Anti TFN treatments

[Benjamin]

These drugs are reommended for treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Our French doctor is refering Mrs Benjamin to a specialist Neorologist for assessment to determine if this treatment will be of benefit to her MS. Despite Googling this treatment I can't find any information regarding the use of this treatment for MS.

Does anyone have any specific information on these type of drugs?

[lorna]

Benjamin, is that a French acronym? If so do you know what the English equivalent is? Two British organisations that might be able to help (they both have helplines) are the MS Resource Centre and the MS Society.

[Clair]

In my limited understanding, anti-TNF (anti Tumor Necrosis Factor or facteur de nécrose tumorale) are prescribed to relieve inflammation of the joints or other tissue.

This is a French info site (in google English HERE).

[moonraker]

Anti TNF treatments; here for example

http://www.msrc.co.uk/google/index.cfm?cx=006358928245428888083%3Ahqxishasr0q&cof=FORID%3A9&q=Anti+TFN&sa=Search#1169

[Benjamin]

Thank you all for the links. I may just about finish reading them by the time of the appointment in early December!!  [:D]

I'll let you know the outcome of the assessment after our visit.

[Benjamin]

This has turned out to be a bit of a red herring by our GP and is not recommended by the Neurologist we saw on Monday.

On a brighter note Mrs Benjamin goes into hospital for three days at the beginning of January (and this will be repeated probably for several more months) to receive a drip feed of steroids (methyl prednisilone) which will hopefully give her physical condition a boost.

We have one other query: when the hospital appointment came through yesterday also enclosed was a prescription which appears to be saying that she will need blood to be taken three or four days before she goes into hospital. The actual wording is as follows ;

Sodium, potassium, glycémie créatinine, NFS, trois à quatre jours avant l'hospitalisation.

Prélèvement â effectuer au domicile.

So long as we have understood the document correctly will the local nurse who takes the samples then give these to us to take to the hospital?

[KathyC]

I'd think it more likely that you need to take the results to hospital with you, rather than the actual blood. Does blood "keep" for 3-4 days?

[JohnRoss]

In view of this report and others I would want to ask questions. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb4365/is_/ai_n29234285 ..........JR

[Sunday Driver]

[quote user="Benjamin"]
Sodium, potassium, glycémie créatinine, NFS, trois à quatre jours avant l'hospitalisation.
Prélèvement â effectuer au domicile.

So long as we have understood the document correctly will the local nurse who takes the samples then give these to us to take to the hospital?

[/quote]

She'll drop them off at your local lab and you'll receive the analysis report in the post, usually within 24 hours. You then take the report to the hospital.

 

[Benjamin]

JohnRoss

Your link says what the Neorologist said although I didn't want to get involved with that when I posted this morning. The bit that we can't understand is why our French GP, who is normally very clued up and on the ball, should have got it so wrong. Inicedentially it wasn't a language problem as he speaks perfect English.

Sunday Driver

In view of what you're saying I think we'll just bypass the local nurse and go directly to the Analysis Laboratory as we normally do for blood tests.

[JohnRoss]

If someone also had a rheumatic disease or IBD then TNF might be a suitable treatment but checking with a neurologist first would be an appropriate action, could this have been the case? May I wish Mrs Benjamin the best for her treatment......JR 

[Benjamin]

Thanks for your good wishes. Mrs Benjamin has had her initial treatment and I'm reproducing below a round robin which I've emailed to all of our friends.

Sorry this is a bit

of a Round Robin but I can't type it to everyone.

Tina came out of

Nantes hospital yesterday where she's been for three days being drip

fed a steroid solution. Early signs are that she feels much improved

with a better balance and she feels much stronger. She was very well

treated in a private single room with en suite facilities.

The food was

completely salt free so it tasted awful but I suppose it's something

you could get used to.

The next move is

another IRM scanner visit in February in La Roche sur Yon followed by

another meeting with the consultant neurologist in early March.If he

thinks the improvement has been worthwhile, then Tina will probably

have several more steroid treatments on a monthly basis.

Needless to say

we're both overjoyed with the outcome of this initial treatment.

[sueyh]

So pleased to hear that your other half has received such good treatment - best wishes for the improvement to continue.

Bonne Annee et bonne sante

Suey

[JohnRoss]

Yes indeed may Mrs B continue to improve, all best wishes to you both..................JR