Will the side effects ever cease?

jdamon · Getting to Know You... Joined: May 25, 2005 Posts: 12

I've been on Avonex for 1 year now and still have the normal side effects every week that come with it. I've gotten a pretty good routine to minimise the effects using Tylenol, eating, rest, and more Tylenol, but they are still there every week. Some weeks are worse than others. The neuro said when I started I'd only have them a couple of months. Wrong. Then he talked about switching to Copaxone for less side effects but I prefer the once a week routine. Will these side effects ever go away?

NHE · Volunteer Moderator Joined: Nov 21, 2004 Posts: 771

jdamon · Getting to Know You... Joined: May 25, 2005 Posts: 12

Thanks for the advice. I'll try the Ibuprofin and see what the results are for me. I currently inject on thursday evening around 7:00. Waking up in the nite is normal for me I do it every nite between 12:00 and 2:00, it has been like this ever since my dx. I only work 6:00-10:00 on Fridays so this is the best compromise for me. People at work accuse me of having a hangover or say I ought to get more sleep, a little bit annoying. I usually start feeling better by mid afternoon friday so this routine doesn't affect my weekends. I was injecting on Friday evening but found that I was wasting Saturdays not feeling well. I feel like I need to make everyday count nowadays.

batpere

jdamon · Getting to Know You... Joined: May 25, 2005 Posts: 12

I understand entirely the pressure to stay employed, its on my mind constantly. In Aptil 2004, I was dx 4 months after starting my current job. The company i worked for was kind enough to grant me a 1 1/2 week leave of absence. That only added to the stress of the situation. I returned to work before i was really ready to but i had no choice, return to work or have no work to return to. I have since relaxed about work some but the concern is still there. I have accrued some sick time and some vaca time if needed and now have full benefits. The most important of which are medical ins. and disability.
Thanks for the suggestions on how to tame this medication. I've been trying not to think too much about this illness but the time has come to learn everything I can. This site has a bunch of necessary information.
_________________
J. Damon

All I want is less to do,
more time to do it,
and higher pay
for not getting it done.

LindaR · Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 6:15 am Post subject:

I've been on Avonex about 1.5 years. I am one of the luckier ones who actually followed Biogen. I had side effects for about 6-months and then rarely. There are times when I will wake up with a headache that could last most of the next day but I found that taking Advil 2 hours before my injection and then every 4/6 hours really does help.

Good luck.

Xenova · Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 2:06 pm Post subject:

2 years for me. After 1 year, the side effects became bearable but 2 months ago they came back. Waking up in the middle of the night shivering cold. But they did go away. I suspect I will go through lapses like this as long as I am on the medicine.

MOMTO3 · Family Member Joined: Jan 06, 2005 Posts: 36 Location: NY

in 2 weeks it will be a year for me. i usually take motrin about 20 mins before my shot which i take at 9pm.sometimes i wake with the worst headache ever and have to take a second dose, last week i tried my shot with no motrin before, to see how i would tolerate it, and boy what a mistake Rolling Eyes

had the shakes and the fever all night. i see a new doc in 2 weeks, and im sure he will send me for a mri to see if the avonex is even helping?

jdamon · Getting to Know You... Joined: May 25, 2005 Posts: 12

I just tried the ibuprofin thing instead of tylenol and while is still ached, i seemed a little better early the next morning. I still took some more in the middle of the night. I found taking a good multi vitamin also helps. How often does your neuro request mri's? I just had an appointment with mine and he asked if anything new had popped up and I said no. He said see you in six months. No blood tests for liver function and no mention of mri's. I was sort of expecting both because it has been over a year since the last mri and 6 months since the last blood test. How often should we have mri's and blood tests?
_________________
J. Damon

All I want is less to do,
more time to do it,
and higher pay
for not getting it done.

MOMTO3 · Family Member Joined: Jan 06, 2005 Posts: 36 Location: NY

i am not sure on the recommended time for mri's/bloodwork, but i know in the yr i've been on avonex, my neuro did no blood, and no mri's i ending up asking my reg pcp for bloodwork to check my liver function. and this is why i am switching neuro's. i am sure when i go to my appt. he will suggest a mri.

NHE · Volunteer Moderator Joined: Nov 21, 2004 Posts: 771

jdamon · Getting to Know You... Joined: May 25, 2005 Posts: 12

That sounds like the schedule i'm on. I had several mri's(in the tube 4 different times) leading up to my dx. Had blood work 3 times in the first 6 months on Avonex, 2 by neuro, 1 by pcp. Had none in the second 6. I have an appointment with my pcp in a couple weeks maybe i should request a test. Just what I want, another needle stuck in me. Laughing

_________________
J. Damon

All I want is less to do,
more time to do it,
and higher pay
for not getting it done.