Interferon beta-1a IM Injection Treatment Evaluations
Most Popular Brands: Avonex, Avonex Prefilled Syringe
Generic Name: Interferon beta-1a IM Injection
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59 patient evaluations for Interferon beta-1a IM Injection
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- thunderdoodle
- Sex: M
- Data Quality: 3 stars
- MS: 1 yr
- Relapsing-Remitting
- Sensation: Moderate
- Overall: Mild
- Cognition: moderate
- Vision: mild
- Speech: mild
- Swallowing: mild
- Upper limb: moderate
- Walking: moderate
- See profile
-
-
- by thunderdoodle
- current dosage:
- 30 mcg weekly
- time on dosage:
- about 8 months
- purpose:
- Slow my MS progress
-
| Slow my MS progress Efficacy | Side Effects | Adherence | Burden | Specific Side Effects | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 20, 2009 |
Can't tell
|
Mild
|
Always
|
Not at all
|
|
| Feb 17, 2009 |
Major
|
None
|
Always
|
Not at all
|
|
| Apr 14, 2009 |
Can't tell
|
Moderate
|
Always
|
Not at all
|
|
| May 12, 2009 |
Can't tell
|
Severe
|
Always
|
Not at all
|
|
| Aug 18, 2009 |
Can't tell
|
Moderate
|
Always
|
Not at all
|
|
| Advice/Tips | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 20, 2009 | First shot was a bitch, blinding headache, chills, shaking,body pain, all of the above. Last shot [#5] no problems at all. Wonderful. I will stick with it and keep my fingers crossed. Advice DO NOT go without your meds. I believe this is going to work for me. May be too early to tell. | monthly |
| Feb 17, 2009 | After 8 or so weeks it appears that it is working. Advice...DO NOT stop your meds. you will have to start over. If you are over the bad stuff stick with it. | < $25 monthly |
| Apr 14, 2009 | It would appear that the Avonex is working. Advice is stay on your drugs if they work for you... | < $25 monthly |
| May 12, 2009 | I have not beeen using Avonex long enough to tell how well it is working. Need another scan to see what it is doing or not doing. I am going to stick with it, so to speak, until my next scan. Might try a different med. after scan depending on the out come. Whatever med. you use if it works I say stay with it. | < $25 monthly |
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1 helpful mark
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- anjane
- Sex: F
- Data Quality: 1 star
- MS: 10 yrs
- I don't know
- Sensation: Moderate
- Overall: Mild
- Cognition: mild
- Vision: mild
- Speech: mild
- Swallowing: mild
- Upper limb: mild
- Walking: moderate
- See profile
-
-
- by anjane
- dosage:
- Stopped taking
- purpose:
- Slow my MS progress
-
| Slow my MS progress Efficacy | Side Effects | Adherence | Burden | Specific Side Effects | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 27, 2009 |
Can't tell
|
Moderate
|
Always
|
Somewhat
|
|
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1 helpful mark
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- anotherOne
- Sex: F
- Data Quality: 3 stars
- MS: 5 yrs
- Relapsing-Remitting
- Sensation: None
- Overall: None
- Cognition: mild
- Vision: mild
- Speech: none
- Swallowing: none
- Upper limb: mild
- Walking: none
- See profile
-
- by anotherOne
- current dosage:
- 30 mcg/0.5 mL weekly
- time on dosage:
- about 2 years
- purpose:
- Slow my MS progress
-
| Slow my MS progress Efficacy | Side Effects | Adherence | Burden | Specific Side Effects | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 07, 2009 |
Can't tell
|
Mild
|
Always
|
A little
|
|
| Jan 11, 2009 |
Can't tell
|
Mild
|
Always
|
A little
|
|
| Feb 25, 2009 |
Can't tell
|
Mild
|
Always
|
A little
|
|
| Oct 20, 2009 |
Moderate
|
Mild
|
Always
|
A little
|
|
| Advice/Tips | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 07, 2009 | Since beginning with Avonex about 9 mos. ago I haven't had any relapse. I assume that means the meds are doing their job. I control the side effects easily by staying well hydrated, taking Tylenol before the injection and have a meal shortly after the injection. After first few months side effects are less frequent. | $25-49 monthly |
