Weird reaction to Betaseron? Or something else?

[jensequitur]

I've just started taking Betaseron, and I'm on my third dose.  

On Saturday night, I had an unpleasant feeling come over me.  It was similar to the sensations I experienced while going through the Copaxone IPIR (immediate post-injection reaction.)  I had the same tightness in my chest and throat, and almost a burning/hot sensation in my throat area.  It felt like my heart rate was elevated.  I grabbed the phone, because if it got any worse, I was going to have to call 911.

I popped about two ibuprofen, because I assumed it was the interferon flu-like reaction.  Then I put my feet up and lay on the couch for a while, and felt a tiny bit better, but still yucky.  I ate something hot, which made me feel better.  I wondered if it was just the hot that made me feel better - so I made some coffee.  That did the trick.  The hot helped my throat feel better, and relaxed things in that area.

So I called the Betaseron nurse today, and she had never heard of that particular reaction to the medication.  I don't know what it was, and I'm weirded out by the symptom, because it doesn't seem neurological.

[jensequitur]

I'm starting to wonder if maybe it was a throat spasm, rather than some reaction to the shot.  I felt so much better after the hot coffee that it must have had something to do with it.  It hasn't happened in the last couple of days - yay!

[sllowe]

Hey Jens,

Geesh that is a really scary happening. I hope you get to the bottom of it. I've not experienced anything like this w/interferon and I've not read it in post marketing literature (not to say it's not there, but fwiw) and I pray it doesn't happen again!  

-shell

[jensequitur]

Good question!

When I was having those chest pains a couple of years ago, they checked everything out - but didn't find a thing.  My blood pressure is consistently low, even though I have times when my heartrate shoots up for no reason.    

The situation was just so weird.  It was before my shot, and it had been three days, not the usual two (I had forgotten to take my shot on Friday.)  I wasn't anxious - in fact, I was sitting at the computer, playing SimCity, and feeling fine.  Then this wave of yuck hit me!  

It's quite possible that this has nothing to do with the Betaseron.  The symptoms associated with it are quite different from the ones I experienced.

[Lulu54]

Just a question - have you been checked by a cardiologist?  That might in order.  The anxiety of  the injection + the medicine could be causing some weird reaction.  good luck wit this - I was hoping the beta was going to be the answer for you.  - L

[michelleislay]

hmmm...any chance that this is somekind of residual reaction to any of the copax. that might still be left in your system?  

i have no clue really, but sure hope it never happens again!!  sounds terrible.

[jensequitur]

I was taking Copaxone after a long break, because I had just gotten financial assistance for it.  Then I had an IPIR to the shot a couple of weeks ago.  The reaction turned into what felt like an allergic reaction - my skin was puffy, and I itched all over.

So I decided it wasn't worth it, and switched over to Betaseron.  However, Beta is a different kind of drug - interferon rather than polypeptide.  If there's any reaction, it should be flu-like - elevated body temp, chills, sweats, aches in the joints.  

[michelleislay]

hmmm...sounds like it could be a reaction to the betaseron to me...especially since you've had similar such reactions to the copax.

i wish i knew more about how to advise you in this, but it would scare me for sure too.

what wound up happening with the copax?  did you carry on with it after those reactions or stop?  

i'm sure you've considered it as well, but anything out of the ordinary in your diet these days?  or what about a combined reaction to the betaseron with your other meds?

make sure you have someone around for awhile for the next dose/s!!  did your nurse recommend anything?  what about asking your doc?

glad you are o.k. now,

xo michelle