Hi everybody, today is Sunday, March 22nd, and I am going to be talking
about Tysabri specifically today.

Whenever my YouTube friends asked me what I was like before Tysabri, and
how I've been after, and I thought that was a great idea, so I'm going to
be talking about that. And before I started taking Tysabri, my symptoms
were drop foot in my left foot, and I was tripping and falling all the
time. This is when I was in high school, and I couldn't play sports
anymore, which I was bad anyway, so it didn't matter, but I was tripping
and falling, and it was embarrassing and horrible, and I had horrible
balance. It was hard for me because I couldn't, I was constantly, you know,
falling off balance and falling on the ground, and it was terrible. I was
extremely fatigued. I had started drinking coffee when I was 16 years old,
when I was in high school, and I don't think that's a good thing for
teenagers to have caffeine, at least that's what I've heard, but I was
falling asleep in my classes.

I had active reflux from both copaxone and betaseron. I was on copaxone for
one year, and then I was on betaseron for four and a half years, and I had
horrible acid reflux. It was painful, it was embarrassing, and I hated it.
And I also had to give myself shots. I mean, I had bad side reactions,
stinging, burning, I needed ice packs, I just, I would get blood on my
clothes sometimes, and it was awful. I hated giving myself shots, and I
couldn't feel these medications working. I know copaxone, I had more
lesions after I took it for a year, so that wasn't helping me. Betaseron
was working because it was preventing more lesions in my brain, but I
couldn't feel a difference from before I started taking it and after, so I
didn't really care for betaseron, even though I know people on both those
medications that are doing well.

But after I started taking Tysabri, my MRI showed that I have no more
lesions on my brain, I have no disease progression, and I've had no more
relapses, and that's just been wonderful for me. And in addition to that,
I've had no side effects. I have no more acid reflux, it's awesome, I have
no side effects. I have noticed that my balance has improved tremendously,
even my mom especially noticed how much better my balance is, so I am not
so wobbly all the time, which is really great. And I have more energy, I'm
not as tired. But now I am working, so I don't get as much sleep, but still
I have more energy, which is great.

And I think I already said it, I have no more acid reflux, and I feel the
best on this medication. I can actually feel a difference. I feel Tysabri
working for me, and I couldn't feel the other medications doing anything
for me, so that's one of the best parts. But I have to say my favorite part
about taking Tysabri, aside from all the other great things I just said,
was that it's only once a month, and I had given myself shots for five and
a half years, and that was in college and after college, and I was
depressed, and it was horrible, and now I only have to go once a month, and
it's so great, and I don't even have to do it to myself.

I've talked a little about my infusion center before, and it's great
because someone does it for me. I love my nurses, and sometimes a
reflexologist will come around and, like, give me a foot massage, and I've
made jewelry there before, and it's just really great, and I feel so
blessed that Tysabri is available.

But I do want to say one thing about Tysabri. There is no cure for MS, and
I think it's really important to address this, because some people are
thinking that if they take Tysabri, they are going to be cured of
everything. But I went on the Tysabri website, which is Tysabri.com, and
this is what it said. It says, "Tysabri is indicated as a monotherapy for
the treatment of patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, to
delay the accumulation of physical disability, and reduce the frequency of
clinical exacerbations," and that definitely, I just talked about that, how
it has down those things for me. And it says, "Tysabri is generally
recommended for patients that have had an inadequate response to or unable
to tolerate other MS therapies." So betaseron wasn't working for me, but
Tysabri is. And I just, like I said, I can feel it working for me, and I am
so thankful that this medication is available, and I know of so many other
people that are doing really well on Tysabri. It's not for everyone, just
like other medications aren't for everybody, but if you notice that the
medication you're not taking it... I'm sorry, the medication you're taking
isn't working, I would say try it, because I've had 16 infusions, and I can
definitely notice the difference.

Before I conclude my video, I just have to say congratulations to the Wash
U Bears, they won another championship. My brother Joel plays basketball at
Washington University in St. Louis, which is why I'm wearing my shirt, and
last night they won another championship. They won it last year, and I am
so excited for them, so happy for them. And I love their coach, Coach
Edwards, he's so great, so wonderful, what a nice person, and I'm so happy
for them, and I just want to say congratulations, my brother was there, and
I wish I could have been there, too.

So I hope everybody you're doing well. If you have any questions, please e-
mail me and I'll write to you as soon as I can. See you later. Bye bye.

Labels: Betaseron, Tysabri