I was diagnosed in April and have been injecting Avonex for exactly six months.
I got the predicted flu symptoms - not too bad to start with - but they have not gone away and in the last month or so have been really bad for up to 48 hours after the injection.
I have my review with the neuro in January and am hoping to change DMD - maybe to Tecfidera - but I know the neuro prefers the tried and tested options. I have found the injections to be no problem at all but the side effects can write-off a day or two each week.
Has anyone experienced these side-effects for so long - and found a way to deal with them?
Hi David I was dx in January and started injecting in March in the beginning I had the flu symptoms but not that bad before I inject I take 2 paracetamol and 2 ibuprofen I do my injection on a night time and then before bed and after inject I take two more paracetamol and ibuprofen this is normally enough to stop side effects but if I forget to take the meds than I have the flu!! Don’t know if this has been any help?
I did something similar on my 10 years on Avonex, but at different times: 2 x 200mg ibuprofen after injection/before bed and then another 2 on waking the next morning, whether I felt that I needed them or not. If I forgot the morning ones, I would feel a bit ropey through the morning even if all had seemed fine first thing. Did the trick for me.
Yeah 2 each of paracetamol before injecting in the evening. Same again before bed and in the morning staves off the worst of it.
Must admit it can still sometimes be hit and miss whether I feel the side affects anyway but at least that routine lessens it. Forgot my bedtime tablets recently and spent half the night shivering!
I’ve been on Avonex for a month now and I agree with the people above.
I take 2x 500mg paracetamol and 2x 200mg ibuprofen about half an hour to an hour before I inject, then again 4 hours later. I have timed my injection so my 2nd set of tablet is just before bed.
I generally feel okay the next day, maybe need a further set of tablets once or twice the next day to stop a stinking head.
But I learnt the hard way, I forgot one week and I thought my head was going to explode
