Hi. I'm about to start Avonex again after 5 years. My 1st major replapse in a long time.So haven't been on injects just mild meds. I went off Avonex to complete my family. I hear they have new pre filled injections. When i was using them i had to mix everything up myself. Just wondering if its really easier, i'll be seeing a MS Nurse on friday for her to show me how tho do them all over again. I dreaded the after effect of chills and fever, do the new Avonex have lesser side effects. Wanna hear from people who have used both.. Any feedback would be great..thanxs GL

Glamour Girl,

I can't answer to the avonex as I'm on rebif.

Wishing you luck with starting these meds over.

thanxs anyway. Rebif was the other choice alternitive , dont think i'll cope with more than 1x week injec .. your so brave.. thanks again.

Glamour Girl,
Just wanted to say that I know of someone who went from the old Avonex to the new one...she says that its SO MUCH easier to use, because you dont have to mix it. Rebif, which I use, comes prefilled and ready to go- and it is easy....
Rebif and Avonex are the same drug...the only major difference is one time a week vs. 3 times a week. Keep in mind, the reason that Rebif came out, is becasue many patients were experiencing drug withdraw symptoms on Avonex....by the time the end of the week came, they "needed" their drug, and could tell it was wearing off...by giving it 3 times a week (rebif) you never really experinece that feeling.....but, for others, they NEVER experince that feeling..

The side effects, from what my friend tells me are exactly the same. Youll probably go thru the flu-like symtpoms again for a few months (try Aleve, it lasts 12 hours vs. the 4 hour over the counters) and you will probably have some small site injection reactions...nothing like what Copaxone users talk about...but overall, whatever you went thru before, youll probably go thru again....however its short lived.

Im proud of you. Now that your family is all finished and you are ready to commit to going back to a drug, I think its smart of you to do it asap and NOT let another relapse (after this one) hit...at least if you are taking one of the therapies, you know that you are doing EVERYTHING you can NOT to let MS control your future..
Keep us posted...and hey, DO THE SHOTS YOURSELF from the get go this time! Dont end up like me!:cool:
Hugs,
Nikki

I'm on Avonex, have been for just under 18 months now. I have always used the prefilled. I go into the clinic each week for my shot but I did self inject for about 6 months. It's very simple. You just put the needle onto the syringe, push it up some to get the liquid to the top and get rid of any bubbles and that's it for preparing the syringe. I do still get some chills and aches even after all this time. I don't know about the ones you had to mix but the prefilled are easy to use.

My suggestion as the needle that comes with the package is scary large, have your doctor give you some thinner needles and see if you can't get some numbing lotion that you put on for about an hour before hand. Helps a lot.

Hey there... I"ve been on Avonex for a year now. At first I had the kind that had to be mixed and went to an injection clinic. Now i get premixed and do it myself.

Hint.. if you give the injection yourself the deeper into the muscle you can go the less of an injection site reaction. I still have the side effects but if I take my injection late in the evening before going to bed, then I can usually sleep most of the night and just have the tired achy feeling the next day.

I can tell when it is time for my injection. Late on Thursday's i start feeling really bad and have some symptoms pop up. BUT I'm not sure I could inject myself 3 times a week. It might be something to think about later on.

Congrats on the family and I wish you good luck with the Avonex.

Thanks to you all. Oh bugger.. . this is the 2nd reply im typing up. i some how lost the last post just as i was about to send it. It was a mile long Hmm?? maybe a good thing.lol.. So short version. On friday, 3 days to go, i'll be seeing the MS nurse at hospital to show me the new pre filled Avonex. Glad to hear it will be much easier. i'll take ALL the advice you ladies gave me. Going to get me some of those Aleve & numbing lotion. I'm determined to take thoese shots myself. But i'm taking Hubby in with me so he can learn the new injec for when i'm not up to it. My fingertips get numb and if he resists when i ask . Hmm !!! i'm going to give him the shot instead (ok .. i'm kidding lol..) Taking the shots at nite was what i used to do then go straight to bed, so i'll stick to that for sure.. i've also got another MRI schelded for thurs so we'll see how that goes.. errrr that will be fun NOT.. Thanks Ladies for your posts they have helped.. xx