Anyone taking Ampyra now?

[stillstANNding]

Thoracic or "thoracic spine"?

[Lazarus]

Thoracic or "thoracic spine"?

I get 3 areas imaged each time....brain, thoracic and...? I'll look it up but thought it was callled spine.

[Virginia]

Linda, it probably is because that is what I was getting for a few years. Then my neuro decided I did not need the thoracic, but before I got brain, spine and thoracic area. He found my worse lesions in the upper spine close to the neck area. Nothing ever showed up in the thoracic area.

[nuthatch]

My understanding on MRIs is there is brain, cervical (neck), thoracic, and lumbar. I would think that a spine would entail the cervical, thoracic and lumbar. In other words, the whole spine.

[Howie]

I've only had 2 MRIs since 1998, and have no Neuro. That's probably why.

[Virginia]

Yes, Nuthatch after the thoracic area was stopped on me, my Neuro always ordered a brain and cervical spine.

I haven't had anything done in a number of years, which is alright with me. I don't mind them, but I began to see no more need and I think he did also.

[ssusan]

2 threads I want to respond to: Ampyra and MRI
I am looking to try Ampyra again. My copay would be $1, 189 for a 30 day supply. Really? MS doctor office is contacting the drug company.

MRIs. I get 3: brain, cervical and thorasic

[agate]

ssusan, that copay is a real shocker. Hope there's a way around that!

[ssusan]

Me too. It’s a tier 5 specialty drug meaning my co pay is 25% of cost.

[Sunshine]

2 threads I want to respond to: Ampyra and MRI
I am looking to try Ampyra again. My copay would be $1, 189 for a 30 day supply. Really? MS doctor office is contacting the drug company.

MRIs. I get 3: brain, cervical and thorasic

That’s pretty remarkable. I hope that changes.
Read American Sickness re drug pricing.

[agate]

I'm intending to read that book and hope to get on with it soon. This is the book by Elisabeth Rosenthal?

[Lazarus]

That’s pretty remarkable. I hope that changes.
Read American Sickness re drug pricing.

I take ampyra but my insurance covers it. Last year the insurance company doubled the copay people had to pay. Genentech pays that increase in my copay. It's about $25 a month that they pay.

[Virginia]

Is there a generic for this drug?

[agate]

I'm puzzled. Apparently there is a generic but it may or may not be available (?):

Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

[Cherie]

She'd like to do another MRI. She says she usually gets a neck and thoracic MRI in addition to the brain MRI with MS. I have never heard of this though I've heard of a spinal MRI. Maybe the neck and thoracic MRI IS the spinal MRI? It's at least part of the spine.

Current guidelines issued this spring at the Consortium of MS Centers conference that all MRIs with new docs or to follow up when there has been disease activity on previous MRIs is to do brain, C-Spine and T-Spine with 3-D imaging. They are cautioning against routine use of Gadolinium as it now appears deposits remain in the brain for years and may look like a peppering of lesions that could be new but may not be. Most of the docs I have spoken to in the past year are following this new approved protocol.