Avonex to Plegridy?

Everyday living
1

Hi, has anyone been on Avonex and then switched to Plegridy?

I was diagnosed with RRMS in Nov 2010. After 3 - 4 bad relapses within that first year my neurologist recommended I try Avonex and it’s worked pretty well. I am now thinking of switching to Plegriday a) because you can inject fortnightly and b) because the injections can be kept out of the fridge for up to 30 days which would be great when travelling abroad.

If someone here has been on both my question is (and I know we’re all different) but did you have any bad side effects with the Plegridy. I inject on a Friday and those very first 4 - 5 weekends I did feel rather very rough/flu like which gradually eased. Because Avonex is similar to Plegridy but a higher dose and injected subcutaneously am I likely to feel just as bad as before …or worse. Don’t know what to do. Your experiences would be greatly appreciated, tia.

2

No experience of Plegridy, but I was on Avonex for years. How is Plegridy on site reactions? ‘No site reactions’ was for me one of the major plus points of Avonex over the others. I didn’t know that at the time - it was only after hearing of people’s troubles with the sub-cutaneous injections that I came to understand the advantages of intra-muscular! So in your shoes I would want to be sure that I wasn’t trading in one problem for worse ones. ‘Site reactions’ sounded to me like such a minor thing until I found out from others’ experiences just how unpleasant and troublesome they could be.

Alison

3

I do get occasional site reactions on Avonex but not really uncomfortable…the redness turns into a brown mark which then takes ages to go away. Still researching. Thanks