I changed treatments!! I will now have tried three different medications for my disease, but why switch? Let me tell you. 

First off, time. Time is the biggest pain when it comes to my medications. My first treatment plan took two full hospital days and would drain me. The days after the treatment would also be taken as I would feel absolutely terrible after.  Then I switched to the second medicine, which only lasted 35 minutes. Yes, a quick infusion time, but the time spent at the hospital is usually around three hours every two weeks. This new medicine, however, will be every eight weeks and will last one hour. 

Secondly, side effects. The side effects I’m talking about here are the good ones. The past treatment plans I have been on of course keep me stable, which is all I need. But, I still deal with many annoying side effects that affect my daily activity greatly like fatigue, crossed eyes, slurred speech, etc. The goal of trying a new medication is to send my disease into remission and get rid of those extra nagging things. Remission is a period in which symptoms reduce drastically or completely. However, this does not mean a cure, as I will never be as symptoms can return, it just means a state of control and inactivity in my disease. 

I had my first loading dose two weeks ago, and I am happy to report I felt fine after. I will have my second loading dose of the medication on Friday, but will then begin receiving the medication every eight weeks as intended. I am incredibly grateful that there are so many different medications at hand for me to find the best one that caters to my needs and schedule. 

Next week I will touch on turning 18 and how that affects my doctor appointments. I can’t wait to continue to share my story with you! Remember our struggles don’t define us.