Why does avonex make you sick

Anyways, I was wondering if anyone has had a similar experience with taking Avonex while they were sick where the stuff seemed to make MS symptoms much worse? Post by AllyB » Tue Jan 08, pm Hi NHE My experiences so far have been similar to your 'usual' experience - when I have been feeling like I was catching a cold, the Avonex seemed to beat it back, and I have not had a full blown cold or dose of flu since I have been on Avonex 1 yr next month.

This is a double edged sword - you know the problems I have had with Avonex, however in the year preceding my commencing Avonex, I almost continually had flu - saw my GP every month! Big indication my immune system was busy elsewhere. I will watch out for what you describe though - it sounds very scary - you must have wondered if you were having a relapse.

Take care. Thes episodes are of limited duration, temporarily related to the injections and may recur after subsequent injections" This might shed some light? Thes episodes are of limited duration, temporarily related to the injections and may recur after subsequent injections. I have a cold, and I was wondering if it was a bad idea -- or a really really good idea to take Avonex while fighting off a cold. I shoulda known to start here. Now, on the other hand, your post didn't answer my question, but I hope that others will be drawn to the thread that you started on this subject.

I am assuming that yes, it's a good idea to keep on with the Avonex on schedule when one catches a cold or flu, since the immune system is being activated, and we want those pesky Th1s to be converted to Th2s and 3s and suppress inflammation and attacks on myelin and neurons and all that good stuff.

So, yippee, I'm off to do my 31st injection of Avonex. Too bad I have to wake up in the middle of the night to take more ibuprofen Tally ho, off I go to set up for my shot Unofficial EDSS: 2-ish. Modified Swank diet, supplements and exercise walk, yoga, weights.

Began Avonex April Or has my memory gotten so bad? Each 0. I took my injection on Monday night 9pm and these feelings started today Wednesday around 11am onwards. I also had a moment where my arm felt weak and uncorordinated, at the moment the right of my face feels mildly numb-ish also just happened today and leg is more constantly weak just less severe then the episodes earlier in the day. I tried to ring my MS nurse but got no answer. I read through these posts and even saw my own from November I have a bad cold: aches and pains, sore throat, some sinus goop.

My 5 mo. Catching viruses from children is something that I'm concerned about So, back to wwhether or not to take Avonex while one is sick. I started feeling sick sore throat, muscle aches, skin sensitivity, headache, some sinus stuff on Thursday at noon; it's now Friday at 1pm, I feel rotten. I usually take the Avonex on Saturday evenings or nights. I called my neurologist, got his "medical aide," and she asked me one question: Do I usually feel the cold or flu-like symptoms after taking Avonex?

I answered YES. She said, 'then wait until you don't feel lousy before you take Avonex. She gave me a vague answer. I said, 'Because if it would be more helpful to take it now while I'm sick, even if it made me feel lousy, I'll take it, I'll do what I gotta do. Clearly, she doesn't know. Maybe nobody knows. But doesn't it seem like an important question?? Post by Sharona » Sat Aug 06, am I cannot comment on your specific situation,however I was was on Avonex for 8 years.

My only advise is to have your blood test regularly to check both your white blood cell count and your liver enzymes which can be affected by Avonex. My Neuro swiched me to Copaxone in July but I have not started yet. Re: Avonex while sick? I have a cold and was searching to see if I should take my Avonex shot tonight.

I have been on Avonex for two and half years. What I found from reading these entries sparked another question. I always presumed that everyone experiences the flu symptoms as well as the debilitating muscle weakness and stiffness. I experience this with every shot. I do not drink a lot of fluids after the shot and before bedtime because I do not want to wake up in the middle of the shot reactions. I have much difficulty a few hours after taking the shot, if I need to get up to go to the restroom.

Once I had strep throat and was advised by my doctor not to take the shot that week — stating that it could cause a flareup and would make it harder to recover from the strep throat. After reading all of your experiences, I am still unsure what to do.

I have chest congestion and am afraid of making it worse. I will be asking my doctor regarding the hypo My doctor has also asked me to think about switching off of the Avonex and onto some other drug — as yet undecided - because although I have not experienced flareups, my condition walking and right arm and hand difficulties has progressed.

I feel like asking me which drug I want to switch to, is like asking me if I would rather be shot or stabbed, given the side effects. The use of Avonex and Rebif in treating relapsing-remitting MS has been directly compared in a clinical study. In this study, people who took Rebif were less likely to have a relapse of their MS than people who took Avonex.

Avonex and Rebif are both brand-name drugs. There are currently no generic forms of either drug. Brand-name medications usually cost more than generics.

According to estimates on GoodRx. Avonex and Gilenya are prescribed for similar uses. Below are details of how these drugs are alike and different. Gilenya contains the active drug fingolimod. They are both disease-modifying therapies, but they work in different ways. Avonex is only approved for use in adults. Gilenya is approved for use in adults and in children ages 10 years and older.

Avonex and Gilenya can cause some similar and some different side effects. These lists contain examples of mild side effects that can occur with Avonex, with Gilenya, or with both drugs when taken individually.

These lists contain examples of serious side effects that can occur with Avonex, with Gilenya, or with both drugs when taken individually. The use of Avonex and Gilenya in treating relapsing-remitting MS has been directly compared in a clinical study.

In this study, people who took Gilenya were less likely to have a relapse than people who took Avonex. People who took Gilenya also had fewer new brain lesions areas of nerve damage than people who took Avonex.

Avonex and Gilenya are both brand-name drugs. Avonex is given as an injection into a muscle. Your doctor will teach you or your caregiver how to prepare and inject Avonex.

