avonex syringe

An MSWorld user "zeldaz" lost her Avogrip, a plastic piece that clips to an Avonex syringe and makes it easier to handle. Apparently they are no longer available from Biogen. The draconian forum admins there deleted offers to send "zeldaz" a new, unopened one. If "zeldaz" sticks her nose in here, send me a PM.

Hi Mike, I can not answer as I take Avonex - Autoinjector as I swtiched from syringe....really just wanted to say hello...how are you. I CAN say although I inject in muscle for my med...I am kinda torn and like both.. BUT HEY!!! Hi and how are you!

I take Avonex which is inter-muscular and they told me that after the skin there are no nerve endings. Many times I don't feel anything but sometimes it just seems to hurt more. Last night was one of those times. I wonder if my menstrual cycle has anything to do with it? I tend to deal with this by "forgetting" to take my shot. Any advice to make this easier would be appreciated.

I'm just curious... Do Avonex injections hurt all that much? I do a subcutaneous Betaseron injection and I don't feel a thing, not even a pinch when I inject. I just wanted to keep an open mind about possibly switching DMDs but the thought of doing an intramuscular injection gives me the heebie jeebies.

How many of you using Avonex, never injected yourself but had help from family members? Also, what is your opinion of the new pen?

Do you have any trouble when you "draw back"? The Avonex nurse said that if I get any blood in the syringe, the company will overnight another kit to me the next day. With all the blood vessels in our legs, it seems like this could happen a lot. Also, why do we have to "draw back" with the type you mix yourself, and not with the prefilled?

and find it simple to use. However, I have noticed that sometimes, when I pull the cap off of the syringe by pulling off the gray end of the auto-injector, a couple of drops of medication will come out of the syringe before I can get it injected. And sometimes after the injection when I pull the needle away, there is a bit of the liquid on the surface of my skin. I mentioned it to my caseworker at Rebif and she was surprised this was happening.

I prepared my shot (this was before the auto-injector's available today) of Avonex and held in the syringe in my fist to warm it up. I prepared the shot at LEAST an hour before I held it in my hand for about 10 minutes, then I would inject. I even put the syringe under my thigh (remember no auto-injector) and warmed it up that way. It was so helpful to have that medication warm before I injected. It made a world of difference. Biogen told me that the way I was doing it was okay.

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.

The first time I took Avonex I was SO poorly just like you. I now take pain relief from lunch time and take the injection at 18.00 and I normally sleep through the side effects. Also it takes time for your body to get used to it.

I have been using the Avonex pen for two months. The side effects are gradually getting better each week, but I HATE doing it so much. Anyway, we are going to settle for a back packing trip in the summer, which means I will have to change to the bioset as it doesn't have to be kept in the fridge. Has anyone used this and the pen who can compare? I find the pen traumatising enough (slight exaggeration), and imagine the bioset to be a lot worse!

Hey all...Just wanted to throw this out there. I am on Avonex and started the Avonex pen about 2 months ago..I noticed my last shot I bruised up. I bruised one time before with syringe.. Is bruising sometimes common when injecting??? Should I worry? Darn it I thought I had this down pat.

I have a couple problems with the Extavia, One being it looks to me that Extavia may be trying to save some money ,[[ At the patients expense ] one--a possible cheaper syringe??? **{{ A 27 Gauge needle **}} Betaseron was using a 30 or 31 gauge needle, the syringe would glide much better than the possible cheaper quality one that Extavia is using.

Hi, I have been on Avonex for 2 1/2 years. It is one of the injections that is given IM (intramuscular) once weekly. I do both arms and both thighs. It comes in a prefilled syringe so there is no mixing. I hate needles so I had my doctor write a prescription for the 1inch needles instead on 1 1/2 that come with each dose. I had flu symptoms for the first 2 shots. I alternated tylenol and advil all day and night during the first 48 hours after each shot.

Sigh, I have a question from a friend. She would like to know if avonex causes calcium deficiency? She is diagnosed with ms. Not like me.

Is anyone on avonex? My dr. wants to switch me to avonex, but with having lupus, I really don't want to go on an interferon. I'm on copaxone, now but because I have large welts on my arms he wants to switch me. I don't want to switch. Do I have the right to deny a new medication I feel would be detrimental to me?

Flu-like symptoms are a fairly common side effect during the initial weeks of Avonex treatment. It is recommended that you take your Avonex injection before bedtime. Immediately before your injection, and for the 24 hours that follow the injection, patients have found that use of over the counter pain and fever reducing medications can help with this common side effect." You could also get on the Avonex website for further info. good luck. hope that you feel better soon.

I have been on copaxone for little over a year its not working for me so my neuro has asked me to try avonex. My avonex nurse is coming this evening but I am wondering how long you actually gave it to get the symptoms of the shot to calm down. I am crossing everything to hope I dont get the flu symptoms so bad but we will see. I have a husband that works away and 3 small kids to care for, I dont want to be in bed all weekend when its the only time we get to spend as a family.

Hi guys, has anyone not heard from the AVONEX people once they were put on it.??? I have heard from heath nurses, and today, got my WELCOME package, but still no product. I don't know what is going on, and of course the lady or the rep from Avonex is away on holidays till the 2nd. of Dec..... so, I guess we will do it next week ... Just to let you guys know, they stopped my antiobiotic IV today, and said that it was an MS attack. Wherever there are nerves, MS can strike.

Hi Candy, When I was on the Avonex I had terrible itchy skin. I would start scratching and I would well up from the scratching. I also found that it dried out my skin as well. I use pure coconut oil right out of the shower then gold bond lotion right over the top of the oil. It seems to be helping tremendously. The oil soaks in quickly and the lotions seems to seal in the moisture. I hope this helps. Sorry you have this to deal with on top of everything else.

//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've been on Avonex for 2.5 years and it's suited me well but I have just had a 4 week break. I then took my injection on Tuesday night and was strangely fine on Wednesday and Thursday but on Friday, Saturday and today I have lost about 50% of my strength from my left arm and leg. Is this likely to be a side effect from restarting the Avonex (muscle weakness) or a relapse?

Common Questions and Answers about Avonex syringe

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