This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

I have been on Avonex for 8 years. I started with the powdered form, and had bad side effects. Then they switched us all to the pre-filled form and the side effects were horrible. Chills and shaking that rocked the pictures off the wall, headache, muscle cramps and worst of all - depression. I was approved to switch back to the powdered form, and the side effects are less. However, the depression continues. Sometimes it is 1 day, sometimes 2, sometimes 5 days. Although I know it is a drug induced depression, it doesn't change the fact that I feel horrible for those days.

I take very good care of myself. I swim 4-5 hours of hard cardio a week, play outdoors, follow the Swank diet, don't drink, don't smoke and try to minimize stress. But now the stress of taking the shot is building to the point I haven't taken it in 2 weeks. I just can't bear the days after.

Friday I had an appointment with my Neuro and when I got there he was too busy to see me. I had a melt down, started crying right there at the sign-in desk and had to leave. I had waited over 5 weeks to talk to him! So I called my family doc and she prescribed Cymbalta. Now I am taking that and it sucks. So I have traded 1-4 days of drug induced depression for 7 days of a mood-altering drug. Plus I have come to find out that Cymbalta is highly addictive. I am going off the Cymbalta.

My neuro suggested Tysaberi to me several months ago when I first asked for a way off Avonex, but even with financial aid, I can't afford it.

What to do? I have long thought that I would do better on 1/2 dose. I am only 108 pounds and this drug was tested on 150+ males. Does anyone take only 1/2 dose? I have asked Biogen and my neuro and they just say "dose doesn't depend on body size" which makes absolutely no sense at all. I need less of every other drug, food, beverage, air and water - why is Avonex different?

Any help would be appreciated. I am rapidly loosing my mind.

Sometimes a lack of B vitamins can cause depression? Do you eat lots of greens and healthy foods? I find spirulina helps with my mood (its a superfood, lifestream is a good make) but it may not work for everyone.

I find steroids give me depression so I have to think long and hard before taking any of them.

Have you tried copaxone?

How is your health other than your depression? Are you still mobile?

L

LR1234,

I had not heard of spirulina. I will try it. I am very healthy and completely mobile. I follow the Swank MS diet, which is really healthy. I twitch allot, and sometimes if I get too hot I loose my vision for a while, but that is it. I know I am lucky on the MS spectrum, I don't want to complain too much.

I am also "lucky" on the MS spectrum as at the moment you wouldn't know I had it. I just hope I can keep this way until they find the cure.

If you are going to take a supplement I would go for the B complex first as there is a direct correlation between lack of B vits and depression. Maybe also look into taking some omega 3's (fish oil etc)

hi grace 422!
i feel you...i am worring about everything and all the time...sometimes i belive that i bring nothing else but trouble to my family and friends.

i have to say you give your best self to fight depression!!!swank diet is not easy to follow (it's a little bit strick) particularly if you are (THE) fan of chocolate like me...and swim is the best exercise you could pick!! you worth a big-big bravo for your fight!!!

i fight depression with the same ways and plus sometimes i do the following "exercise": i stand infront of a mirror and i say: hi, depression (i don't want to hurt your feelings but) i cannot let you be a part of my life. goodbye! and then with my right hand i do a move like i pull depression out of my heart and then i waste it by flashing the toillet!!then i look at the mirror and smile and finally i try to carry on with what i was trying to do.

just fight it with the most powerfull weapon you have...your smile!
there is a song that says "smile, even if you don't mean it..."

after a few times of that "exercise" you will smile and you will mean it...don't let it steal your life...