Vicki B. didn’t know where to turn. After her multiple sclerosis diagnosis (MS), Vicki sought comfort, support and resources, but wasn’t sure where to find them.

“I didn’t know what resources were available, where to find them, or how to get them,” says Vicki of her experience.

Once she recovered from the initial shock of being diagnosed with a chronic illness, Vicki was determined to find a network of support. Now, 14 years after her diagnosis, Vicki is a leader for one of her local MS support groups.

“I felt compelled to share all of my knowledge with others going through the same experience. After all, we may all have the same disease, but it’s just a little different for each of us,” Vicki says.

According to Vicki, support groups can provide immeasurable resources, since people living with MS and their loved ones often need a venue to discuss topics important to them.

The Diagnosis

Fourteen years ago, Vicki was working in a grocery store, slicing produce, when she experienced a tremor in the arm she was using to cut. She was able to regain control of her arm and safely set down the knife, but it was the latest in a series of seemingly unrelated symptoms — including numbness in her back and legs — that prompted Vicki to see a doctor.

Her doctor recommended she see a neurologist, who diagnosed her with relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS), the most common form of MS. MS affects more than 2.3 million people worldwide. RMS attacks the central nervous system and causes several debilitating symptoms including vision problems and difficulty with muscle movement, coordination and balance. The progression, severity, and specific symptoms of RMS are unpredictable and vary from one person to another.

Discussing Relapsing MS Treatment

In Vicki’s support group, members learn new ways to express their feelings and understand their symptoms, and discuss everyday items along with different ways to manage their disease. These conversations can often lead to questions about the available treatment options. When they do, Vicki encourages her group members to talk to their doctors about what is best for them.

Vicki frequently has discussions about different treatments with her neurologist to understand all the available options. This is how Vicki discovered PLEGRIDY^® (peginterferon beta-1a), which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the last year. While talking with her doctor, they both agreed that PLEGRIDY was a good treatment choice to help effectively treat her RMS. Vicki was also attracted to PLEGRIDY because she takes the treatment once every two weeks.

Your Local MS Support Group Can Help

For those who have been recently diagnosed with MS, or simply are in need of a support system, joining a local MS group will enable you to meet with other people who share common experiences. Participants may learn new information, help each other and understand ways to cope with the challenges that come with living with MS.

“I encourage everyone impacted by MS to find others who are undergoing the same journey. Expressing yourself and spending time with others who know just what you are dealing with can really go a long way,” Vicki says.

Vicki is a real patient taking PLEGRIDY. Individual results with PLEGRIDY will vary. Talk to your doctor if you are interested in learning more about treating your RMS with PLEGRIDY.

Indication

PLEGRIDY^® (peginterferon beta-1a) is a prescription medicine used to treat people with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Important Safety Information

Before beginning treatment, you should discuss with your healthcare provider the potential benefits and risks associated with PLEGRIDY.

PLEGRIDY can cause serious side effects. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the symptoms listed below.

• Liver problems, or worsening of liver problems including liver failure and death. Symptoms may include yellowing of your skin or the white part of your eye, nausea, loss of appetite, tiredness, bleeding more easily than normal, confusion, sleepiness, dark colored urine, and pale stools. During your treatment with PLEGRIDY you will need to see your healthcare provider regularly. You will have regular blood tests to check for these possible side effects
• Depression or suicidal thoughts. Symptoms may include new or worsening depression (feeling hopeless or bad about yourself), thoughts of hurting yourself or suicide, irritability (getting upset easily), nervousness, or new or worsening anxiety

Do not take PLEGRIDY if you are allergic to interferon beta or peginterferon beta-1a, or any of the other ingredients in PLEGRIDY.

Before taking PLEGRIDY, tell your healthcare provider if you:

• Are being treated for a mental illness or had treatment in the past for any mental illness, including depression and suicidal behavior
• Have or had liver problems, low blood cell counts, bleeding problems, heart problems, seizures (epilepsy), thyroid problems, or any kind of autoimmune disease
• Take prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements
• Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if PLEGRIDY will harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant during your treatment with PLEGRIDY
• Are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if PLEGRIDY passes into your breast milk. Talk to your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby if you use PLEGRIDY

PLEGRIDY can cause additional serious side effects including:

• Serious allergic reactions. Serious allergic reactions can happen quickly. Symptoms may include itching, swelling of the face, eyes, lips, tongue, or throat, trouble breathing, feeling faint, anxiousness, skin rash, hives, or skin bumps
• Injection site reactions. PLEGRIDY may commonly cause redness, pain or swelling at the place where the injection was given. Call your healthcare provider right away if an injection site becomes swollen and painful or the area looks infected and it does not heal within a few days. You may have a skin infection or an area of severe skin damage (necrosis) requiring treatment by a healthcare provider
• Heart problems, including congestive heart failure. While PLEGRIDY is not known to have any direct effects on the heart, some people who did not have a history of heart problems developed heart muscle problems or congestive heart failure after taking interferon beta. If you already have heart failure, PLEGRIDY may cause your heart failure to get worse. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have worsening symptoms of heart failure such as shortness of breath or swelling of your lower legs or feet while using PLEGRIDY
  
  • Some people using PLEGRIDY may have other heart problems, including low blood pressure, fast or abnormal heart beat, chest pain, heart attack, or a heart muscle problem (cardiomyopathy)
• Autoimmune diseases. Problems with easy bleeding or bruising (idiopathic thrombocytopenia), thyroid gland problems (hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism), and autoimmune hepatitis have happened in some people who use interferon beta
• Blood problems and changes in your blood tests. PLEGRIDY can decrease your white blood cells or platelets, which can cause an increased risk of infection, bleeding or anemia, and can cause changes in your liver function tests. Your healthcare provider should do blood tests while you use PLEGRIDY to check for side effects
• Seizures. Some people have had seizures while taking PLEGRIDY, including people who have never had seizures before

The most common side effects of PLEGRIDY include:

• Flu-like symptoms. Many people who take PLEGRIDY have flu-like symptoms early in the course of therapy. These symptoms are not really the flu. You cannot pass it on to anyone else. Symptoms may include headache, muscle and joint aches, fever, chills or tiredness
  • You may be able to manage these flu-like symptoms by taking over-the-counter pain and fever reducers and drinking plenty of water. For many people, these symptoms lessen or go away over time

Please see www.Plegridy.com for full Prescribing Information and Medication Guide for additional important safety information.

This article is sponsored by Biogen. © 2015 Biogen. All rights reserved. To access support services, patients can call 1-800-456-2255.