b'Medicine & Researchmedication called Tysabri. The trial was forrelapsing all the time. I was able to quickly Tysabri and Avonex together so I figured Iget back on Tysabri because they decided to would be safe if put on the placebo. I wasdiscontinue using it with Avonex, thinking relapsing every three months and having tothe combo was causing PML. Later they found go on steroids prior to the trial, and we allout it wasnt, but I was okay with stopping the know steroids are not fun.shotsanyway.Istayedinthetrialuntil 2 completion, and only then did they tell me I 2WWeerreetthheerreeaannyyccoonncceerrnnssoorrcchhaalllleennggeessyoouuffaacceeddiinnyyoouurrcclliinniiccaallttrriiaalljjoouurrnneeyy?? y was on the real thing, which I gured anyway. I had no concerns about the trial. I talkedOnce Tysabri was approved, I continued it for to my doctor, who was very excited about thisclose to 15 years and became an ambassador new medication, and explained how it worked.for Biogen telling everyone how much I loved He was the one who was able to get me intoTysabri. I had to stop taking the medication the trial. My doctor was also concerned aboutbecause I was JC positive, and my titer reached the number of relapses I was having in my rst3.11, which was a risk factor for getting PML. year of diagnosis. My doctor had me feelingI would have to say getting in the trial was hopeful again. If I had to pick a challenge, itone of the best decisions in my MS journey I would be getting to downtown Baltimore athave ever made and have been stable ever the clinical site early in the morning fromsince, even after having to change to a new where I lived.medication. Im now on Ocrevus. 3. DDiiddtthheettrriiaallhheellppyou feel more in controoll5. Would you participate in futureorreemmppoowweerreeddiinnmmaannaaggiinnggyyoouurrMMSS?? o clinical trials? Yes, because I finally stopped relapsing.I would absolutely participate in another One a side note: before Tysabri, being put ontrial. I actively look on ClinicalTrials.gov to steroids with each relapse caused me serioussee if there is anything that would be better or problems later in my MS journey. I have brokenmaybe a different treatment such as something my ankles twice (one time, both ankles at theto x the lesions. same time), and my teeth were becoming weak and breaking, causing me to have to get caps, crowns, and bridges, which had to be replaced constantly. I nally decided to have all my teeth pulled and get dental implants, which was about two years ago. yoouu th moosstt abboouutt 4. WWhhatsurprisedy t hee m appaarrttiicciippaattiinngg in a clinical trial? I was very surprised and happy the relapses just stopped completely for the entirety of my participationintheclinicaltrial.Itwasa head-to-head trial, so I was 100 percent sure I wasnt on the placebo. I wouldnt call it a surprise, but more of a disappointment when they had to stop the trials and remove it from the market because of the PML risk. I gured I would end up back where I was in the beginning, msfocusmagazine.org 14 msfocusmagazine.org'