How are you feeling about switching from Tysabri to Lemtrada after seeing new lesions on your MRI?
It's completely understandable to feel uncertain about switching treatments, especially when your family has concerns. Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) is typically recommended when other treatments haven't been effective at Show Full Answer
How are you feeling about switching from Tysabri to Lemtrada after seeing new lesions on your MRI?
It's completely understandable to feel uncertain about switching treatments, especially when your family has concerns. Lemtrada (alemtuzumab) is typically recommended when other treatments haven't been effective at controlling disease activity, which sounds like your situation.
Lemtrada has a unique schedule - it's given over five consecutive days, then another three-day round one year later. That's it. This is very different from monthly Tysabri infusions.
About the side effects your children are worried about:
Lemtrada does carry risks that require careful monitoring, including:
- Increased risk of infections
- Potential for other autoimmune diseases to develop
- Allergic reactions
- Because of these risks, it's only available through a restricted distribution program that ensures close safety monitoring
However, it's considered one of the most aggressive treatments available, which may be necessary given that you're experiencing progression despite being on Tysabri. What you can do:
Have an honest conversation with your neurologist about:
- Why they believe Lemtrada is the right choice now
- What specific monitoring will be in place
- What the risks are of not switching treatments given your current progression
- Alternative treatment options, if any
Your doctor can provide detailed information about the monitoring program and help address your family's specific concerns. One MyMSTeam member shared that having their doctor write a detailed report explaining why a particular treatment was necessary helped them feel more confident in their decision.
This is ultimately your decision, but it should be made with full information about both the risks of the medication and the risks of continued disease progression.
February 22
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