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Avonex users
Hi - I am starting on Avonex next week and of course am concerned about side effects but like the once a week part of the treatment. Those that are on Avonex how do you handle the side effects any tips you can give me? Thanks
I just started my 6th month yesterday the side effects vary for me, sometime none at all. But there are times where I feel like I am feverish the entire day of my shot.and then there are days where I never get out of bed it kind of ***** it is just a thing I hae to feel out every week
Having had 400 shots of Avonex, I have to disagree with Lulu54.
At 18-24 hours after the injection, if I'm not feeling good, it's usually because I didn't sleep well or sleep enough in the window 6-12 hours after injection, when the worst of my side effects tend to hit.
I normally take acetamenophen and remove the Avonex from the refrigerator an an hour or two before the shot on Friday evening. I take more aceto 4-6 hours later, before bed, then sometimes I need some on Saturday morning.
The first few weeks can be particularly rough, so try to not let those get you down if the side effects are intense. Make sure you're well rested. I suggest taking a dose or two of aceto (or your OTC drug of choice) earlier in the day as well to build it up in your system. And drink a lot of water! Then drink some more!
Over time, I expect you'll feel comfortable moving days and hours, as I have with success, to accommodate your schedule.
At 18-24 hours after the injection, if I'm not feeling good, it's usually because I didn't sleep well or sleep enough in the window 6-12 hours after injection, when the worst of my side effects tend to hit.
I normally take acetamenophen and remove the Avonex from the refrigerator an an hour or two before the shot on Friday evening. I take more aceto 4-6 hours later, before bed, then sometimes I need some on Saturday morning.
The first few weeks can be particularly rough, so try to not let those get you down if the side effects are intense. Make sure you're well rested. I suggest taking a dose or two of aceto (or your OTC drug of choice) earlier in the day as well to build it up in your system. And drink a lot of water! Then drink some more!
Over time, I expect you'll feel comfortable moving days and hours, as I have with success, to accommodate your schedule.
Thanks for the helpful hints. My Dr pretty much left it up to me. I chose Avonex since it is only once a week. She said if the side effects are too much that I could switch. My biggest issues is that I have to be at work 7 days a week so there really is no good time. ideally Friday mid day would be best but since I am at work - I will probably try for Friday am since I do not do much on Friday nights other than PT, then when I go to work on Sat hopefully feel okay. I am supposed to start this week. so we shall see how it goes.
I just started Avonex this week and it was by far a better experience for me than copaxone. Copaxone burned and left nasty irritated injection site welts. The only side effect I had from Avonex is that I was a bit tired. I took the pain relievers and didn't have any bad side effects. I just recommend taking it easy. Oh and the injection itself didn't really hurt at all. I hope your experience is just as easy going as mine was :) good luck
Hello,
I am not on a ones either but Lulu seems to know the right way to take it.
Can I ask if they suggested
I take that and have no side effects except for injection site issues which I have learned how to resolve.
Either way I a glad you starting a DMD. Let me know how the avonex works.
And please don't ever hesitate to contact me related to being a mommy with MS.
Good luck.
Kerri
I am not on a ones either but Lulu seems to know the right way to take it.
Can I ask if they suggested
I take that and have no side effects except for injection site issues which I have learned how to resolve.
Either way I a glad you starting a DMD. Let me know how the avonex works.
And please don't ever hesitate to contact me related to being a mommy with MS.
Good luck.
Kerri
I am not on Avonex - so I can't help you from personal experience. But I have learned a lot from the discussions here and attending some talks on this drug.
The experts says it seems the best is figure out which schedule is best for you to not feel quite so good in about 18-24 hours after the injection. If you take it Friday night, the worst of the flu-like symptoms will hit you about mid-day Saturday or so. If you take it Saturday evening you are going to feel not so good on Monday morning. A lot of the talk here has been to inject with avonex in the evening and then go to bed, but this expert said that is not necessarily the best schedule. You are sleeping through a time that you are still feeling no side effect and when you awake you will start to feel a decline.
If you need to feel well on Monday morning and don't want to lose your entire weekend, you might experiment with a Friday morning injection and plan on sleeping through some of it Friday night.
This is all very contrary to what we have kicked around here, but it does make sense. You are not going to feel flu-like immediately after the injection. Experiment with the timing and see what works for you.
And who knows, it may not bother you much at all!
hugs,
Lu
The experts says it seems the best is figure out which schedule is best for you to not feel quite so good in about 18-24 hours after the injection. If you take it Friday night, the worst of the flu-like symptoms will hit you about mid-day Saturday or so. If you take it Saturday evening you are going to feel not so good on Monday morning. A lot of the talk here has been to inject with avonex in the evening and then go to bed, but this expert said that is not necessarily the best schedule. You are sleeping through a time that you are still feeling no side effect and when you awake you will start to feel a decline.
If you need to feel well on Monday morning and don't want to lose your entire weekend, you might experiment with a Friday morning injection and plan on sleeping through some of it Friday night.
This is all very contrary to what we have kicked around here, but it does make sense. You are not going to feel flu-like immediately after the injection. Experiment with the timing and see what works for you.
And who knows, it may not bother you much at all!
hugs,
Lu
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