I have been trying to hold off on updating you on how life is going since starting Ampyra. It can take up to six weeks to see the full benefits and I have only been on it half that time. At this point, however, I can already say my only regret about starting the drug is that I did not do it sooner.

The first week was a little rough as my body adjusted to the medication. The world would spin, especially when I would first stand up. My head was foggy and it was difficult to focus. I had some nausea, but it was controlled with ginger tea. I was also up most hours of the night. The insomnia was awful because I was actually sleepy, but sleep would not come. Unlike some medications, Sudafed for example, where you can not sleep but you are wide awake and have a ton of energy. The side effects were extremely unpleasant, but tolerable.

I was actually too distracted by the positive changes to give much mind to the negative. The dosage is one pill, twice a day. I took my first pill Friday evening shortly before bed and the second pill the following morning before going out for our morning dog walk. Saturday mornings mean longer walks than the short after-work limp around the block we do on weekdays. I could already tell a difference. We walked our usual distance. I did not want to push my luck with getting too far from home and getting ill since I was not sure yet exactly what effects the medicine would have on me. However, in the distance we did walk, I could already feel the drug working.

We end our Saturday morning walks with me limping through the front door. This was no different. I was still limping, however, we made it much further than we typically would before my right leg gave out. I took this as a good sign. I was also very aware that I had only had two doses of the medicine and should not be seeing any improvements this early. I assumed it could be mind over matter and my brain convinced my body the medicine was already working. Either way, I was just happy that the medicine did not seem to be negatively affecting my legs as most often is the case. I was eager to go to work on Monday to see what happened when I really put my legs to the test.

My walk into work from the parking garage is nearly half a mile and slightly uphill. Most days I am defeated before I even clock in. Walking into work that Monday was different. I was still the slowest person on the sidewalk but the effort seemed easier. I was cautious in every step, as I always am. The difference was that the bottom of my right foot was not scraping against the ground every few steps. I anticipated the all too familiar scuff sound of the sole of my shoe across the pavement, but it never happened.

As the week progressed, so did my confidence. My gait was changing and my pace was increasing. It is always my goal on walks into work to catch up to the person ahead of me. It has not happened, yet. Since starting Ampyra, I am significantly starting to close the gap, though.

Work was changing, as well. I gained confidence in the hallways and no longer avoided crowded areas where I would have to maneuver around people. I was also not as worried about stumbling and falling in front of a large audience. I was able to change directions with more ease than the usual stop-and-turn.

As the week progressed further, so did the benefits of the medicine. At no point did I notice a difference in my grip or arm strength, but I was dropping things less often. Our after-work dog walks became a thing to look forward to instead of a thing of dread. Our walks were also increasing in distance. The previous one-mile struggle was now one and a half miles of ease. It was actually relaxing to go out for an evening walk again.

While I did not specifically notice an increase in arm strength, I did see an increase in endurance and ability. At the height of my previous sickness with Kesimpta I had continued to work out religiously. I did the same strengthening exercises, however, I did them with three-pound weights instead of ten and fifteen pounds. I was now back to my usual weight and slowly adding reps.

Three things happened to make me realize the drug really was working. The first thing was as I was leaving work after a busy day. The walk to my car takes fourteen minutes, sixteen if I am having a bad day. On this particular day, I made it to my car in twelve minutes. I sat in the driver’s seat and ugly cried. It is not unusual for me to cry after struggling to get to my car at the end of the day. The difference this time was that these were tears of happiness. I could not believe how quick and easy the walk had been.

The second thing happened that evening. I have a loss of sensation on the right side of my body. Part of that means I do not feel muscle soreness. When I work out, I do the exercise on the left side first and then repeat the same number on the right. This is how I try to avoid pulling a muscle or injuring myself since I am unable to feel if I am pushing too hard. As I was lying on the floor doing my assigned physical therapy exercises, I felt my right glute straining. I cried happy tears for the second time that day. I could actually feel my muscles working for the first time in a very long time.

The third thing happened at work and took me completely off guard. It does not happen often, but every now and again I will bond with a patient and disclose my diagnosis to them. The response is almost always an expression of being told the secret to a mystery they had been trying to solve. Now they had an answer to why I was limping. Now they knew why my arm was contracted to my chest.

I had a wonderful patient. We chatted about pets and relationships to pass the time during the exam. The topic switched to the expense of prescription medications and I told her I understood. I said I had an autoimmune disease and the prices of those drugs were outrageous. She asked if I did not mind telling her which condition I had. I told her I had multiple sclerosis. She stopped and looked at me. Her eyes moved from the top of my head to my feet and back up again. She was in disbelief because I was moving so well. She said, “It must not affect you much”. I laughed more than she expected. I told her I had just started a new medication and it must be working.

I said previously that magic little walking pills do not exist. I believe Ampyra may make me retract that statement. I hope it does. I will gratefully admit to being wrong. The drug does seem to be working for me so far. I do not believe it is going to be a total game-changer. I have accepted that I will never ride my bike for long distances or be able to run again. It does not appear Ampyra will change that. However, it does seem to have plenty of potential to improve my quality of life and make work easier. Time will tell and I will let you know more in a few weeks.