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Numbness after Avonex

Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2014 5:37 pm
by Bazan18
I found out I had MS when I was 18 after I had numb tingly legs for 2 weeks. I was on anovex for 3 months and stop taking it for 3 months leading to my next chech up. The numbness in my legs went away the 1st after I left the hospital (last year) since I've been feeling normal but got prescribed more Avonex and I took my first injection this Friday and got the worst side effects ever. 7 straight hours of migraines, chills, throwing up, and fls.
Also my left arm feels numb today after my injection. Why do I need to take them still if they make me feel worse then how I was ? And is this numbness going away because I thought the injections were to stop numbness.

Re: Numbness after Avonex

Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 12:08 am
by NHE
Try taking some ibuprofen at the time of your injection and then have a second dose about 4-6 hours later. Hopefully, that will help to minimize the side effects. I'm not sure what to think about your numbness symptoms. It sounds like a good question for your doctors.

Re: Numbness after Avonex

Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 5:56 am
by want2bike
When you have adverse reactions to a medication that is your body telling you it doesn't want the drug. Drugs are toxic to the body. MS drugs do not stop the progression of the disease and are suppose to weaken your immune system to make you feel better. If they do not make you feel better why are you taking them? Some people never do the drugs and they get better. Doctor Bergman gives a solution to MS without the use of drugs. Dr. Swank gives a solution to MS without the use of drugs. Dr. Walhs gives a solution to MS without the drugs. Roger MacDougal gives a solution to MS without using drugs. Many with MS do not use the drugs. It is a personal choice not the doctors choice. Get the information and make it your choice. Why not give Dr. Bergman's treatment a try for 60 days. You can get your health back if you follow the right path.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/18/healt ... .html?_r=3&




Re: Numbness after Avonex

Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 7:20 am
by Kronk
Bazan18 wrote: Why do I need to take them still if they make me feel worse then how I was ? And is this numbness going away because I thought the injections were to stop numbness.
Its no secret that MS drugs don't prevent long term disability, they also won't affect a relapse that your currently suffering through only steroids such as solumedrol can do that. MS drugs do reduce relapses but you have to weigh the side effects with the benefit. If you were to have 3 relapses a year Avonex would prevent 1 of those... So ask yourself if its worth the trouble. The good news is there are many other options and personally i don't see why any neuro would start anyone on any other drug that Tecifidera. It is oral, almost no side effects, and has a significantly higher efficacy rate. I am currently on Copaxone because my insurance doesnt cover Tec. It is a daily needle, but has no side effects for me. Also the mechanism of action doesn't suppress my immune system. I would re-evaluate your options with the drugs available since you have given it a 3 month go with limited success...

Best of Luck!

Re: Numbness after Avonex

Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:41 am
by Scott1
Hi,

I was on Avonex for a very long time and had similar initial symptoms to you and they don't suddenly diminish. It is important to remember what interferon does. In simple terms, think of it as a signaling agent not as an immunosuppressive. It doesn't wage any wars, it just alerts your immune system to do something. The same thing occurs naturally when you start to get to ache because you are "coming down with a bug". It's a surge of wake up juice for the immune system.
So if you get really bad reactions when others may not, what is it telling you about your underlying health? The message is you have pathogens in your system that can evade your immune system most of the time but not when the interferon signals to go on the attack. I would suggest you see your local doctor and get tested for chlamydias, rickettsias, lyme, mycoplasmas (especially) and anything else he can think of. It's this style of infection that is making the reaction so difficult. If you had no underlying infections then you would barely notice the Avonex. I have been through the whole range of reactions so I speak from first hand experience. Persisting with Avonex will be really hard if you don't use other treatments to clear the underlying pathogens.

Regards

Re: Numbness after Avonex

Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 1:25 pm
by Zac
I was put on Avonex, injected myself at 10:30pm after going to sleep I woke at 2:30am paralised, which lasted for four hours, my MS nurse said I could not relate it to Avonex as no body had reported symptoms of this kind and to persavier, the following week the exact same thing happened again, again my MS nurse would not accept it was anything to do with Avonex..!!

I am now left with my condition in a much poorer state that pre - Avonex ?

Re: Numbness after Avonex

Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 3:03 pm
by want2bike
Here is a web site which tells what others have seen when using Avonex.

http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.a ... ame=AVONEX

Re: Numbness after Avonex

Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2014 6:30 am
by JeanDeEau
Geeez, Louise, a whole ten responses for Avonex and a score of 3.1 from 5.
Thats better than 50% approval.
Was it worth posting that link?
And, in the interests of being fair, could you post a link that gives the opinion of all the rest of the Avonex users in the Coninental US?