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions on how to give the Avonex injection. This allows it to warm up to room temperature. Use a different place within these injection sites each time you inject Avonex. This will lower your risk for having a reaction at your injection site. About 2 hours after you have an injection, check your injection site for redness, tenderness, or swelling. Avonex is used to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis MS. Relapsing means you have episodes of new symptoms or times when your symptoms come back or get worse.

When this happens, it creates inflammation swelling that damages the outer protective layer of the nerves, called the myelin sheath. Damaged myelin makes it harder for messages to travel along the nerve fibers from your brain to the rest of your body.

This can result in various symptoms, depending on which nerves are affected. The episode of inflammation also called an attack or relapse can last for a few days or a few months. Scar tissue then develops around your nerve fibers in the places where the myelin is damaged. These areas are called lesions areas of nerve damage and can be seen on an MRI scan. The lesions also make it hard for messages to travel along the nerves. With relapsing forms of MS, you have periods of time when your symptoms get better.

This is called remission. It happens because your nerve cells repair themselves or make new pathways around the areas of damage. Periods of remission can last from a few months up to a few years. However, over time the disease tends to get progressively worse, as new episodes of inflammation swelling damage different nerve cells. This can lead to increasing symptoms and disabilities such as having trouble walking. It contains the active drug interferon beta-1a. Interferons are protein molecules that are naturally produced by your immune system.

There are many different types of interferons with various functions. They affect how your immune system works. Interferon beta-1a is a synthetic copy of one of these proteins. When taken regularly, Avonex can help you have fewer episodes of inflammation attacks or relapses. It also reduces the number of lesions in your brain. It slows the progression of the disease and how quickly any disability gets worse.

Avonex helps prevent future relapses, rather than relieving existing symptoms. When you get Avonex from the pharmacy, the expiration date with be printed on the packaging, as well as on the pen, syringe, or vial. The expiration date helps guarantee that the medication is effective during this time.

If you have unused medication that has gone past the expiration date, talk to your pharmacist about whether you might still be able to use it. How long a medication remains good can depend on many factors, including how and where you store the medication. Store Avonex vials, prefilled syringes, and pens in the refrigerator. Do not freeze Avonex. Store the vial, syringe, or pen in its original packaging to protect it from light. This helps prevent others, including children and pets, from taking the drug by accident.

It also helps keep the drug from harming the environment. The FDA website provides several useful tips on medication disposal. You can also ask your pharmacist for information on how to dispose of your medication. You may be more at risk for liver damage if you drink alcohol while taking Avonex. If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about how much is safe for you to drink.

There are no known interactions between Avonex and any other medications, herbs and supplements, or foods. No medications have been specifically reported to interact with Avonex. However, before taking Avonex, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take.

Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions. If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist. However, you should still check with your doctor or pharmacist before using any of these products while taking Avonex. If you have any questions about eating certain foods with Avonex, talk with your doctor. Talk with your doctor before starting Avonex if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy.

This type of pharmacy is authorized to carry specialty medications. These are drugs that may be expensive or may require help from healthcare professionals to be used safely and effectively. Your insurance plan may require you to get prior authorization before approving coverage for Avonex. This means that your doctor and insurance company will need to communicate about your prescription before the insurance company will cover the drug.

The insurance company will review the request and let you and your doctor know if your plan will cover Avonex. If you need financial support to pay for Avonex, or if you need help understanding your insurance coverage, help is available.

Biogen, the manufacturer of Avonex, offers a support program called Above MS. Yes, an annual flu vaccine is recommended in current guidelines for people with MS. Inactivated vaccines contain killed bacteria or viruses. Talk with your doctor about the best time to get the flu vaccine. Live vaccines contain live but weakened forms of viruses or bacteria. They have a small risk of causing infection in people with a very weak immune system. The flu-like symptoms that you can get with Avonex are not caused by a flu infection.

No, Avonex is not a steroid. It helps to slow down the progression of MS and reduce relapses. Steroids reduce inflammation swelling and are prescribed to help treat symptoms. They reduce the inflammation of the nerves that are causing MS symptoms. However, Avonex can slow the progression of the disease. It can help you have fewer relapses and reduce the number of lesions damaged areas in your brain.

It slows down the development of disabilities such as having trouble walking. Possibly, but this is something you should discuss with your doctor. Some people taking Avonex have developed depression.

The same is true if you experience any other changes in your mood or behavior, such as extreme sadness or hopelessness, anxiety , irritability, aggression, hallucinations , or paranoia. Stopping Avonex is not known to cause any specific side effects. If you stop treatment with Avonex, the most likely effect would be that your MS could start to get worse.

Before taking Avonex, talk with your doctor about your health history. Avonex may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health.

You can also call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at or use their online tool. But if your symptoms are severe, call or go to the nearest emergency room right away. Avonex contains interferon beta-1a, produced using recombinant DNA technology.

The sequence of amino acids in Avonex interferon beta-1a is identical to the sequence in natural human interferon beta. The way interferon beta-1a works in MS is not understood.

However, interferons are known to modulate the activity of the immune system. Avonex has been shown in clinical studies to reduce relapse frequency and number of brain lesions and to delay progression of disability in relapsing-remitting MS. It delays secondary episodes in those with clinically isolated syndrome. After a single intramuscular dose of Avonex, maximum serum levels are reached at around 15 hours. Avonex should not be used in people with known hypersensitivity to any ingredient, or to natural or recombinant interferon beta.

The vial form of Avonex should not be used in people with known hypersensitivity to human albumin. Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date.

However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or other healthcare professional before taking any medication.

The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.

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