This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

I just took my full dosage this am and I am not feeling well at all. I have taken the shot at night in the past but today my friend that helps gave it to me at 8AM. Its 12:30 and I dont feel well at all; chills and aches.

I will try your method next week and hope for the best. I have had no side effects since I started so this is concerning to me since it was my first time at 100% strength.

I hope to be positive on avonex also ,too soon to tell though I took my 1st injection this afternoon. (1/4) dose this is also my first post here . I'm grateful for all the shared experience here and am a firm believer that we can accomplish together what we could never do alone

Welcome to ThisIsMS, Hd5guy. I agree with you "that we can accomplish together what we could never do alone."

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My hypothesis: excess insulin (hyperinsulinemia) plays a major role in MS, as developed in my initial post: http://www.thisisms.com/forum/general-discussion-f1/topic1878.html "Insulin – Could This Be the Key?"

Are you taking anything to counteract Avonex's side effects? Many people find that ibuprofen works better than the acetaminophen that Biogen recommends. Try 400 mg at the time of your shot and then another dose about 4 hours later. In addition, I found that taking the shot mid-day around noon was better than taking it in the evening as my body would not thermoregulate well while trying to sleep on Avonex and I would often get chills and shakes.

NHE

thanks for the replies..buyguy try it at night next time with my method..i hope it works for you as well...stay positive and hydrated!!

any updates or tips?

I'm getting ready to do injection #3,3/4 dose.I don't know if I've had any side effects because my symptoms have got worse. Nuro started oral staroids a week ago but I haven't noticed improvement .i know it could be worse so for now ill just follow direction and hang in there

I switched to the pen two weeks ago....what a difference using the pen has made. The whole experience of the shot has changed for me. Anyone that has the option of switching to the pen should do it

I have taken the shot twice in the AM and do notice that the flu like symptoms are worse when I do that. I find it best to take 2 advil and take the shot 1 hour before bed. I normally wake in the middle of the night so I take more advil then. I just there was less bruising.

My water intake needs to improve the day before and of the shot. One of these days I will cut the diet coke out

My symptoms have been pretty stable since I started the meds; when I get tired it is the only time that I feel like they get worse.

Im glad the pen is better for you.thursday ill receive my first shipment of pens.As crazy as it may sound,i hope they come in the same little cooler, my son uses them for ice fishing bait once i transfer meds to the fridge.The nurse is comming out to show me how to use the pen for the first time and I dont antisipate any issues.As far as hydration goes,the little cooler can hold water bottles too if your not into ice fishing. i wish you and all well.

I am new to Avonex I have not started the injections, but I am very apprehensive because I was on Copaxone for 8 months and suffered. My hair was shedding very badly; I had constant relapses every month and had swelling, bruising and itching at the injection site. My neuro suggested Avonex, he stated it has less side effects. I hope he is correct. I have been medicine free (except for 50000 iu of Vitamin D) since August and have not had a relapse, no new lesions and I feel great. My neuro said it will not last long and that I need to be on some type of MS med.....Any one out there that is med free and feeling great?

I was med-free until recently and I still don't do DMDs. MS started in January 2010. I haven't had a relapse since March 2011 (3rd). Felt pretty good until I started Wheldon protocol in September 2012...made me feel worse than ever. I quit after 3.5 months to try something else non-DMD. Back to feeling pretty darn good. There are lots of people here doing well sans DMDs.

That said, there seems to be higher risk of relapse after discontinuing DMDs. It's funny because my neurologist recommends DMDs whilst in the same breath warns that there is no safe way to stop taking them if there are adverse side effects.

Please pardon my off-topic response.

Thanks. I'm going to try it but just like with Copaxone if I have side , then I am going to stop. No need to apologize for the off topic comment, it is very true what you said about doctors telling you that you need to be on DMDs while in the same breath warn you about the adverse side effects.

good luck starting avonex..hopefully you will have less side effects than copaxone, again everyone is different but take the aleve and hydrate and if possible i would suggest taking it before bed.

The pen is great, i have not had to do the shot myself yet but i could with the pen, i am glad it came out and it will def help people with anxiety over the shot.

Well I injected my first full dose on Friday,now I can relate to some of the side effects.rough nite through sat am but now approx 30 hrs after doing much better. Temp control is still crazy sweats than cold than sweats. Friday told myself ill never do this again,but now thinking its better than a uncontrolled free fall of ms. Starting pen next week and hoping the juice is worth the squeeze