betaferon or avonex - Multiple Sclerosis Message Board

dawnies · 04-17-2008, 12:10 PM

I was wondering if anyone out there that injects Avonex could tell me if they have any side effects and is it painful because it is a bigger needle than Betaferon which i am currently using and have been for the last 4 years but i have Psoriasis and every injection site turns into psoriasis so i am thinking of trying Avonex because you only inject weekly.

MSNik · 04-17-2008, 12:11 PM

Dawnies, you might want to consider Rebif, too- its the smallest needle on the market, and because it is subcutaneous, not intramuscular, you might have more luck with the psoriasis end of things...

april1848 · 04-17-2008, 12:21 PM

I'm on Avonex. It doesn't hurt at all. Having blood taken or IV lines inserted hurts way more. I've been taking it since November and I've had zero injection site reactions, which is a big plus. After the shot there's a tiny dot of blood and that's that. I'm also a big fan of the once a week part.

The injection itself and injection site is painless but the side effects are not. In the beginning I was very sick with chills, fever, aches, etc. Just like a flu. I still get sick with a fever and chills but it's nothing like the beginning. The first two shots were the worst. About how long the side effects last, I've heard 3-6 months. But I met a woman on Avonex who has been on it for 2 years and still gets sick, and others never get sick, so I guess it's different for everybody.

I'm doing everything you're supposed to: drink a lot of fluids, take a pain reliever before and after, etc. I've tried tylenol, ibuprofen and aleve and didn't notice a difference with any of them. I take my shot on Friday night so I sleep thru the worst of it and on Saturdays I'm still sick and I take it easy.

How I feel after the shot depends on how long and deeply I sleep. If I get up in the middle of the night, I feel terrible, like a vice is on my head. So I started taking two Tylenol PMs before I go to bed to keep me from waking up to early.

Good luck with whatever you choose. If something isn't working for you, you can always try something else!

dawnies · 04-17-2008, 12:32 PM

Hi to both of you and thanks for answering so quickly. I am not sure Rebif would be any better because when you work it out it is only one shot a fortnight less than Betaferon. I saw my nuero and she said i should look into it and whatever i decide she will go with , its a big decision for me because i reacted quite badly to Beteferon for quite a while and not sure i want to go through that again.

amy2705 · 04-17-2008, 02:18 PM

I take Avonex. While it was a bit scary the first few time because the needle seems so big, but it doesn't hurt. I've been on it for almost 2 years and I don't even notice the needle anymore. I've never had a reaction at the injection site. You can't even tell I did an injection the next day (I'm really pale and have sensitive skin, so not seeing the injection mark is pretty good considering!).

As for side effects, the first time I used it was brutal and the second time wasn't all that great (flu symptoms, hot/cold, sweats, restless legs...). But since then there are no side effects at all - except sometimes a bit tired the next day. No side effects in the injection site at all. I'm not really all that good at picking new injection sites so I just rotate between left and right mid-thigh every week and that seems to be good enough to avoid any problems. Looking at my skin, you wouldn't know I even do injections. That's one plus with Avonex - a lot less disturbance to the skin. I've read the once a week intermuscular injections (Avonex) cause much less permanent damage to the skin than the more regular sub-cutaneous ones. No rashes, no pock marks, etc. If the injection happens to be around the begining of my period, sometimes I get a little bruise. That's really it though.

Finally (sorry for the long post), there is now a smaller needle available with Avonex. Apparently it's for smaller / skinnier people who find the 1-1/4 inch needle too large or just too scary. So you might also want to look into that if the standard needle freaks you out. Sorry I don't have much info on that because the standard needle is okay for me. But I read about the smaller needle in an MS newsletter I get. I'll try to find the article and get the info for you.