Any tips to avoid the flu-like symptoms? On Extavia now...

[sonia1874]

Hi everyone...hope you are all doing well and enjoying the holiday season thus far.

Finishing up my first 2 weeks of Extavia, which is an interferon beta 1b like Betaseron. I am uping the dose this week and not looking forward to it. I am injecting at night before bed, ensuring I get ample sleep and also taking 2 Tylenol before I inject. I have MAJOR headaches the next day, getting worse as the day goes on. I am very achy and most days fight fever off and on. Sometimes I have a hard time sleeping since my body is so sore, tender, and "pins and needles" feeling. Of course this makes me an "extremely pleasant" person (not at all, it makes me very groggy and irritable).

Seems like this is a common side effect for most interferons...however any helpful tips that worked for you to make you feel better would be greatly appreciated. I am still functioning as I need to with the side effects, but if I could reduce them I would be muuuuuch happier...and I am sure my hubby would be happier too. (Poor guy, I can be a super meanie with a fever!)

On a good note, not getting site reactions like I did with Copaxone... yet. Crossing fingers, and staying positive...

[Aroma_1]

Ya thanks lulu.

[PastorDan]

Double check me, please, but I thought I had read that ibuprofen was good, but Tylenol (acetominiphen - which I can never spell right) maybe not so much.  Like I said, d'oh le check me.  I've been wrong more than once already today!

[Lulu54]

Aroma - you can take the ibuprofen on the dosing schedule normally prescribed but do not take too much or too soon.

Sonia, glad to hear you are trying something different since Copaxone didn't work for you.  One thing I have heard that makes perfect sense is you should time your shot so the worst side effects occur while you are sleeping.  For example, if they happen 8-12 hours after you inject at bedtime, you are going to feel lousy in the daytime.  If you can adjust your injection time to late afternoon, early evening so it kicks in about the time you are sleeping, you might find the side effects more tolerable.  I know I've seen research on this and I'll try to find it for you.  Just keep tinkering with those times until you find what works best for you.  And a lot of people take an iburpofen about an hour before the injection.  good luck , L

[Aroma_1]

I wanna also ask this question . Can i take ibrufen before inject and again after inject? Can I do that to reduce flu like symptoms? I think it will help lot if I can take before n after. Don't know so asking with all of u? Any body do that?