Advil

[Sumanadevii]

I began taking my Rebif shots without taking Advil in advance.  Am I playing with fire?

[Magie43]

I have been on Rebif for 4 months and normally do my shots at night so I can sleep through the flu symptoms.  Some nights before the shot I take Tylenol PM  and some nights I don't.  

If you are not getting the flu-like symptoms then I would not worry about taking something else.  I was taking two Tylenol PM at night and my Dr had me go to one.  They want me taking the least amount of pain meds.

I have taken my Rebif on Saturday mornings with no meds to see how my body reacts to the medicine and so far I have had no flu like symptoms.

[Sumanadevii]

shell, I have to take the Rebif mornings or it interferes with my sleep.  I also have to take the oxycodone/acetaminophen in the morning or I can't move.

ess. I am thinking along the same line...that the acetaminophen is enough.  I was fine yesterday.  And yes, the less medication the happier I am!!  Just hoping it doesn't backfire on me..

Thanks to both of you for responding.  I just wondered how others have handled it....

[essdipity]

It isn't necessary to take a med along with one of the interferons. Their only purpose is to avoid flu-like symptoms, and many lucky people don't get these to begin with.

I'm on Avonex and have been for 3 years. I always take 2 Aleve along with the shot and with rare exceptions that works just fine. Many people find that the flu stuff lessens or disappears over the months and years. Not with me but luckily I have a good fix in the Aleve (which I chose because it's longer lasting than other meds). I sleep it off and am fine in the morning.

The oxy won't do much for flu symptoms like fever, but the acetaminophen will. If you experiment and find you don't need anything else, why take it? I always feel I'm on too much stuff as it is, but everyone is different.

ess

[sllowe]

Hmmm, I'd not mix them for sure.

Ibuprofen and the nsaids (like I take) definitely hurt the gut w/out food. You should not need oxycodone for the side affects of rebif. Acetaminophen or ibuprofen alone should quell any of the possibilities.

Maybe you can split it somehow? If you injected at night after dinner take the ibuprof or tylenol and then keep your regularly scheduled day routine for pain? Just a thought.

That's what I do. That way, if I do experience affects I can sleep through them. Being 7 months in your likely well adjusted by now.
-shell

[Sumanadevii]

I have been on Rebif for seven months now.  I take my shot in the morning.  I also take one 5-325 oxycodone/acetaminophen at that time.  I wonder if the acetaminophen is enough?  I always feel like my stomach is upset when taking that along with the Advil.  Is the oxycodone enough?

[sllowe]

Hey Suma,

I agree w/G-Girl you may just fine - depends on what has lessened for you. How long on Rebif now? I take naproxen for my neck, but when I miss I don't suffer any consequences, fwiw.

-shell

[Guitar_grrrl]

Of course your own experience is unique.  For myself, when I took Rebif, if I forgot to take Ibuprofen when I took my shot, I woke up in the middle of the night feeling just AWFUL!  I then got out of bed and took it!  I sometimes took a 2nd dose of Ibuprofen in the morning if I was still feeling creepy.

You might be able to get away with it!