I am on Avonex for the last 4 months, side effects have got a lot better than in the beginning, but it still bothers me for at least the next day. I do not get the chills as bad the night of my shot but I feel like I have been hit by a truck the next day.

i was told it's like having the flu every day and that it doesn't get any better. by the hosp. i choose to pass it looked to painful to me anyways. good luck to you

The shot is a non issue to me, it does not hurt at all

thanks everyone for your replies, you guys are great!!!!!!!!

I've had MS for 8 years. I started on Betaseron and had flu-like symptons for a few months and then it went away. I got used to it and my doctor switched me to Avonex 2 years ago and according to the MRI's it's stopping the progression and other that the shot hurting like a bitch I like the idea of once-a-week going through it. That's it - so far, so good! I take it at night with 3 Advils and it seems to work for me.

I started on copaxine, then my doc said it wasn't working so he put me on Avonex. The first month it didn't brother me at all, then one week I woke up with fever and chills. Felt kind of bad the next day. I get a reaction off and on. My neighbor give me my shots and she is good at it and they don't hurt. I can do them myself but I figure as long as she likes doing it why not, saves me some pain.

i'm a caregiver for my wife.
she told me that she's never had any side afects fron the avonex. but she also has had me giving them to her at bed time. that's what you might want to try... i hope this helps.... we are praying for you please keep us informed.

Taking shot number 6 of avonex tonight. The shot doesn't hurt me (key: throw it like a dart, slow injection=pain). I get the flu-like side effects, BUT if I stay ahead of the game with tylenol and advil i am fine. finally, my side effects lick in about 18-20 hours after and have lasted up to 48 hours.
good luck!

lisa

I want to thank everyone for their imput it really helped, thanks again, Margaret

I am still on Avonex since my last post, and mums

I was on Avonex for over a year and the sick flu like symptoms lasted about 2 months for me and then subsided...I took 800 mg ibuprofen before my shot and it helped alot and then later (can't remember how long) I took another dose and went to bed. When I got up the next morning I would take another 800 mg and then I was unsually fine...tired but no sickeness the next day. I quit because the needles themselves were getting to painful to inject. It felt like a sword being impaled in me. I am still looking for a med that will help me and not have so may injection site reactins or symptoms....I know dream on...
Hugz
Morgaine

I self injected for a few weeks and my wife was willing to do it so I let her, the shot does not hurt me but I hate it anyway. I start dreading shot day about 2 days before each shot. 800 mg ibuprofen at the time of the shot and again in 4 hours and then again the next morning, but I still feel bad all day the next day

I have been on Avonex for 5 weeks. The side effects are still pretty bad. As far as ifit is working, it's too soon too tell. The shot itself does not hurt one but. I get high fevers and the nest day is a day of laying around sleeping. Not doing much at all. I am going to give it a bit longer and if they do not subside I will switch to something else.

Been on it since Jan this year, the symptoms have gotten better. I just had to experiment with different times for shot and premedicating OTC meds to come up with the right one even some harder ones. Finally tried ES Tylenol and it works. I am skipping it this weekend and will take it on Mon instead of F or S since when I am already ill it becomes unbearable. It has worked great so far.