I just got a call from a company who was referred to me from MS Lifelines. They were calling to set up delivery of the medication my neurologist prescribed, Rebif. They said that I should have it tomorrow. Then a MS Lifelines nurse will call me to set up a time to come and show me how to give myself injections. The pharmacist also called me to explain a little more about Rebif. He told me to take Aleve or Tylenol before the shots and that most people take it at bedtime so the flu-like symptoms do not bother you as much. He said that I will start on a little dose and then in two weeks another dose and after that the full dosage. I guess it is becoming a little more real now. While I am still in a state of denial, I guess when I start the shots 3 times a week it will become a little more real. As for lesions, the neurologist only found two and faint bands so I am hoping it means that they caught it early. Here's hoping so.

No worries at all - I've been on R for 4 years now with no real problems. I take Ibuprofen before the shots because that's what works best for me - it's all a big experiment for each person. I find that being well hydrated and exercising also helps what I refer to as "shot yuckiness" (nice technical term huh?) go away.

R has worked very well for me - I wish the same for you!

Best of luck to you!
I started Avonex this week... although it's not the same drug, I can relate to the stress of starting a new drug - especially one involving a needle!
I found that injecting for the first time was a little like cliff diving... you know that all you have to do is cover that distance (the last step off the cliff, or between the needle and your skin), but you really just wish someone would push you. You can do it though - it wasn't as bad as I expected, once I had "taken the plunge."
I took 800 mg of ibuprofen prior to the shot, stayed very well hydrated, and had remarkably few side effects. I hope you'll have the same experience.
Hang in there...

Hi, as a new rebif user myself, I hope I can ease some concerns for you

I just started Rebif not quite 3 wks. ago, am into my middle dose size, and so far have had only one tiny mark at an injection site and no side effects, at least not from the injection.

The needle is so fine that the first few times I was sure it hadn't gone in, and actually checked the syringe after to make certain it was empty.

Hydration, pre medicating, taking it in the evening, getting the syringe out well in advance (I take mine out in the AM), and making certain you let the alcohol dry completely before injecting are the tips I read and have followed.

I learned last night, after wasting a dose , that the syringes warm up pretty quickly under one's arm, but having a fortune in meds in your axillary area is not the way to go, , so hopefully you won't need to learn from my mistake.

Best of luck, I hope it is as smooth a process for you as it has been for me.