw it away.

It's important to protect Tecfidera from light. One way to do this is by storing the capsules in their original bottle. You can also keep a weekly supply of Tecfidera in the pill organizer that you’ll receive when you start Tecfidera. With individual wells for each capsule, the pill organizer can help you remember to take your Tecfidera twice a day.

Benefits of Tecfidera..(1) Reduced relapses (2)

Benefits of Tecfidera

Tecfidera was studied in 2 clinical trials involving more than 2,600 people for 2 years each. In these studies, Tecfidera was compared against a placebo, or "fake" pill. This is a standard way to measure if a drug works as expected. Based on its clinical trials, Tecfidera was approved by the FDA to treat people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. Find out more about trial results by clicking the green boxes below.

Reduced relapses
Call them relapses, flare-ups, or exacerbations. They're disruptive, and the goal is to reduce them. No MS medication completely gets rid of them, but people taking Tecfidera in a 2-year study had fewer relapses compared to placebo.

• Fewer people taking Tecfidera had relapses
• Relapse reductions over 2 years: percentage of people
• 27% of people taking Tecfidera experienced relapse compared with 46% of people taking placebo, making them 49% less likely to experience a relapse.
• This means that less than 3 out of 10 people taking Tecfidera experienced a relapse

Delayed physical disability progression
People with MS tell us how important it is for them to stay as active and mobile as they possibly can. That's why we studied physical ability in people over a 2-year period. What we learned is that Tecfidera helped delay physical disability progression in people with relapsing MS

• 38% fewer people had disability progression compared to those taking placebo over 2 years

Slowed the development of brain lesions
You don't necessarily feel brain lesions, but the fact they show up on an MRI scan means your MS has been active. We measured 3 different types of brain lesions, and for all 3 types, people taking Tecfidera had fewer lesions when compared to placebo over the 2-year study.

How does Tecfidera work?

There's so much to know about how drugs work, and scientists are learning more every day. It's not known how Tecfidera works in the body to fight relapsing MS, but here is what researchers discovered about the active ingredient in Tecfidera and what it does inside our cells.

Our bodies contain certain toxins that can cause stress on our cells. This particular type of stress is called oxidative stress and, when it builds up, it can lead to cell damage and even destroy healthy cells in different places in our bodies, such as the central nervous system (CNS). One way our bodies respond to oxidative stress is through the Nrf2 pathway. Researchers have learned that the active ingredient of Tecfidera, dimethyl fumarate, activates this pathway in our cells.

It's important to learn as much as possible about how drugs might work in the body. It can get pretty technical, and a lot is still unknown, but you can ask your doctor to help you understand. Exploring options and talking to your doctor is a positive step toward managing your relapsing MS.

Tecfidera was the best launch in the history of MS drug launches: More than 3,500 physicians have prescribed it. About 25% of Tecfidera patients were not on a prior therapy, while about 75% switched from a different disease-modifying MS therapy"

Tecfidera got off to a fast start in terms of the number of physicians who prescribed it and the number of patients who went on the treatment, Tony Kingsley, Biogen's executive vice president of global commercial operations, told IBD. More than 3,500 physicians have prescribed it. About 25% of Tecfidera patients were not on a prior therapy, while about 75% switched from a different disease-modifying MS therapy.

THE NUMBNESS & PAIN IN MY HANDS HAVE IMPROVED AFTER ONLY 8 DAYS OF MY BEING ON TECFIDERA

Yvonne Decellis, Columnist, MSnewsChannel.com

I just wanted to give you another Tecfidera update (sorry if I am writing in too fast and too frequently with these updates. I just want to be sure to keep you posted as to the changes as I notice them and/or have them pointed out to me.)

Tecfidera makes me almost as happy as this

I used to have major issues and/or problems with numbness  and pain in my hands as a residual side effect from one of the worst exacerbations I have ever had (in 1998). During this attack, my left hand and arm went almost completely numb (and I am left handed). I eventually lost a lot of feeling in both hands and after getting over the attack (with the help of seven 6-hour Immunoglobulin drips) I lost a significant amount of feeling in both hands, particularly in the left. All I have (or HAD) been feeling in my hands is a combination of numbness and pain.

This numbness and pain combination is something I have had to learn to live with as it significantly impacted my life (I am(/was?) left-handed). I noticed a couple of days ago that this situation has improved in my hands only 8 days into being on Tecfidera (at the starter-dose level of 120mg which is only half-strength!)

Today, my husband noticed it too and he and I tried a few "experiments" (hand exercises; having me squeeze his hand as hard as I could, having me write, etc.) and confirmed that the Tecfidera really appears to have made a significant difference. I think I may reach a point where I can get my old signature back!

MY TECDIFERA MIRACLES...PLUS MY SUMMER-SUN & MS!

Judy Kazakawich, Columnist, MSnewsChannel.com
I've really noticed an improvement in all aspects of my life and I've only been on tecdifera since July 3rd. I know I'm doing better because my family notices such a change as well as many comments from my friends.

