129 patient evaluations for Interferon beta-1a IM Injection

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Feb 20, 2015 (Started Aug 25, 2002)

  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    None (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Usually
  • Burden
    Somewhat hard to take
Cost: $200+ monthly

Sep 23, 2010 (Started Aug 25, 2002)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Mild (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Usually
  • Burden
    A little hard to take
Dosage: 30 mcg/0.5 mL Weekly
Advice & Tips: i wasn't sure if it was doing anything until i recently changed neuros had an mri and he told me it was doing its job so was good to hear
Cost: $200+ monthly
  • 1 helpful mark

May 20, 2011 (Started May 12, 1998)

  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (whole body ache, fever/chills, tiredness, stabbing headaches)
  • Adherence
    Usually
  • Burden
    Very hard to take
Dosage: 30 mcg/0.5 mL Every Other Week
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: whole body ache, fever/chills, stabbing headaches, tiredness

Aug 1, 2010 (Started May 12, 1998)

  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (whole body ache, fever/chills, tiredness, stabbing headaches)
  • Adherence
    Usually
  • Burden
    Very hard to take
Dosage: 30 mcg/0.5 mL Every Other Week
Advice & Tips: I manage taking ykis treatment only with the help of my husband. I think he likes to stick me with the needle. No unexpected benefits. I'm unable to determine any benefits. Impact on my life is that I am a vegetable with migraines for 2-3 days following the injection. Because of this, I take it on the weekends to minimize impact on work days. In order to enjoy some of my weekends, I decided, on my own, to take every other week instead of weekly. CVSCaremark doesn't like that decision (non compliance)
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: whole body ache, fever/chills, stabbing headaches, tiredness

Dec 11, 2009 (Started May 12, 1998)

  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (whole body ache, fever/chills, tiredness, stabbing headaches)
  • Adherence
    Usually
  • Burden
    Very hard to take
Dosage: 30 mcg/0.5 mL Every Other Week
Advice & Tips: weekly shot has become every other week because it now takes 2+ days to get strength back
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: whole body ache, fever/chills, stabbing headaches, tiredness
  • 1 helpful mark

Jan 18, 2012 (Started Sep 11, 2004)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (dizziness with nausea, fever/chills)
  • Adherence
    Usually
  • Burden
    Somewhat hard to take
Dosage: 30 mcg/0.5 mL Weekly
Advice & Tips: Be prepared to be sick for 48 hrs after taking Avonex. The flu like symptoms are severe or at least they r for me. I run 103 ton104 temp and the shakes r bad.
Cost: < $25 monthly
  • 1 helpful mark

Jan 17, 2014 (Started Mar 15, 2013)

  • Effectiveness
    None (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (muscle fatigue, flu like symptoms, stiffness)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Very hard to take
Advice & Tips: Prepare every members around you, you'll probably need them... Thanks for my wife who accepted to give me the injections at the end (missed the shot a couple of times and after that I was afraid to miss again.
Cost: < $25 monthly

Jan 13, 2014 (Started Mar 15, 2013)

  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (muscle fatigue, flu like symptoms, stiffness)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    A little hard to take
Advice & Tips: Be prepared to feel sick for two days (at least) next to the injection. Really hard to take care of family (2 children + new born) so get as much help around as possible with family, ressources, etc. At first, I was having the PEN wich is basically a spring that deals with the seringue on your behalf. Then changed for the pre-filled seringe because I could not stand the snap done by the PEN. But then, after missing the shot 2 or 3 times, I had to ask my wife to do it (being too scared to miss it once again).
Cost: < $25 monthly
  • 1 helpful mark

Nov 18, 2010 (Started Mar 17, 2004)

  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (for Overall) (fatigue, fever/chills, fever, lethargy, whole body ache, flu like symptoms, muscle aches)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    A little hard to take
Dosage: 30 mcg/0.5 mL Weekly
Advice & Tips: Weight gain is a side effect...although not documented. Flu like symptoms after 4 years still remain a major obstacle Injections; need to fluctuate due to activities, not recommended but life goes on. Insurance costs are always a burden with this disease
Cost: $100-199 monthly
Side effects: lethargy, whole body ache, flu like symptoms, fever/chills, fever, muscle aches, fatigue

Jan 5, 2010 (Started Mar 17, 2004)

  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (for Overall) (fatigue, fever/chills, whole body ache, muscle aches)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Somewhat hard to take
Dosage: 30 mcg/0.5 mL Weekly
Advice & Tips: side effects don't go away neurologist isn't of much support, does not recommend mri's. no noticable benefit, must plan injection around activities for 3 hrs after injection and following day because of fatigue
Cost: $100-199 monthly
Side effects: lethargy, whole body ache, flu like symptoms, fever/chills, fever, muscle aches, fatigue
  • 1 helpful mark

