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What is Interferon beta-1b SubQ Injection?

Category: Prescription Drugs

Most popular types: Betaseron Betaferon Extavia Show all

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Interferon beta-1b is a drug in the interferon family used to treat multiple sclerosis. It is administered by subcutaneous injection and has been demonstrated to slow the advance of the condition as well as reduce the frequency of attacks.

See patients taking Interferon beta-1b SubQ Injection

Reported purpose & perceived effectiveness
Purpose Patients Evaluations Perceived Effectiveness
Multiple sclerosis 1,668 742
General health 16 11
Fatigue 14 12
Stiffness/spasticity 8 2
Walking problems 7 3
Improve mobility 6 4

Show all 24 reasons taken

  • Major
  • Moderate
  • Slight
  • None
  • Can't tell
See all 1,975 patients that have taken Interferon beta-1b SubQ Injection

Side effects

Side effects as an overall problem

Side effects as an overall problem
Severity Evaluations
Severe 125
Moderate 198
Mild 270
None 165

Commonly reported side effects and conditions associated with Interferon beta-1b SubQ Injection

Side effect Patients
Flu like symptoms 148
Injection site pain 95
Bruising 70
Headaches 62
Feel lousy 48
Injection site reaction 48

Show all 192 reported side effects

Dosages

Based on patients currently taking Interferon beta-1b SubQ Injection

Dosage Patients
0.3 mg every other day 68
0.3 mg daily 4
0.3 mg m,w,f 3
0.3 mg 2
0.25 mg 1
0.5 1
0.6 mg every other day 1
0.9 mg every other day 1
1 mg every other day 1
100 mg 1

See all 12 dosages

Why patients stopped taking Interferon beta-1b SubQ Injection

Multiple reasons could be selected

Reason Patients
Side effects too severe 392
Did not seem to work 349
Doctor's advice 347
Other 192
Expense 37
Change in health plan coverage 35
Personal research 30
Course of treatment ended 22
See all 972 patients who've stopped taking Interferon beta-1b SubQ Injection

Duration

Currently taking Interferon beta-1b SubQ Injection

Duration Patients
6 months - 1 year 2
2 - 5 years 8
5 - 10 years 32
10 years or more 47

Stopped taking Interferon beta-1b SubQ Injection

Duration Patients
Less than 1 month 61
1 - 6 months 174
6 months - 1 year 145
1 - 2 years 179
2 - 5 years 227
5 - 10 years 120
10 years or more 73
Adherence
Adherence Evaluations
Always 550
Usually 152
Sometimes 16
Never taken as prescribed 40
Burden
Burden Evaluations
Very hard to take 70
Somewhat hard to take 211
A little hard to take 258
Not at all hard to take 219
Cost per month
Cost per month Evaluations
$200+ 48
$100-199 31
$50-99 72
$25-49 110
< $25 295
Not specified 202

What people switch to and from

Patients started taking Interferon beta-1b SubQ Injection after stopping:

Treatment Patients
Glatiramer acetate (Copaxone) 18
Interferon beta-1a IM Injection (Avonex) 8
Natalizumab (Tysabri) 5
Dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera) 4
Interferon beta-1a SubQ injection (Rebif) 2

Show all 9 treatments patients report switching from

Patients stopped taking Interferon beta-1b SubQ Injection and switched to:

Treatment Patients
Dimethyl fumarate (Tecfidera) 20
Glatiramer acetate (Copaxone) 17
Natalizumab (Tysabri) 17
Fingolimod (Gilenya) 12
Interferon beta-1a IM Injection (Avonex) 10

Show all 13 treatments patients report switching to

Last updated:

85 patient evaluations for Interferon beta-1b SubQ Injection

Sort by: Most recent

Jan 17, 2018 (Started Jul 15, 2001)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Mild (insomnia)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 0.3 mg Every other day
Cost: < $25 monthly

Jun 6, 2016 (Started Jul 15, 2001)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Mild (insomnia)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 0.3 mg Every other day
Advice & Tips: The new autoject device is a huge improvement over the old one but I still prefer my wife to administer the injection, so does she. All symptoms/side effects have remained the same since 2010 update.
Cost: < $25 monthly

Jul 19, 2013 (Started Jul 15, 2001)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    None
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 0.3 mg Every other day
Cost: $25-49 monthly

Oct 8, 2010 (Started Jul 15, 2001)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    None
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 0.3 mg Every other day
Advice & Tips: I've been taking Betaseron for almost a decade and it seems to work; I haven't gotten worse or required a hospital visit. I had flu-like symptoms in the first several months I took it and maybe once a year since. I bruise in the injection spots, occasionally and sometimes the medicine burns going in. The autoject device is good to get familiar with in case your significant other or caretaker is not available to deliver it to you. One thing I noticed is that I haven't caught the flu since going on Betaseron. Since 2003 or so, Betaseron does not require refrigeration and that was a welcome change.
Cost: $25-49 monthly
  • 0 helpful marks

Feb 28, 2017 (Started Dec 15, 2005)

  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (injection site redness, stiffness/spasticity)
  • Adherence
    Usually
  • Burden
    Somewhat hard to take
Dosage: 0.3 mg Every other day
Cost: < $25 monthly

Oct 22, 2012 (Started Dec 15, 2005)

  • Effectiveness
    Can't tell (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Mild (injection site redness, stiffness/spasticity)
  • Adherence
    Usually
  • Burden
    A little hard to take
Dosage: 0.3 mg Every other day
Cost: < $25 monthly
  • 0 helpful marks

Jan 2, 2017 (Started May 18, 2009)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    None
  • Adherence
    Usually
  • Burden
    Somewhat hard to take
Advice & Tips: Went back on Betaseron when Tecfidera didn't work for me
Cost: < $25 monthly

Nov 8, 2016 (Started May 18, 2009)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    None
  • Adherence
    Usually
  • Burden
    Somewhat hard to take
Dosage: 0.3 mg Every other day
Advice & Tips: On November 8,2016 I began Tecfidera as prescribed by my new MS doctor.
Cost: < $25 monthly

Jun 24, 2015 (Started May 18, 2009)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Severe (injection site pain)
  • Adherence
    Never taken as prescribed
  • Burden
    Somewhat hard to take
Advice & Tips: I have stopped taking the Beta. I'd been on it since 2009 and in 2014 I found myself in a horrible depression...NOT suicidal, but complete lack of energy, didn't care about anything, sat on the couch all day watching tv. Stopped cleaning house and letting myself go. Since I've been off of it I am back to myself!
Cost: < $25 monthly

May 25, 2015 (Started May 18, 2009)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for multiple sclerosis)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (injection site pain)
  • Adherence
    Usually
  • Burden
    Very hard to take
Advice & Tips: I've been on Beta since 2009. At first it was easy to keep track, but as time went on, it became more and more difficult to remember to take my shot. Then I had a few injection site infections and I was running out of places to inject. If I did my arms or thighs, I had side effects, so I only injected in my belly or hips. Then late in 2014 I began to sink into a deep depression which can be a side effect of being on it for a long period of time. So I went off of it in November 2014 and am taking a break. I feel so much better!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cost: < $25 monthly
  • 0 helpful marks
Last updated:
Showing 3 of 85 patient evaluations for Interferon beta-1b SubQ Injection