For any other angels that are starting tecdifera I wish you the very best.

I've been very fortunate in that the heat doesn't bother my ms or make it worse. The books all say that heat is not good for people with ms but I guess I have to be different. I've always been a sun

I feel Tecifidera drug is working for sure. Here's a few Tecifidera tips to make it easier for you. This is my first diary about my journey with Tecifidera. I want to kiss my doctor; this is so smart to do this.

Jeannine Everett, Tecifidera Editor, MSnewsChannel.com

This is my first diary of my journey about this new drug: Tecifidera.  I started it in the beginning of July but due to an allergic reaction I had to stop.  Most doctors don’t understand that I am allergic to Benadryl (yes this is true), so now I just started again on July 26, 2013.  This is my first week at 120mg.  I will be taking this dose for a month before I begin to take the 240mg dose.  I want to kiss my doctor! This is so smart to do this.  I know this drug is expensive but I feel more!  I feel this drug is working for sure.  It has many side effects that deal with your stomach so my first tip is to take Pepcid with your pill in the morning while eating something; I mean really eating something not just a nibble.  I have found that eating a big breakfast really helps the stomach cramps that you get while taking this drug.  Also avoid eating spicy foods..comfortable with this way of thinking.

MY Tecfidera update PLUS: WHERE MY JOURNEY BEGAN by Judi Kazakawich, Tecdifera Columnist, MSnewsChannel.com

I live in northern Alberta, Canada and just like everyone else I was trying to make a career for myself. I was working at the hospital as a health record technician. Met my husband Vic in 1979, we married in 1982 and the bombshell came crashing down on December 17, 1985. I'll never forget that "life changing" day! I had been noticing numbness in my toes and fingers. This kept coming and going. Saw the doctor and he said (because I'd been overweight) oh your probably dieting too much, not eating well. He could think whatever he wanted I knew something was not right.
After some time I got referred to a hospital in B.C.  I was admitted to hospital for one week and many tests were done.  The spinal tap (YUCK) was the test confirming my diagnosis. Remember there were no MRI 's back then.
Devastated and scared because I'd never heard about M.S. before we came home and started a whole new life.

We managed best we could as there was no "m.s. drugs out then. I was working full time and things were good so in 1988 our daughter was born 7 1/2 weeks pre-maturely. You know me couldn't do anything the easy way 😜.  Then another daughter in 1992. We are a close knit family so I had help whenever I needed. But physically could only work until 1985.

Okay so now I'm home on disability and not wanting to leave the house for fear of what people were saying. She's not sick she looks fine, why should she be on disability.  This ate away at me, it was months before I felt comfortable leaving the house. I would think to myself - no don't do your hair and put make up on, that will make them think there's really nothing wrong with me.

Bu you know what they have no idea about the nights I sat on the edge of the bed crying for 2-3 hours because my arms ached or my legs were jumping. Or when I couldn't walk because of optic neuritis, or just couldn't sleep. They had no fricken idea.

My doctor told me to go on disability. He said go home and enjoy your family, do what you can while you can because if you end up in a wheelchair and can't enjoy your family - the hospital isn't going give a damn about you - they probably won't even remember who you are!

So that's how I live my life. I enjoy every day as much as I can. Some days not much at and other days are amazing!

M.S. May have changed the way I do things but I still get them done 😘💕💕

Tecfidera update:

I started tecfidera on July 3 and I'm still doing amazing. No more side effects. I have noticed my brain fog has definitely been less. I still have some brain-farts when I know what I want to say but the right words just don't come out. But hey I know people who don't have m.s. that have this trouble.

Also I've noticed I hardly fall at all. My family notice that I'm much steadier when walking. This has been so good because when I'm doing better for sure I'm not getting as depressed as I used to.

Probably the biggest improvement for me has been in my sleep. I sleep through the night and wake up so rested, I love it.

Hope other angels on tecfidera are noticing some positive changes.

Prayers and love to all angels. See you next week 💕💕

Sent from my iPad

HERE'S MY TECFIDERA UPDATE

Judy Kazakawich, Tecdifera Columnist, MSnewsChannel.com

I started tecfidera on July 3 and I'm still doing amazing. No more side effects. I have noticed my brain fog has definitely been less. I still have some brain-farts when I know what I want to say but the right words just don't come out.


But hey I know people who don't have m.s. that have this trouble.

Also I've noticed I hardly fall at all. My family notice that I'm much steadier when walking. This has been so good because when I'm doing better for sure I'm not getting as depressed as I used to.

Probably the biggest improvement for me has been in my sleep. I sleep through the night and wake up so rested, I love it.

Hope other angels on tecfidera are noticing some positive changes.

Prayers and love to all angels. See you next week 💕💕

We are remodeling this Tecfidera News Channel & the other 11 MS Drug Treatment Channels at the top of our Home Page!

  ALL 12 MS DRUG CHANNELS WILL BE COMPLETED ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1ST!    

Plus: Pardon our construction while we add Columnists to the MS News Channel for the 1st time!  

