avonex and ms

d like to know if any male out there with MS has been exposed to hpv 16 and/or 18 by a permanent partner, and if any health issues have resulted for them. Men are not tested for hpv, but I'd like to find out anything from a male ms patient who was exposed to hpv 16 or 18 (the cervical cancer strains). Any comments would be immensely appreciated. By the way, I am 50, lovesick man with ms is 59.

I have had MS for 10 years and I just stopped my AVONEX so I can try and get pregnant I know it sounds stupid but there is no studies on avonex and pregnancy so I just thought I would ask if any one else has been on some treatment or off to get pregnant? and how long were you off your meds ?

Does Avonex cause a lot of leg weakness and aching? Or is that something more associated with MS itself?

Hi fellow Washingtonian! I've been on Avonex for over 5 years and have never had a reaction like that! I mostly just have a headache or a little achey and that is only once in awhile. I would call my neuro pronto and/or biogen/idec, the makers of Avonex. I think they have someone on call to answer questions. Even the place where you get your Rx should have someone who can answer your question. Best wishes! I sure hope it clears up soon! That must be miserable!

But he offered me AVONEX and after one year all symptoms were gone and he did stop my AVONEX therapy. From that moment till now I had some times some special feeling in my legs but from 6 months back I feel slight disability in my left leg. The thing is, my right side is totally normal but I have problem with my left side. BTW, I think, if I am right, the number of lesions in my mind was between 6 and 8. I don't remember exact number. Again thank you for your time.

If avonex doesn't thrill you, then tell your doctor you want to discuss other treatments. The studies show that the DMD's are all pretty much the same in effectiveness rate. It is their delivery method that is so radically different. Don't worry about questioning your doctors - that is important that you are a key part of all these discussions.

What if you are on avonex and you believe you dont have ms, but the dr's do, what are the long term affect of taking avonex?

AS PROMISED, I WENT AND READ THE PAMPHLET THAT COMES WITH THE AVONEX AND I DID NOT FIND ANYTHING IN IT THAT MENTIONS CALCIUM DEFIENCY. I EVEN READ IT TWICE TO SEE IF I WAS MISSING SOMETHING, BUT DID NOT FIND ANYTHING. LIKE I SAID IN MY PREVIOUS POST, I WILL BE SEEING MY NEURO ON TUESDAY AND WILL MAKE IT A POINT TO ASK HER ABOUT IT. WILL LET YOU KNOW WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY.

//www.themcfox.com/multiple-sclerosis/ms-drugs/avonex/avonex-blood-counts.htm updated 2004, it might be worth finding out if your having a negative reaction and need to change DMD.

I have relapsing remitting MS and am on Avonex too, for the past 5 years. MS began 14 years ago and I ignored it until a serious episode of optic neuritis made me seek medical help. I absolutely agree that depression is a major side effect of MS and Avonex use. I too am irritable, cannot multi-task well, and have a rather blunted affect. My husband and I have separated.

I was just dx this past summer with MS. I started Avonex and the only problem that i had was the flu like symptoms the day after my injection. Nothing that i couldn't handle. The one thing that i could not handle was the depression!! It was one of the worst things that i have ever experienced. I have never had depression before. Once i stopped the Avonex i don't have a problem with it. I am now trying to decide what kind of treatment to do. After that experience it is hard to decide.

I've been on Avonex for 2 years and don't regret that decision. I always pre-medicate with Aleve or something similar, do the shot and go to bed (taking an Ambien). The huge majority of the time it's that simple---no bad effects. On a small handful of occasions I've still gotten bad flu-like effects, for no reason I can figure, but that means that 50 weeks out of the year I've done great. Pretty good percentage.

The sole purpose of Copaxone, Rebif, Avonex and Betaseron is to slow the progression of the disease and reduce the number of relapses. If you look at the studies, people on these CRAB's still have relapses, they just don't have as many relapses as people who are not on a CRAB. So it should not be a surprise to any of us on a DMD when we do have a relapse. The CRAB should be making it less intense and shorter in duration, hopefully.

I'm not on Avonex, but thought I'd respond so that your post isn't lost. My guess is that it's unrelated to the Avonex and has more to do with your MS. I give myself Copaxone shots, which doesn't go as deep as the Avonex shots. There are weird symptoms I get from time to time that have nothing to do with anything other than MS. For example, occasionally when I breathe deeply my arms and hands tingle.

I am an MS patient and I have recently started taking Avonex, (I have had two injections so far) and I have been having problems sleeping.Does anyone know if Avonex causes insomnia, at all? I have read all the possible side effects Avonex may bring, but sleeplessness doesn't seem to be in the list.

Avonex possible side effects are depression and flu-like symptoms--fever/shivers, body aches and pains, general crappiness. These are usually helped by aspirin, or similar products, particularly ibuprofen. I was on Avonex for a number of years. What you describe sounds to me much more like a relapse. I'm betting OTC products don't help. And although I do understand wanting a bit of a break from Avonex, not a good idea.

Hi, I was recently diagnosed with MS and had my first Avonex injection Friday. Friday night was tough (fever, chills, pain and eventually heavy sweating) but I felt pretty good by Saturday morning. Saturday afternoon I started feeling kind of down and by Sunday morning I feel even more so. I can't decide if this is a result of the drug or just the situation as a whole.

Cathy, I am not on Avonex, but my sister is and if you have been on it this long without many problems then in my opinion it is because the drug is working for you. I wouldn't stop it because I would be afraid of what would happen when I did but that is just me. My sister has been on Avonex for many years and hasn't had any problems with the MS since starting it and she attributes it to the Avonex. It is a pesonal decision but I wouldn't stop it if it is working.

Have you talked to your doctor about the depression? I looked it up and it can be a side effect of Avonex. It's not something I would wait and see about. I've dealt with depression before so I understand how horrible it can be. I currently take an antidepressant and wouldn't want to live without it.

Well Avonex is a lot like beta. Got a fever of 102 and feel like death. It hit me within 3hrs after the shot. Well at least it's just once a week.

Avonex (which I’ve used for 11 years) and others are notably absent from your list. Avonex, Rebif, and Betaseron have been around longest and have the strongest safety profiles. If your MS is more aggressive, then you may be more inclined to consider Gilenya, Tecfidera, Aubagio, or Tysabri. All of the DMDs are discussed from a neutral perspective at the link below: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/Treating-MS/Medications Choose a medicine that you can adhere to the dosing schedule.

I did attend one presentation from Biogen, makers of Avonex and Tysarbi and the entire presentation was about Tysarbi and the new oral drug to be marketed soon. No information was given on Avonex. The dinner was ok, the company was very pleasant though.

Hi I have a question- I have been on Copaxone for over 10 years and I am suffering with indented sites which can no longer let my shots be injected. My question is which of the ms treatments should I go to next? My MS dr. gave me papers on Avonex but the side effects is what I'm worried about. My Copazone has worked so well I'm afraid to change but just running out of places to give the shot. Thanks for any reply's..

I have MS and I'm on venlafaxine, but for pre-existing depression. I can't really speak to it in the context it's been prescribed for you, but I do recommend a slow titration of the dose. I remember starting out and getting pretty nauseous on 75mg. The reduced me to 37.5mg and then slowly raised it to the 112.5mg I've been on for a few years now.

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