| Jan 11, 2009 | I take my shot on Fridays between 5:30pm and 7:30pm. Then I stay home and have a lazy evening and Saturday morning. Usually by Saturday afternoon I feel normal again and still have a weekend. I take 3 extra strength Tylenol 30 mins. before injection and again 3 hours later. I have found that a solid meal after the injection is necessary for controlling my side effects. A few times I had uncontrollable chills - the heating pad was the only thing that helped ease them. I don't know if it's really working or not but I haven't had any flare ups since I started the treatment so I feel optimistic about the treatment. | $25-49 monthly |
| Feb 25, 2009 | Eating a meal right after the injection has helped minimize my side effects. Also taking the max dosage of Tylenol or Advil right before the injection and often 3-4 hours later have helped to manage the side effects. I schedule my injections for a time when there is the least amount of other activity planned. This way, if I do have a crappy reaction I can veg out, have a lazy day and just relax. After a year and half using Avonex the times when I experience side effects are very infrequent. | $50-99 monthly |
| Oct 20, 2009 | I did have a mild flare up a few months ago - Optic neuritis strikes again! It was mild and more of an annoyance than anything. Didn't have to do the steroid treatment because is wasn't extremely disruptive to my day-to-day activities. When I met with my doc a couple of weeks ago she expressed that it was a good thing I was sticking with the Avonex. In spite of the flare up, after reviewing the most recent MRI results and talking with me she feels that the Avonex IS working. | $50-99 monthly |
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1 helpful mark
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- grandma2009
- Sex: F
- Data Quality: 3 stars
- MS: 5 yrs
- Relapsing-Remitting
- Sensation: Severe
- Overall: Moderate
- Cognition: moderate
- Vision: mild
- Speech: mild
- Swallowing: moderate
- Upper limb: moderate
- Walking: moderate
- See profile
-
-
- by grandma2009
- current dosage:
- 30 mcg/0.5 mL weekly
- time on dosage:
- about 3 months
- purpose:
- Slow my MS progress
-
| Slow my MS progress Efficacy | Side Effects | Adherence | Burden | Specific Side Effects | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 21, 2009 |
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Always
|
Not at all
|
|
| Mar 14, 2009 |
Can't tell
|
Moderate
|
Always
|
Not at all
|
|
| Apr 03, 2009 |
Can't tell
|
Mild
|
Always
|
Not at all
|
|
| May 11, 2009 |
Can't tell
|
Mild
|
Always
|
Not at all
|
|
| Advice/Tips | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 21, 2009 | Ice or put pressure on injection site before injecting as it helps with the pain of the needle going through the top layer of skin. Take Tylenol or other prescribed pain med and also benydril one hr before injection as it helps with the aches and flu symptoms. | $50-99 monthly |
| Mar 14, 2009 | HYDRATE HEAVILY THE DAY BEFORE AND OF INJECTION, TAKE BENYDRIL AND ACETAMINOPHEN OR IBUPROFEN 30 MIN BEFORE INJECTION.ICE OR PUT PRESSURE ON THE INJECTION A MIN OR SO BEFORE PUTTING THE NEEDLE IN AS IT NUMBS THE AREA WHILE YOU ARE INJECTING THE MEDS. | $50-99 monthly |
| Apr 03, 2009 | be patient.... take benydril , and tylenol, a half hr before avonex. take the avonex at a time of day that the side effects will hit at night while you are sleeping. that way you don't have to feel it all. | $50-99 monthly |
| May 11, 2009 | I take 1 benydril when I take my shot to avoid the side effects of fever, aches and pains. I also take one of my darvocet for the pain since I can't take advil due to allergy. I also take my shot at a time that when the effects start I can lay down for the night and sleep the symptoms off. | $50-99 monthly |
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1 helpful mark
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- europa
- Sex: F
- Data Quality: 1 star
- MS: 5 yrs
- Relapsing-Remitting
- Sensation: Moderate
- Overall: Mild
- Cognition: moderate
- Vision: mild
- Speech: mild
- Swallowing: moderate
- Upper limb: moderate
- Walking: moderate
- See profile
-
-
- by europa
- current dosage:
- 30 mcg weekly
- time on dosage:
- about 4 months
- purpose:
- Slow my MS progress
-
| Slow my MS progress Efficacy | Side Effects | Adherence | Burden | Specific Side Effects | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 01, 2008 |
Moderate
|
Moderate
|
Always
|
Somewhat
|
|
-
0 helpful marks
