Tired of giving myself shots

[jbrigich14]

I am so over giving myself shots of rebif. It makes me feel like crap 3days out of the week with basically the flu and terrible headaches plus where I give my shots it hurts or is really red or bruises. I was just wondering if 1. I was the only one you feels like this and 2. What other medicine is out there cause everything I have looked at seems just as full of side effects. I was on Avonex first for 6 months and terrible side effects and been on rebif for 1 1/2 years then off had my daughter and then back on it for a year now. Sorry I am rambling but I am just over it all.

[Karenkay]

That is similar to how I felt on Rebif, took it for 1 1/2 yrs too. Dr switched me over to Copaxone and took that for same amount of time. Side effects were worse and headaches turned into migraines. Been off everything now for nearly 10 yrs.

[Don2480]

Yeah I had to switch DMDs because of this. I was on the bif for 4 or 5 years and never got rid of the flu like symptoms. I can admit though at the end my compliance was terrible.

[KitOP]

There are 3 oral meds available now. Gilenya, Aubagio and Tecfidera.

Of course they have potential side effects. Every drug out there does. But we have to make the choices that seem to be right and the best fit for us.

I would suggest having a talk with your neuro. Together you can go over the options and go from there.

Good Luck.

[zeak]

rebif

been on rebif only a month, but have flu symptoms:
called mslines and they suggested Tylenol pm on nite of injections, okay that helps with nite, but next day legs and arms are so hot and painful, so dr is starting me on lyrica to see if that helps. I sure hope so.
I am a walking bruise factory, every injection so far has left me with a bruise, others say to massage the area for a full 2 minutes and this should help with that. I say if rebif controls relapse, I will deal with issues. Last relapse lasted over 5 months and I am left with some issues still.

I have MS, but MS doesn't have me.

[abeautifullife]

zeak, I have been on Rebif for over 6 months now. I got the bruising that you note for about the first three months, especially after titrating up. But after three months, that all but stopped. I used to get some itching with the red marks, but that's much better as well. I do the full 2 minute massage with each injection. I hope that yours get better with time as well.

[zeak]

abeautifulife

Thanks, I am starting with a full 2 minutes massages and I don't have a bruise. I am starting with full dose this week. Has rebif helped you avoid some relapse, in your opinion? I've had 3 relapse this year prior to rebif, actually while the dr's were deciding what was going on with me. Duh, I told them it was MS.....

[abeautifullife]

I firmly believe that the Rebif has been helping me. I never had frequent relapses to begin with, but none since starting and I genuinely feel better. I've also been able to be much more athletic than before - the pseudoexacerbations have been improving. I get another MRI this spring and I'll update then, but I have been really happy with Rebif.

Note: I do not experience side effects with Rebif. So, for me, the medicine is absolutely worth it - I'm not weighing it against negatives beyond injection site stuff.

[spritebottle]

I've been on Rebif/Rebidose for about 2 years now and I had the exact same thoughts and problems.
I heard that some people do not experience side-effects after a few months of taking Rebif/dose, but there are others that still experience the side-effects that entail after a shot.

So far, I was advised to take ibuprofen 30 mins before/after a shot, and for me, the ibuprofen eliminates my side-effects.

I also asked a question about ibuprofen use, and I was warmly replied that it is completely fine taking it to fight the side-effects.

A Rebif nurse that I contacted, confirmed that taking ibuprofen is fine.

But as always, talk to your doctor. (Which I don't have)

I hope that helped! And fight strong!

[Cat Mom]

I was on Rebif approx 2 years, it didn't work for me... thank God. It was then I switched to COpaxone, and I realized the Rebif 'flu-like symptoms" made me feel worse than my MS did.

Since being on it (since Aug/07) I've only had 2 steroid-worthy flares... Jan/08 and Jan/09. Even I can't believe its been 5 years, I've had flares... just not bad enough to even think of going to the hospital.

The daily shot is not an issue, it's man-made vs Rebif, which is a live protein. No liver blood tests either! I hope you find something you can take that works, maybe some Members will chime in with success stories by taking the new orals.

Good luck!
Jen

[Mary314]

Taking Rebif since October

I have been taking Rebif since my diagnosis September/October. Flu like symptoms for me have been Hot/Cold sweats, fatigue, and irritability. I don't think I am coping well with it - this all seems too big, too heavy for me to carry. Neurologist appointment tomorrow morning - hope to remember everything I want to say. Surely my doctor did not intend for me to be this miserable.

[Ri88]

Sometimes I feel like you but I haven't heard about any MS pills I want to take. I had bad side effects when I started taking Rebif last year such as even more fatigue , bald spots , and insomnia which was horrible when all I wanted to is sleep but the longer I'm on it, the less I experience the side effects.

[HobbitHead]

You know what? I was on rebif for more than 3 years. I felt like poop the entire time. And never realized why. (Duh, me.)

I went off of it for 3 weeks and I couldn't believe how good I felt.

Now I am starting tecfidera. At least now I realize that feeling that bad isn't normal even with MS.