Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Support Group

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lchoppel 04/28/2010

I am switching from Avonex to Tsybri. My doctor is waiting a month before I start Tsybri as a "wash out" period. To complicate the mix, I am also stopping Lexapro and starting Savella for my depression. My pain management specialist suggested the change to Savella for it's pain relief properties as well as working as an anti-depressant.

During this period I feel like I'm detoxing. I suffer from light headed feelings to hot flashes and chills. Could this be from the detox of Avonex or the dropping of Lexapro and switching to Savella? I don't know, but has anyone experience detox feelings when stopping a MS drug during the wash-out period?

deleted_user 04/28/2010

No. I had a 390 day wash out period from betaseron before I started tysabri & I just remember feeling fear that some thing MAS was gonna happen in those 30 days. I had been gettig worse over the past year & I switched to Tysabri because of that...so I was just fearful I wouldn't start Tysabri soon enough.

I'm not certain if it was worsening MS or just a side affect of Betaseron, but the "worse" cleared up right away once I started Tysabri. Doc even said it taks 30 fdays to get betaseron out of the system so it really is unknown if I improved from stopping Betaseron (which I might have developed a side affect to) or an improvement from Tysabri?

Geez-if I had thrown in a second med change into it at the time, it would have driven me crazy!!! Do you have to make this second med change at the same time? I suppose now its too late, its happening. It takes about 6 months for benefits of TY to be felt so to do them separately might take a long time. But all at once doesn't sound good either.

deleted_user 04/28/2010

30 day

deleted_user 04/29/2010

I take Lexapro and from what I heard, you can't just go cold turkey on getting off it. You have to gradually decrease your dosage. I hope you've been doing that?? By the way, where did you get a pain management specialist from? I didn't know there was such a thing. I thought my neurologist was my pain specialist?? I'd be interested in learning more about this.

deleted_user 04/29/2010

lexapro is an SSRI and can give you some icky side effects when you are coming off

I know wikipedia isn't the best place to be siting things but here you go

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SSRI_discontinuation_syndrome

"common descriptions include dizziness, electric shock-like sensations, sweating, nausea, insomnia, tremor, confusion, and vertigo."

I've never come off of avenox so i can't speak to that. you may want to let your dr know you are having problems.

lchoppel 04/29/2010

Thanks to everyone who has replied to this post. Reply #3, I sent you a private email message.

I think from what everyone is replying to it is the Lexapro giving me the side affects. Ugh! Hopefully they will end soon as it has almost been 1o days off.

deleted_user 04/30/2010

i went off lexapro and onto savella. it took me several weeks to cut down on the lexapro and go onto the savella. i like the savella more. i lost a lot of weight that i had put on with the lexapro,

i go to a pain mgmt. clinic. my neuro and internist suggested it because i also have fibro and arthritis. it makes a world of difference. they will prescribe narcotics for pain (only if you need it). i do not like taking them, but i have been in pain for 50 years, and now i am ready to take them because it has gotten so bad that it was not just not worth living.

ask your doctor for pain mgmt. center. they will take a good long time 6-8 months to find what med. works for you.

much good luck, let me know.

lorrie

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