Betaseron carries the same side effects as any of the Interferons - and since it is the highest dose (per week) some say the sides effects are more likely.
The Avonex injection is not that big and certainly not that painful. The little needle slides through like butter with a little sting with the push. I really didn't mind it.
I am off of it first because of the cost and second because of the realization that it was making my depression (chronic anyway) worse. When I stopped the med I saw the change in mood.
It all comes down to choosing which "possible" side effects and which dosing schedule you want. I would say don't be afraid of the intramuscular injection. I have surprised at how quickly people became quite accustomed to it.
Personally I fear welting and itching more than I do depression so Copaxone wasn't even on my short list.
Quix
I can answer the question about lipoatrophy. At first I thought this would work out well - how could getting rid of fat be bad? But now everywhere I inject on a regular basis has a dimple. This looks especially strange at my stomach - I have two dimples, one on each side, right below my belly button. I also have a dimple on each hip. This is a lumpy sort of dimple - the cellulite really shows in these areas.
So I guess lipoatrophy is exactly what it sounds like - it kills fat cells.
I may be wrong here, but I believe all the interferon's can cause depression - the only DMD that does not is the copaxone. And as far as taking it everyday, you will notice you do it out of survival and it becomes second nature.
I chose to be on Betaseron, my presription plan does not carry that but has Extavia which is the same thing. I chose it for the reasoning that it does not need to be refrigerated and you mix it yourself, they come in 15 pre-packaged trays - each tray provides everything you need for the shot. When you have a three year old in the house the more protection of the sealed packages is something I liked. Plus I would forget to take it out of the fridge to get a pre-filled syringe to room temp - I would be giving myself shots at midnight!
I also read in my many searches that higher doses closer together are preffered methods for early onset of MS which my Neuro tended to agree with. When asked which DMD she would chose she said Avonex but the intermuscular injection really turned me off even if it is once a week.
I have been on my shots for almost two weeks and they started me on the titration, where I take a quarter does for two weeks - then 1/2 dose for two weeks and so on until I am on the full does. I already take 800mg twice daily for arthritis but others have said to take something to waive off the flu like symptoms. The only issues I have had so far are the welts from where the injection was and so far on here everyone said they are just a reaction from my body adjusting to the meds.
I researched all the meds, my neuro even gave me books on all of them so I could read about each one. I did research on the web and asked on here when I finally found the site! It really is about which one you prefer and whether you want to deal with chance of depression, flu like symptoms, blood tests or whatever else the DMD's might throw at you - just remember not everyone is going to experience those symptoms! Good luck MeLissa
Hi, Sarah. I know this part of the journey can be confusing and difficult, so you need to take it one step at a time and just hang in there. Everyone's experiences with the meds are different.
Gabapentin is for neuropathic pain. The dose your doctor suggested is quite low, considering that the max per day is something like 3600. It's important to build up slowly to an effective dose, and not to give up too soon on this or other meds. We have many members who take Gabapentin with great success, and others who have not done well. Lyrica is an alternative to Gabapentin that many are pleased with.
Amitriptyline is an older anti-depressant that's often used by MS patients, to assist with sleep and to help with pain management, as you mention. The dosage for this is a lot lower than if it were being prescribed for depression. Don't be scared off by the original purpose of the med--that's kind of irrelevant now. It seems that Amitriptyline together with Gabapentin or Lyrica adds up to more pain relief than would be expected.
As to the DMDs, you already know that this is such an individual fit. There is no one right answer, and they're all about equal in effectiveness. Since you're asking for experiences, I'll say that for myself, I considered the facts carefully, and came up with 4 good reasons to choose Copaxone. All well and good, but it turned out that I'm highly allergic to it! So, on to plan B. I chose Avonex next, and have done well on it, in terms of both disease progression and side effects management. Nothing is 100%, but I really can't complain.
Keep in mind that if what you choose doesn't work for some reason, you can always change it. Nothing is written in stone. I do understand your reluctance to take some of these meds, but you will find that you need them. You absolutely must sleep, and you must get some pain relief in order to function. So to me, these factors win out over med aversion. :-)
I hope you've taken a look at our Health Pages. They contain lots of good info about pain, medications, and a great deal more. Listen to your body and rest. Not doing that will make things much worse, as so many of us have found out the hard way.
So glad you've found a home here. We're always available for questions and support.
ess