Nothing is completely without risk.
But our situation isn't "Nilotinib-or-nothing" -- forever.
Its "Nilotinib-or-something better" -- coming soon.
In a couple of years, we should have a better choice, or even several better choices from promising drugs already being tested now.
Here is my understanding of our situation:
"Gunk" accumulates imperceptibly for 20 years or more before symptoms appear.
We cannot clear 20 years in 6 months and so we do not want to risk our lives trying.
What we DO want to do is slow additional build up or even slightly reverse it to stay on this side of the tipping point and avoid the point at which the process greatly accelerates.
If we can do this for just two years, we will be candidates for the new medications. All we are waiting for is evidence that they are better than Nilotinib.
So, we are not putting all our hopes on Nilotinib to be "the answer". We need not risk desperately or hope irrationally.
All we ask is that a tiny bit of Nilotinib keeps us off the tipping point.
Even if it only works well enough to keep us just where we are for a couple of years until we switch to the better meds--- then we now have a future to protect -- just like anybody else.
At the very least, by then, our lonely, scary DIY trial will be over and our doctors will be willing to supervise, follow, and test our progress with Nilotinib !
Library,
When you speak of effective drugs being a couple years away, is that because you know of specific drugs (perhaps PXR002 or MSDC-0160) that could be fast tracked or are you speaking generically?
Thank you.
MarcB