There are various complications associated with multiple sclerosis. Side effects of medication are among these complications. They occur when MS patients develop adverse reactions to the medications they are taking to manage the symptoms of their MS and to slow the progression of the disease.

More about Medication Side Effects, Multiple Sclerosis

The pharmaceutical drugs used in the management of multiple sclerosis are powerful drugs. Not surprisingly, they have the capacity to provoke myriad side effects in MS patients. Some of these side effects are standard: they happen to some degree in all the patients who use the drugs. If they are mild in degree, then patients simply tolerate them. They know that whatever benefits they derive from using the drugs outweigh the associated negatives. If, however, the side effects are severe, then the medicine could pose more harm than good to the well being of the patient.…

The side effects of MS are difficult to handle. These side effects of Multiple Sclerosis occur because the body’s own immune system attacks the nerve cells of the brain and the spinal cord. These particular attacks cause the demyelination of nerve cells, which means that the outer covering used to conduct electrical signals is stripped off the cells. After too much of the sheath is stripped off by the white blood cells nerve damage occurs. The brain itself is safe as normally these white blood cells, known as ‘T-cells’, can’t get that far.

What happens after the cells become stripped of their covering is that they are no longer able to conduct electrical signals effectively. This lack of communication, so to speak, causes a lot of trouble within the body. The symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis vary in intensity but include the following: loss of balance, lack of coordination, numbness, tingling, …

It’s best to learn about common side effects of Multiple Sclerosis medications before taking any of them. Whichever meds your doctor prescribes for MS, a pamphlet or information sheet should be supplied with it. If the doctor doesn’t provide you with this information, then the pharmacy will when the prescription is filled. The details for your meds need to be read before you take the first dose. Since most MS meds are injectable, there is always the possibility that a reaction will be seen at the injection site. This could be anything from redness to swelling.

Interferon-1a and 1b both have similar side effects; the redness and swelling mentioned previously, as well as itching at the injection site. A less common, yet brief reaction to these meds causes the chest to tighten, heart to race, difficulty breathing, and it feel similar to a panic attack. This type of reaction will …