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- moogie16
- Sex: F
- Data Quality: 3 stars
- MS: 48 yrs
- Relapsing-Remitting
- Sensation: Moderate
- Overall: Moderate
- Cognition: moderate
- Vision: moderate
- Speech: mild
- Swallowing: mild
- Upper limb: moderate
- Walking: moderate
- See profile
-
-
- by moogie16
- dosage:
- Stopped taking
- purpose:
- Slow my MS progress
-
| Slow my MS progress Efficacy | Side Effects | Adherence | Burden | Specific Side Effects | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 23, 2006 |
None
|
Severe
|
Always
|
Somewhat
|
|
| Aug 20, 2008 |
None
|
Severe
|
Always
|
Somewhat
|
|
| Advice/Tips | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 23, 2006 | The side effects are not worth it. | < $25 monthly |
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0 helpful marks
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- TheNutHouse
- Sex: F
- Data Quality: 1 star
- MS: 11 yrs
- Relapsing-Remitting
- Sensation: Moderate
- Overall: None
- Cognition: moderate
- Vision: none
- Speech: none
- Swallowing: none
- Upper limb: none
- Walking: none
- See profile
-
- by TheNutHouse
- current dosage:
- weekly
- time on dosage:
- about 9 years
- purpose:
- Slow my MS progress
-
| Slow my MS progress Efficacy | Side Effects | Adherence | Burden | Specific Side Effects | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 17, 2008 |
Major
|
None
|
Usually
|
A little
|
| Advice/Tips | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 17, 2008 | First, it is a Once a WEEK treatment. After you get past the size of the needle needed for am IM injection, it is nice not to be tied down to every day or every other day. The flu like symptoms go away pretty quickly. After I was on it for several years, I talked my neighbor into going on it and she improved as well. I think this injection has done wonders for me and my neighbor!!! | < $25 monthly |
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0 helpful marks
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- jenj
- Sex: F
- Data Quality: 3 stars
- MS: 11 yrs
- Relapsing-Remitting
- Sensation: None
- Overall: Mild
- Cognition: none
- Vision: none
- Speech: none
- Swallowing: none
- Upper limb: moderate
- Walking: severe
- See profile
-
-
- by jenj
- current dosage:
- 30 mcg weekly
- time on dosage:
- about 4 years
- purpose:
- Slow my MS progress
-
| Slow my MS progress Efficacy | Side Effects | Adherence | Burden | Specific Side Effects | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 31, 2007 |
Slight
|
Moderate
|
Always
|
Very
|
|
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0 helpful marks
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- edawgg
- Sex: F
- Data Quality: 2 stars
- MS: 7 yrs
- Relapsing-Remitting
- Sensation: Moderate
- Overall: None
- Cognition: none
- Vision: none
- Speech: none
- Swallowing: none
- Upper limb: none
- Walking: none
- See profile
-
-
- by edawgg
- current dosage:
- 30 mcg weekly
- time on dosage:
- about 3 years
- purpose:
- Slow my MS progress
-
| Slow my MS progress Efficacy | Side Effects | Adherence | Burden | Specific Side Effects | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 20, 2008 |
Slight
|
Mild
|
Usually
|
Very
|
|
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0 helpful marks
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- Hannah Rose
- Sex: F
- Data Quality: 2 stars
- MS: 5 yrs
- Relapsing-Remitting
- Sensation: Moderate
- Overall: Mild
- Cognition: mild
- Vision: mild
- Speech: none
- Swallowing: mild
- Upper limb: moderate
- Walking: mild
- See profile
-
- by Hannah Rose
- current dosage:
- 30 mcg weekly
- time on dosage:
- about 9 months
- purpose:
- Slow my MS progress
-
| Slow my MS progress Efficacy | Side Effects | Adherence | Burden | Specific Side Effects | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 14, 2008 |
Can't tell
|
Severe
|
Always
|
Somewhat
|
|
| Advice/Tips | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Mar 14, 2008 | Don't believe anyone who says the side effects will go away in 6 weeks. I've spoken to other MS patients who have been on it for 5+ years and still have flu like symptoms at times. | < $25 monthly |
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0 helpful marks
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