Avonex pen

[Curran1970]

Just wondering if many members have been on Avonex injections once weekly.Have decided with advice that this is my best choice.Glad for any feedback.Hope everyone has a good day😀🍀.

[Jesmcd2 CommunityAmbassador]

Good Morning Curran1970 ☕

I can't help you with the avonex. I take copaxone 3xs a wk. Ugh. 🤣

How are you feeling otherwise? Handling the news ok?

Do you have family? How are they dealing with it all?

Jes🌠

[Curran1970 in reply to Jesmcd2]

Jesmcd2,Thanks for your thoughts.Shocked to get news but am trying to stay positive.I’m married with no children.My wife has been brilliant.Great family around me 3 sisters & 2 brothers,Mam & Dad ,nieces & nephews.Friends have called & work colleagues have been good to me.Also Aunties& uncles.Great support helps but you have to try & help yourself.Hope you are feeling well😀🍀.

[MaryMargaret1966]

When I was 1st diagnosed, I started with Avonex. There wasn't an auto injector at that time. So I had to do the shot myself. With that, I had major anxiety. I also had side effects on f night sweats and uncontrollable shaking. I didn't like it at all & switched to copaxone. Meds work for everyone differently. But that was my experience

[ssdw1958]

I can't speak for any one else but Avonex did do anything for me except made feel as if I had the flu once a week. I was pleased when my neurologist asked me how I thought If it was doing anything for me, and I said no.it wasn't doing anything for me. Then he said than stop it and I.was pleased because it was a Friday and that was the day I would my Avonex.

It may do.something for you and I hope it does but it didn't work for me.

You asked and I told you.

[punterstein in reply to ssdw1958]

Did you start on anything else just stopped all treatment? Just curious. I have been on Avonex weekly for 9 years. I've been pretty stable. I take the injection before bed and sleep through the side effects (nothing ever woke me up anyway).

[ssdw1958 in reply to punterstein]

I didn't have the pin injection I had the needle injection before the had the pin injection. This was the first MS medicine I had.

[punterstein in reply to ssdw1958]

So you stopped all medication or switched to something other than Avonex? I know it isn't going to make it better but I haven't gotten any worse. I think....as I was 60 when I was first dx. and now 69, I'm not quite sure what is "MS related" and what is "age related".

[ssdw1958 in reply to punterstein]

I am now on Ampyra Oxybutynpine Ocrevus and B 12 I was on tesfidera after the Avonex

[punterstein in reply to ssdw1958]

Yes, I am on B12 as well. Hope you have good luck with the Ampyra!!

[Curran1970 in reply to punterstein]

Had steroids in Jan when diagnosed.Nothing since.1st on going treatment.Hope your feeling well😀🍀

[footss]

I've been on Avonex since 2005. I'm using the Avonex pin injections 1 weekly. I'm saying it's cool, I like it.😉 ¯👀 ~~~**foots**~~~👣

[MS_Indestructible]

I was on Avonex for 2 years. It was the first DMT that somewhat worked for me. Had some minor side affects, mainly feeling like I had a mild flu for a day each week after the injection. After 2 years started having more serious side affects and went off Avonex. I had changed Neuros and talked with her and she suggested Rituxan therapy. I've been on Rituxan now for 4 years and it has worked wonders. Don't know if this is your first DMT but id your doctor suggests Avonex I think you can't go wrong, you can always change if you are not happy with it. Rituxan is not a DMT per say, it is an off label use for MS. Ocrevus is the most recent Rituxan type of DMT specifically for MS. Again you can start on Avonex and research other DMTs for possible future use. ~terry

[Curran1970 in reply to MS_Indestructible]

Ms Indestructible,This my 1st treatment.Looks like trial & error with them all.With side effects etc to consider.Hope your well.😀🍀.

[MsGelfling1]

I took Avonex for a good ten years. I was sick with it four out of seven days a week. My doctor then put me on Gilenya - one capsule a day. All the side effects went away and truly felt so much better. Good luck to you.

[Curran1970 in reply to MsGelfling1]

MsGelfling1,Thanks for sharing your experiences,all info appreciated.Hope your health stays good.😀🍀.

[msinca07]

Hi Curran I started taking Avonex in 2007 when I was diagnosised. It took time but the side effects slowly diappeared after several months on it. At first I had to inject myself, developed a needle phobia thankful the pen became available. I developed a routine for the nights I took the injection. I would take a bath, took 400 mg of Ibuprofen, 25mg of benadryl about 1/2 hour before injection. I always took it at night before bed so that I would sleep through most of the effects. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids that seemed to help as well.

I recently switch meds to another injectable not because it became ineffective but because I could no longer afford it. Good luck with the Avonex. I suggest taking it Friday night until you know how you react so if you are workiong you don't miss any work because of side effects.

[Curran1970 in reply to msinca07]

Msinca07,thanks to you & all who have taken time to give advice on how Avonex affected them.Meeting nurse for 1st jab tomorrow evening.I might suggest waiting until fri in case of side effects.I’m a postie so lots of walking & driving.legs can be tingly at times,with a feeling of static.Sounds weird description but hard to put in words!!😀🍀

[StacyHayward]

I started on avonex back when there were only three choices of meds: avonex, copaxone, and betaseron. At the time they were huge needles!

I must be a lucky one as I had almost no side effects except the occasional mild headache. It worked great for me. I always took both Tylenol and ibuprofen the night before and morning after. And drank lots of water.

I never did my own shots. That was a job for my husband!

I only took it for about a year. We wanted to have a baby so I had to come off it. When I was ready to start again Rebif was available and my neuro felt it would be better for me. I’ve been on it for around 13 years now without problems. And I still don’t do the shots myself!

[Curran1970 in reply to StacyHayward]

StacyHayward,Thanks for your thoughts.I’m lucky my wife is a nurse & can give my jabs!!😀🍀.

[Diva1976]

In terms of MRI it was doing what doctor expected. For me physically, it wasn't good. It would shut the body down. It was like me relapsing every week a few hours after doing injection. I was only on it for a few months.

[Curran1970 in reply to Diva1976]

Sorry to hear that,hope your on something that helps😀🍀.

[ArmyBrat]

Like many others, I started on Avonex when I was first diagnosed. First the needles, then the pen. Got good results per the MRI and relapses, but it did take a while for my body to adjust. I found that drinking Gatorade (or a similar electrolyte drink) and eating good solid meals throughout the day on injection day helped minimize the flu-like symptoms but there was a lot of trial and error for a while. I'm kind of a dork so I had a spreadsheet of what I ate and drank, what my temperature was throughout the night, when my fever broke, and any other side effects I experienced that week to look for patterns to see what helped most. My flu-like symptoms always went away overnight and there was no "hangover" the next day. They very rarely kept me from socializing on a Friday evening after the shot. I eventually switched away from the Avonex altogether after about 6 years. Tecfidera was a worse adjustment for me, so it may be that some of us just tolerate the meds better than others.

[Curran1970 in reply to ArmyBrat]

ArmyBrat,Hope your well.Will try Gatorade or similar drink to see if they help.😀🍀

[6092177588]

Not sure what this is.

[Pammy1963]

Yes been on it 7 years works good for me.