Nov 1, 2009 (Started Jun 12, 2009)

  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (fever/chills)
  • Adherence
    Sometimes
  • Burden
    Somewhat hard to take
Dosage: 30 mcg/0.5 mL Weekly
Side effects: fever/chills

Sep 16, 2009 (Started Jun 12, 2009)

  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (fever/chills)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 30 mcg/0.5 mL Weekly
Advice & Tips: Spike temps 103-104 and tylenol won't bring it down.
Side effects: fever/chills
  • 1 helpful mark

May 30, 2011 (Started Apr 28, 2005)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (nausea, spasms, dizziness, fever/chills, joint pain, tiredness, whole body ache, stabbing headaches, flu like symptoms, shivering, muscle aches)
  • Adherence
    Usually
  • Burden
    Very hard to take
Dosage: 30 mcg/0.5 mL Weekly
Advice & Tips: Side effects need to be addressed. Doctors don't help, Biogen Idec didn't help. Unbearable, just cannot do it anymore.
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: muscle aches, dizziness, stabbing headaches, flu like symptoms, fever/chills, nausea, joint pain, shivering, tiredness, spasms, whole body ache

Apr 26, 2011 (Started Apr 28, 2005)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (nausea, spasms, dizziness, fever/chills, joint pain, tiredness, whole body ache, stabbing headaches, flu like symptoms, shivering, muscle aches)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Very hard to take
Dosage: 30 mcg/0.5 mL Weekly
Advice & Tips: I will not be taking this much longer. I can't believe all the days of being miserably ill I have given to this medication. The makers of the drug are making bundles of money off this but they cannot offer me any means of coping with the HORRIBLE side effects.
Cost: $50-99 monthly
Side effects: muscle aches, dizziness, stabbing headaches, flu like symptoms, fever/chills, nausea, joint pain, shivering, tiredness, spasms, whole body ache

Oct 25, 2010 (Started Apr 28, 2005)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (nausea, dizziness, fever/chills, joint pain, tiredness, whole body ache, stabbing headaches, flu like symptoms, shivering, muscle aches)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Very hard to take
Dosage: 30 mcg/0.5 mL Weekly
Advice & Tips: Continue to have horrible side effects and NO pain medications work effectively. Have come close to overdosing to deal with the side effects which last for over 24 hours. Thinking about quiting.
Cost: $50-99 monthly
Side effects: muscle aches, dizziness, stabbing headaches, flu like symptoms, fever/chills, nausea, joint pain, shivering, tiredness, spasms, whole body ache

Apr 28, 2009 (Started Apr 28, 2005)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (nausea, dizziness, fever/chills, joint pain, tiredness, whole body ache, stabbing headaches, flu like symptoms, shivering, muscle aches)
  • Adherence
    Usually
  • Burden
    Very hard to take
Dosage: 30 mcg/0.5 mL Weekly
Advice & Tips: The side effects may NEVER lessen and ibuprophen may not ever be enough. If you have these problems the medical professionals will probably do nothing to assist you in dealing with them. The drug companies will never disclose how common this problem is because that is not a selling point. If you have severe side effects DON'T try sleeping through them - it won't happen, take the injection in the morning so you can deal with it while you are awake and not lose sleep. Plan on feeling like crap for two days a week but it's better than Rebif where you feel like crap all week. I don't understand why they can prescribe something with such horrible side effects but not prescribe something to deal with the side effects?
Cost: $50-99 monthly
Side effects: muscle aches, dizziness, stabbing headaches, flu like symptoms, fever/chills, nausea, joint pain, shivering, tiredness, spasms, whole body ache
  • 1 helpful mark

Oct 4, 2007 (Started Sep 04, 2004)

  • Effectiveness
    None (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (fever/chills, fever, lethargy, whole body ache, muscle aches)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Very hard to take
Dosage: Weekly
Cost: $50-99 monthly
Side effects: fever/chills, fever, lethargy, whole body ache, muscle aches
  • 0 helpful marks

Mar 23, 1985 (Started Jan 23, 1990)

  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (fever/chills, migraine headaches)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Cost: $200+ monthly
Side effects: fever/chills, migraine headaches, fever/chills, migraine headaches
  • 0 helpful marks

Aug 18, 2008 (Started Apr 12, 2005)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (for Overall) (headaches, fever, lethargy, whole body ache)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Somewhat hard to take
Advice & Tips: Make sure to drink plenty of fluids and take the prescribed dosage of ibuprofin or tylenol.
Cost: $25-49 monthly
Side effects: headaches, whole body ache, lethargy, fever
  • 0 helpful marks
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