Well I gave Tecfidera a go as my 1st attempt at medication, lasted all of 10 days. Been to see my nurse today. I’ve narrowed my options down to the tablet Aubagio or fortnightly injection Plegridy. Basically I’m trying to avoid injections but might be able to cope with an injection once a fortnight. Any thoughts please?
hi minnie
they all have their side effects.
it’s just a matter of finding one whose side effects don’t trouble you that much.
the beta interferons have a good reputation but give that flu-like feeling.
aubaggio needs regular blood tests.
ask your ms nurse for more information as you seem to need it.
ask if the one that you choose doesnt turn out to be right for you, will you be able to switch again.
good luck
carole xx
I do have some information, brain not working properly today. Just wondered on people’s thoughts & experiences on the two drugs. I find that people’s 1st hand experiences is better than the formal information
hi again
i’m taking tecfidera about 6 weeks in.
the side effects have settled down thankfully but they were difficult for a few weeks.
the only other DMD i have used is copaxone.
although it’s a daily injection it is simple enough and no side effects - no flu-like feelings, no upset stomach.
the only reason i came off it is my injection sites were awful.
hope more people come by and give their experiences
carole x
Thanks carole, I hope so to. I came off Tecfidera coz it was making me really poorly. I like the idea of taking a tablet rather than injections. But some of the side effects of the Aubagio I’m not sure about. I haven’t done my research on Plegridy yet, I think it’s another new drug in the ms market.
Is anyone on either Aubagio or Plegridy?
They are both fairly new, Aubagio(tablet) came out in England about a year ago and Plegridy (fortnightly injection ) only came out this year in England
Jaspher66 is starting Aubagio on the 19th of this month and I will be starting it in about six weeks. My neurologist would like me to try it because I want to slow down progression.
HTH
Mary
Hi Minnie
I’ve just started Abagio,18 days so far so not very long. Had my first blood test yesterday so waiting for results on that. Haven’t had any side affects so far but I know its early days.
Does anyone else have an opinion on either Aubagio or Plegridy? Have you experienced any side effects on Aubagio?
I’ve not been on Aubagio nor Plegridy but understand Plegridy is an Interferon. I think both have an efficiency of around 30% which is lower than other DMT’s on the market. I’ve on Rebif which is an interferon and find the side effects to be minimal. Injecting hurts a bit but you get used to needles with MS. A couple of painkillers at the time of injection and no flu like symptoms. The MS trust and this site has fact sheets on most meds.
Thanks humbug, I do have some information, but i was looking for real life experiences. I was on Tecfidera at the start of the year and found that people’s experiences were a lot more helpful than the fact sheets .
Have a look at the This is MS forum.
hi minnie
you’ve been agonising over this for some time now.
if you’ve narrowed it down to two, then pick one out of a hat.
be brave and get started as soon as possible.
if you absolutely hate it, you could ask for something else.
you can do this minnie!
carole x
You’re probably right carole maybe I should just flip a coin or something. I haven’t thought about it as much as I should.
Hi Minnie. What did you finally decide on and how are you doing? Newly diagnosed, I’ve been on Plegridy since July. My walking is rubbish and I’ve just come out of hospital having had a relapse. I wasn’t expecting that so soon! Wondering if I have made the wrong choice of dmt now…
These are the two drugs I have been offered and looking at information it seems aubagio has more side effects but plegridy you have to self inject so would also like to hear people’s thoughts if they are taking them. Sarah
I came off Plegridy because, apart from some spectacular site reactions, it hurt(!) the depression was unbearable. As soon as I stopped it, I returned to normal. I started Tecfidera last month and have no problems with the tablets.
Hello started Plegridy recently and so far so good. I liked the idea of only injecting every two weeks. The MS nurse was with me for the first injection and have managed ok with the self injecting. It was a much smaller prick than I expected and the injection pen is easy to use. It is rather daunting, but guess with time I’ll get used to it. The MS nurse mentioned that a few days after the injection, that I might get a red mark around the injection site and that it would then start to fade. This is exactly what’s happened. You’ll need blood tests before you start and then every 3 months. Was also told that as your body gets used to a drug, then any side effects should lessen. From what I’ve read all drugs have side effects and I guess you’ll have to see what works for you. I’ve decided to keep going for at least six months and if I’m not happy, I’ll try something else. Trust whatever you decide works well for you. X
Forgot to add, I was on Plegridy for seven months.