Talking with Your Doctor
About MS

Maintaining an open and honest conversation with your doctor about your relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS) is essential, especially when considering a new MS therapy. Asking certain questions may help you make a more informed decision about TYSABRI and MS treatment in general.

Consider these questions about how you're doing and share your answers with your doctor at your next visit.

1. Compared to your last visit, have your MS symptoms improved, stayed about the same, or gotten worse?
2. How many relapses have you had since your last appointment?
3. How many relapses have you had in the last year?
4. Has your physical disability gotten worse since your last visit or is it about the same?
5. In your own words, how is relapsing MS affecting you?

If you're considering TYSABRI, ask your doctor these questions during your next appointment.

1. How do I know if I should be switching to another therapy?
2. Can TYSABRI help me reduce relapses and slow down my physical disability progression?
3. How often would I take TYSABRI?
4. How might TYSABRI work for me?
5. What are the risks and possible side effects of TYSABRI?

For a printable version of these questions that you can bring to your next doctor's appointment, download our Doctor Discussion Guide (PDF) .

More ways to facilitate the conversation.

• Keep a running list of questions and take it with you to your next appointment. Discuss these questions with your doctor and write down the answers during your appointment.
• Tell your doctor (or other healthcare provider) about any symptoms you've had since your last appointment.
• Always be upfront and honest about anything you are experiencing. Remember that all of your questions are valid and all of your symptoms are important.
• Stay on top of your MS. You and your doctor may want to consider ongoing tests, such as MRIs , and other ways for the two of you to monitor your condition. Be sure to discuss your results from any tests you take with your doctor and other healthcare providers.
• Talk to your nurse. Sometimes your doctor may be too busy to answer all of the questions you may have about your treatment. Your nurse can be an excellent additional source of information about MS and may have more time if your doctor doesn't.
• Make a list of 3 activities you love doing, and reflect on how MS may have changed things. Are these activities as easy to do now as they were before? Do you enjoy them as much now as you used to?
• Think about your goals in life and how they relate with your MS. Use the TYSABRI Personal Goals PDF to jot them down, keep them handy, and discuss them with your doctor.

Download the TYSABRI Treatment Goals PDF