for more than a year. It now has a new thinner 30-gauge needle. Hopefully that will help with the site reaction. I am doing okay with the smaller needle size.
Good luck!

I dont have any advice for you, I just wanted to throw a hug at you Starting any new med is so scary in MS land. I hope you sail through it.

I like that! A new thinner needle!

Thanks! Starting was scary, Restarting is just something I need to do. Looking for advice about the new formulation!

AMN I am only hoping the best for you, and that Beta doesn't treat you so bad this time out.

I was on Avonex for a year, and I hated it. The needle seemed to grow longer and bigger each week until I was totally unable to give myself an injection anymore.

I've been on Beta for 2 1/2 years. I still get red spots, especially on my abdomen, some on my thighs. No problems with hips or arms. Since I develed tremors DH had to take over the injections, which is working out okay. Haven't received the newer, smaller needles yet. They should be coming with my next batch.

I was able to stop Tylenol dosing about 18 months after starting Beta. I got bad headaches without the Tylenol, but no flu symptoms, and I do the shot a couple hours before going to bed.

Haven't quit and then gone back on, so can't help you there, but my MS has been getting so much worse the past six months that I'm seriously considering stopping Beta in Sept--my 3-year mark--and not taking any of the DMD's.

I know all of this can be a hard decision to make, and I do wish you the best.

Cheryl, Jim did. He was on Beta way back in the day. Tried Copax and then Avonex. Now back to Beta and doing fine on it. The only place he has site reactions is when I do it in his stomach. The needles are much smaller now too so that should help. We haven't opened the smaller needles yet because the VA took their time getting the new ones. Waste not I guess. lol

No symptoms for Jim whatsoever. He does seem to have some stiffness the day after but we're not convinced just yet it's the Beta. Other than that, nothing. No more staying in for days like with Avonex. I do pre medicate with Ibuprofen. I tried Tylenol once and he ran a fever so I would recommend Ibuprofen or something similar.

Good luck!

Hey FG! Hope the Beta works for ya; it's been a rough yr for you, so hope it starts to turn around. take care!


**Ya want me to SMACK Twiffy, I mean Spot on my way out of the thread????**

Come on DM...let's go play "Time for DM to have an Avonex shot!" It will be fun!

What color duct tape shall we use?

Ya got pink? DM would look really pretty in some pink. Ya think?

Grabbing cotton balls to stuff in DM's mouth!

Pink would be good!

I did find out the location of the new lesions. Temporal lobe. Completely different location than all the others.

I have an appt with my neuro end of April to go over everything. Including how the interferon will affect CRPS and vice versa. The two docs are talking about tx options.