CIVIC Treats Multiple Sclerosis

Have your MS treated at one of CIVIC's state-of-the-art infusion centers

Conveniently located across Connecticut and Westchester

Offering safe, affordable, and state-of-the art, medically supervised infusion therapy

or Call Us at 203-883-0038

Why choose CIVIC for your MS Infusion Treatment?

Patients choose to get their Multiple Sclerosis infusions at CIVIC because of the exceptional quality of care, welcoming environment, state-of-the-art facility and equipment, easy scheduling (including Saturday), and lower costs/co-pays as compared to the hospital. All CIVIC facilities are accredited with distinction as an “Exemplary Provider” in accordance with the requirements and standards set by The Compliance Team.

Process to get Infused at CIVIC: 

Your Physician simply emails or faxes your MS prescription and other required information and CIVIC’s team of experts take care of everything else, including scheduling your appointment. 

 Contact us today or call 203-883-0038 to find out how CIVIC can make your infusion treatment a more pleasant experience.  

We look forward to hearing from you! 

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a nervous system disease that damages the protective sheath, or myelin, that covers nerve fibers. This damage causes communication problems by slowing down or blocking messages between the brain and the body, leading to the symptoms of MS.

The most common symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis

  • Numbness or weakness in one or more limbs
  • Vision problems
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle weakness
  • Tremor, lack of coordination, or unsteady gait
  • Slurred speech
  • Dizziness
  • Thinking and memory problems
  • Sensations such as numbness, prickling, or “pins and needles”

Diagnosis

There is no single test for MS; doctors rely on medical history, physical and neurological exam, MRI, and other tests to diagnose it. Multiple sclerosis occurs in women more than men and often begins between the ages of 20 and 40.

Types of Multiple Sclerosis

There are four types of MS, including relapsing-remitting, secondary-progressive, primary-progressive and progressive-relapsing.

Treating Multiple Sclerosis

While there’s no cure for MS, there are treatments that help to slow down the progression of the disease, treat symptoms and speed up recovery from an attack.

Infusion therapy can help treat and reduce relapse rates as well as increasing your remission time between flareup. The most common biologics medications offered through infusion therapy include: 

  • Ocrevus 
  • Tysabri 
  • Rituxan 
  • Lemtrada 
  •  

 

Infusion therapy relieves symptoms for longer periods of time by distributing medicine directly into your bloodstream. Your medicine is administered by an infusion pump that drips the medication through a catheter into a syringe. The syringe is inserted into your vein and secured into place with medical tape. Each treatment itself varies on time.

  • Your appointment may take 4-6 hours due to premedication before your infusion, as well as 1 hour of monitoring post-infusion.  
  • Your healthcare team will check your vital signs, evaluate for active infections, and ask questions about your overall health 
  • 30-60 minutes before your infusion, you will be given medications, such as corticosteroids, an antihistamine, and antifever medication to help reduce possible infusion-related reactions 
  • You'll be seated in a supportive chair along with all of your belongings 
  • We provide entertainment and snacks on hand to pass the time and make your experience more enjoyable. 
  • Once you're settled, an IV infusion needle will be placed in your arm and connected to an infusion pump 
  • Your infusion will last between 2 to 4 hours. 
  • If an infusion reaction occurs, your healthcare team may stop or slow the rate of your infusion 
  • Your healthcare team will monitor you closely from start to finish 

In the week leading up to your infusion, confirm all the details such as date, time and location, as well as the specific treatment you are receiving and if you need any premedication before the infusion.  

Have a list of information that the staff at the infusion center might need, such as allergies, medications you are currently taking, health conditions they may need to know about and your emergency contacts.  

Make sure to get plenty of rest and stay well hydrated in the days leading up to your infusion. 

Check with your healthcare provider about restrictions the day of your infusion—you may need to abstain from caffeine, alcohol and smoking in the hours before your appointment.  

It is also very important to let your healthcare providers at the infusion centers know if you have experienced any worsening of your symptoms since your last visit. A change in your condition may mean that you need to be evaluated by a healthcare provider. 

Wear comfortable shoes and dress in loose-fitting clothing. Loose-fitting clothing will be more comfortable during the infusion and will also provide easier access for the IV and any monitors (such as blood pressure and heart rate) that you may need to wear during and after the infusion. You may also want to dress in layers, in case you start to feel too warm or too cold. Keep in mind that one arm may be occupied with the IV during the infusion, which means you won’t be able to take off a sleeve once the infusion starts, and that you’ll only have one hand when going to the bathroom. 

 

What our Multiple Sclerosis patients are saying about CIVIC

CIVIC Infusion Centers — are Conveniently Located
...with more locations coming soon!