                                                                                                                           

TEST

I'm switching from Avonex to oral Tecfidera

I am more than happy to "kiss" these stupid syringes goodbye.

I'm seeing my Neurologist today and he's switching me to oral Tecfidera!

I feel like I've been waiting forever for this.

MY PHARMACEUTICAL HEAVEN: I'VE TRIED AVONEX, REBIF, BETASERON, COPAXONE, IVIG & NOW I'M GOING ON TECFEDRA

Being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis is scary enough, but when they start offering all these medicine options at you and the side effects, it can be somewhat overwhelming! What you have to keep in mind is everyone is different and your body chemistry is going to be different than “Susan’s” body chemistry. Your stage of MS may or may not be the same as “Phil’s” stage so obviously you are going to react differently to the drug. What you can rely on 100%, and its full proof is experience. Every MS’r has a treatment journey. If you listen to that journey cautiously and only take the experience from it, it may help you in deciding which direction you want to go in your own treatment. So I want to share my journey with you in
hopes you may or may not take something away from it. When I was diagnosed, I had no idea what MS was or what it could or would do to my body. Like any scared 44yr old, single, professional, “made it on my own” female, I Googled it. BIG mistake! Holy crap! Talk about terrified. I needed to plan my funeral, update my will, and have a family meeting.  *Note to self- No more computer research!
I saw every awful thing there was to see, every horrid image, every side effect from every medication, but what I didn’t see was a cure. Talk about scared! I went to Barnes & Noble and spent money I should’ve spent on new shoes on books about MS.

My neuro decided to put me on Avonex and I reluctantly obeyed. I will never forget that first shot. I had my best friend with me for support and she had a bottle of Tequila for her support because she hated needles. She completely passed out when I took out the package of instructions. What a champ. I would take the shot on Friday night around 6pm and the side effects would start sometime in the early morning hours around 1-2am. I literally laid in bed all day Saturday & Sunday feeling as if a truck had hit me.

I was single then and had zero support from family. I remember one of them asking “Why are you doing this to yourself?” Oh I don’t know, I like feeling like I’m about to die? I had literally no one!! I was in this fight all by myself. I was still working then too. So I would drag myself up and out of bed on Monday, drag is the correct word, go into work, sleep thru lunch, go home, sleep, do it again Tuesday, by Wednesday I was feeling almost human again. Thursday was my “Good” day except that’s the day depression would creep in because I knew I had 24 hours until the cycle began again. It was horrible. I did this for almost a year. 

I was suicidal as you can imagine and was feeling no better physically. I was hearing all kind of negativity from family members, nothing positive. I felt like I was alone in the desert with no rain or water in sight. It was the most miserable year of my life! Now keep in mind. THIS IS MY EXPERIENCE!! Everyone doesn’t re-act the same to this drug! There are people who do very well on it and have for years. That’s the thing with the MonSter. It affects us all so differently. If we were all affected the same it would be easier to cure the beast!

So I call my beloved Dr. told her of my dilemma and she immediately changed me to another interferon Rebif. I tried that for three months then Betaseron, also a no go. So we determined interferons and my chemistry weren’t a mix. I then went to Copaxone, an everyday injection. That worked well for over a year until I had an allergic reaction to it.

Trust me, you may think that little EPI pen that comes in your pack of goodies is for show and tell, but know where it is at all times when you are injecting a substance into your body that isn’t normally there. Had I not had it that day I truly believe I would have gone into anaphylactic shock and quite possibly died. Apparently I had built up immunity to Copaxone so it quit working and my body all of a sudden rejected it, no warning, no flashing yellow lights, no buzzers, nothing! Just the swelling of my tongue and the closing up of my throat and I heard the fat lady singing!

Thank God for my Epi Pen and 911 obviously. After that incident, I wasn’t sure what options were even available for me. I thought I had tried them all. I had heard of a treatment called IVIG or Intravenous Immunoglobulin not yet approved for MS but was being used and experimented on people with MS. I asked my neuro about it and she told me the risks, the costs which where astronomical, and said if I wanted to try it she could get it approved through some clinical study. Well by this time I was ready to try anything. This was November 2010 and I spent a week in the hospital because my body didn’t like it either. I decided to go la-natural since that time other than the occasional IVSM that I have to have for the flares and of course the meds I take for fatigue, sleep, pain, etc. I had decided until they came out with a cure, a real cure, I was going to be “super-girl” and weather the storm.

Well that was three years ago and we aren’t any closer to a cure then as we are now but we do have several new meds on the market, Tecfedra being the one next in line for me I think.

I know I am progressing and I truly want to believe there’s a drug out there that will help slow down this MonSter. Until we try them we won’t know. So In a couple months, maybe sooner, I will embark on the Tecfedra journey.

I’m hoping to bring you day by day, week by week non-candy coated updates on this new and hopeful gate to our future.  LOOK FOR MY TECFEDRA UPDATES HERE ON STANS ANGELS OR IN MY COLUMN ON: www.MSnewsChannel.com

We shall see.

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