advice on starting avonex injections?
 

not happy b/c need to start meds and avonex rep can ONLY see me on wed at 10:30 am...or wait another week...what have people experienced with avonex? i hope to go forward w/appt and then go to work...from your experiences, is that realistic? avonex guy told me not to stress and that most people don't have side effects...husband will be outta town...will have my 2 kids....please let me know about your experiences with first injections...did you use tylenol? did you do it right before bed? thanks much, M

Volada,

First BREATHE! slowly! :) I was on Avonex. I can tell you this...no one reacts the same to anything....

For me, I had NONE of the flu side effects and breezed through it that way. However, my white blood cells didn't like it and now I'm on Copaxone....

Back to you, I think you are smart to think about not having hubby around.

You will have to answer for yourself. This Wed or next week?

Do you want hubby to be trained? Are your kids old enough to pop in something in the microwave for dinner after school that day if needed? Do you have someone else that can come over, if needed that afternoon, evening? Did your neuro tell you to get on this as of yesterday?

Good luck!

no big rush--i guess???
 

thanks for the insight---neuro didn't say was a giant emergency to start---i am just agressive--just confirmed the csf band junk yesterday and picked up avonex--only have one lesion and only mild symptoms (i guess???) in comparison to some of the experiences i have read on this sight...i sense that next week would not make a huge difference since my children definitely can't fend for themselves (9 year old cld but would probably quarrel w/5 year old in the process)...i do have some friends that cld take them for the day...but what is harder for me is to think i have to do the first injection and then rush off to work...not that i expect reactions but it is an emotionally difficult thing and i want to be able to ease into the med's --i was hoping to start on a friday night and watch a movie or go to sleep--are the injections that difficult?

if i had him show me and had the introductory dvd cld me and the hubby figure it out on friday night?
not rush into work---thanks again...

:)Hello,
Well I've been on Avonex for 10 years and still sometimes have the flu like symptoms and the fatigue. It usually hits me about 6 hours later so you should be ok. Just make sure to take Tylenol or Advil after the shot it does seem to help. Good Luck!!
Sylvia

Started Avonex 2 years ago. Full dose.:eek: Put me in the flu like side effects and spiked a pretty good fever. I would definitely go up in dosage gradually if I did it again. (But part of that was I hadn't done any interferons in about a year).

I was on Rebif when I was first diagnosed. I like Avonex much better. Thinner gauge needle = less pain. And only once a week.

Get some ibuprofen in you prior to the shot.

I was on Avonex for 2-1/2 years and my DH did my shots Friday evening before bed so I could sleep through the side effects. If it were me, I would postpone a week so you could do it on Friday evening and not have to rush to work.

As someone else said, meds effect everyone different. I always had side effects and I distinctly remember the side effects from the first shot being the worst. I dosed up on ibuprofen and drank lots of fluids on shot night. When it seemed my body developed a tolerance to the ibuprofen, I started taking Theraflu about an hour before my shot.

Good luck!

Volada,

It doesn't sound like the doctor thinks this is a pronto thing.

If you have never done injections before or hubby has never done them, I would recommend the training with him there. You will need him sometimes to either give emotional you can do it or at times, mine had to do it (like when I waited too late at night and my hand was shaking)....

You will love the once a week thing! The needle is long, but like Moose said it is very slim....I RARELY felt the needle go in....

Take Care!

i appreciate all of your insight
 

thanks so much--avonex rep said it is not that big a deal--but he isn't the one getting the shot, rushing to work, picking up children, doing homework, etc. etc. --i think i am leaning toward waiting heck--some people don't even go on meds...

You are right that some people don't....you have to decide between you and the doctor. But don't let the fear of needles keep you from the meds.

I started Avonex pretty much a needle weenie! I can now do shots on the phone!!! It does get better!!

you never forget the first time :)
 

my neuro said --tylenol--does it matter? thanks for your msg---i am hoping to be one of the 52% (according to avonex guy) w/o side effects...but that leaves a lot of people who DO get them