History points to evidence that humans may have lived with multiple sclerosis (MS) as far back as the 1300s. Yet, it wasn’t until 1868 when French neurologist Jean-Martin Chartcot named it and began lecturing about the disease that the medical community began a journey to understand it.
Science still doesn’t understand everything about the disease — even though it affects nearly one million Americans. And that’s because it’s not a predictable, one-size-fits-all illness. Disease severity, symptoms and length of flare-ups can all vary from person to person. Still, it’s encouraging to know that thanks to IVIG therapy, progression of the disease can be slowed and symptoms controlled — giving individuals windows of time where they can be healthier and enjoy life.
What exactly is multiple sclerosis?
Multiple sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system. It’s considered an autoimmune disease. In patients with MS, the body attacks myelin, an insulating sheath that wraps around nerves to protect them — including nerves in the brain and spinal cord, which play a large role in our ability to control movement and body functions. Myelin allows electrical signals to transmit quickly along nerve cells. When myelin is damaged, these signals are slowed or stopped altogether.
Unfortunately, the damage continues until it is beyond repair. Depending on the severity and extent of the damage, an individual can experience a long list of symptoms, including numbness and tingling, fatigue and weakness, loss of vision and slurred speech. Some may lose their ability to walk, control their body functions, and think and understand information.
No cure doesn’t mean no hope.
Although there is currently no cure for MS, treatment can help slow progression of the disease and alleviate symptoms so well that patients can enjoy periods of time where they feel like their old selves.
“Most MS patients are placed on immune suppressing medications to lessen ongoing damage to their nerves,” explains Erin Duvall, RN, a clinical nursing coordinator at AOM. “Unfortunately, these medications can make the individual more susceptible to other infections, and sometimes they don’t help enough to decrease attacks.”
Another way to prevent the body from attacking itself is to modulate the immune system.
“Modulation is often achieved using intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy,” Duvall explains. “With IVIG therapy, we can give MS patients healthy antibodies to stop malfunctioning antibodies from attacking the body. While we don’t know why a patient’s antibodies attack their myelin, we do know we can add healthy antibodies that help the body repair myelin and lower an MS patient’s risk for infections.”
These healthy antibodies are acquired through donations of whole blood and plasmapheresis — the liquid part of blood that contains antibodies and proteins. “It takes between 1,000 to 60,000 donations to collect enough antibodies for just one treatment,” Duvall says. “Donors must be from the United States, and each is carefully screened in advance. Each must meet strict criteria, complete an in-depth questionnaire, and undergo a physical examination.”
“The rigorous screenings and regulations are designed to protect our patients,” Duvall adds.
As a leader in infusion therapy for more than 30 years, AOM has seen the remarkable difference IVIG therapy can make in the life of someone diagnosed with MS.
“My IVIG infusions are wonderful,” says one patient. “I have so much appreciation for AOM and for IVIG. IVIG helps me walk and has now for 10 years. I don’t feel I would be able to walk without it. My nurse is fabulous. She genuinely cares about me and my health. Thank you AOM. I love and appreciate everything you do!”
AOM’s IVIG expertise helps countless MS patients.
IVIG therapy is currently approved to treat relapsing-remitting MS — which is the most common form of the disease. Therapy can slow the cycle so relapses don’t happen as often. “Patients can have longer periods of remission, which improves their quality of life significantly,” Duvall notes.
Precision is vital to optimal outcomes. For that reason, AOM is very conservative with IVIG protocols.
“We ensure the rate of infusion and volume of infusion are appropriate for each individual — whether they are being infused in the comfort of their home or at one of AOM’s state-of-the-art ambulatory infusion suites,” Duvall notes.
In both cases, a highly trained IVIG specialty nurse remains by their side throughout treatment.
“Every member of AOM’s specialty nursing team is best in class,” Duvall reveals. “Many hold specialty certifications, including Certified Registered Nurse Infusion (CRNI) and Immune Globulin Certified (IGCN). They participate in rigorous ongoing education, seminars and conferences hosted by the Infusion Nurse Society and the Immunoglobulin National Society (IGNS). They also have access to a variety of resources to help them stay up-to-date on new research and ways to infuse IVIG in the safest, most appropriate way. This commitment to education allows our nurses to provide IVIG therapy with minimal side effects and knowledge of symptoms that need to be addressed immediately to prevent severe reactions. They’re not only very knowledgeable about IVIG and all the medications they administer, they also know a tremendous amount about the MS disease process.”
Before treatment begins, the IVIG nurse does a health assessment of the patient. This includes vital signs, medication review, and discussion about any other medical issues. The nurse also covers possible side effects — along with any warning signs that might signal an allergic reaction. Afterward, the nurse inserts the IV to begin the IVIG therapy, then keeps a close eye on how the patient responds to the medication.
Potential side effects can usually be prevented.
“There can be some side effects with IVIG,” Duvall notes. “But they can often be prevented with a few easy measures. The most common side effect is a headache. We address this by ensuring the rate of infusion and volume of the infusion is appropriate for each patient. This prevents most headaches. We’ve also found that patients who are well hydrated before their infusion have less chance of having a headache. For this reason, we ask patients to drink plenty of fluids the day before, the day of, and the day after their IVIG infusion. We recommend about eight 8-ounce glasses fluids each day. We prefer water, but any non-caffeinated drink will work.”
AOM also asks IVIG patients to abstain from any alcohol for three days before their scheduled IVIG therapy. “Alcohol is very dehydrating,” Duvall says. “And if you suffer from migraines, you need to have your migraine medication on hand during your infusion.”
Most of all, good communication between the patient and the IVIG nurse is so important. “Patients should always tell their nurse right away if they experience any issue, symptom, unusual sensation or feeling,” Duvall says. “This allows your nurse to take immediate steps before you have any adverse event,” Duvall explains.
For patients, the benefits of IVIG are priceless.
“For those living with MS, the ability to gather with friends and family without risk of infection is priceless,” Duvall says. “IVIG therapy gives patients that ability by delivering healthy antibodies to repair damaged myelin and protect nerves — which reduces MS symptoms and flareups. Most report fewer lesions on the spinal cord and brain, fewer seizures, less pain and stiffness, and dramatic improvement in their movement. And because patients spend more time in remission, they have longer periods of time to enjoy their lives. They’re able to do more, and many say they feel as good and strong as they did before their diagnosis.”
We give power back to patients.
Being diagnosed with a chronic, debilitating disease takes a toll. But more than anything, AOM Infusion tries to chip away at that toll by giving power back to the patients.
“We don’t simply administer IVIG therapy,” Duvall says. “Yes, we absolutely provide patients with the best care, but we also teach them about their disease process. We educate them about medication use and its side effects. We coach them on how to talk to their doctors to get answers and understand all their choices. Most of all, we teach patients and their caregivers how to be advocates for the patient. Over the years, we’ve found this is what our patients appreciate most—knowing they are number one in the care they deserve. That’s how we’ve always worked at AOM, and it’s the way we always will.”
Want to know more about the way IVIG therapy is helping MS patients? Call us at 800-746-9089 to speak with a member of our patient care team.
Sources:
History of Multiple Sclerosis. Multiple Sclerosis Association of America. 2025.
Myelin. MedlinePlus. 2023.
