Sore legs and Avonex

[annedocuk]

I have been taking Avonex for 3 months now with no real problems. I get no flu symptoms and no temperature. What I do find, however, is that the next day I get sore legs-that is generally achey on both legs from top to bottom. This lasts about 36 hours. I also get a slightly painful injection site, but I can understand that. Does anyone else get this dull pain in both legs? It is not so bad that it makes me want to stop, but hard to understand why both legs and not just the injection leg, or the arms as well......

[RoyaleMSer]

I'm on Beta and this happens. Usually just overnight after the shot but sometimes into the next day. My neuro warned me that the interferons can make spasticity worse. I guess he was right!

[miketurk]

Sore Legs

Had horrible flu symptoms for 4 to 5 days when one Avonex. Yet took it for 2 years. Went unmedicated for 2 years now on new tx.

So I had horrible night sweats all the time with bad leg pain.

Avonex works by fooling your body into thinking it is sick and producing T cells to attack the "illness" from the Avonex instead of producing the T cell for the illness from the MS. So chances were my body was reacting like I was sick even when I didn't feel that way.

Anyway, what helped with the spasms was sleeping with my back and spine and head cooler than the rest of me. Facing the back and neck towards an AC duct or wearing thin top with no covers on back or neck. Sometimes I used to place a cold damp towel on my head before bed and that seemed to help.

Found if I drank sugary drinks or caffiene it made it much worse too. Just drank water after dinner and that seemed to help after a few weeks.

While sleeping use long pillows between my knees and hips and feet. Found that spasms were occuring in deep sleep and pain in legs was much better when legs, knees, hips, and feet weren't pressing or banging directly against each other.

Suggest YOGA that really helped. So does swimming for many.

[nixiepixie]

Hmmm... now I'm wondering if this is what was going on with me last week. I've never had any side effects from my Avonex either, but last week I was complaining about my legs aching. It was both legs and a dull ache. I kept trying to figure out what I had done to make my legs ache like they were, but I never did think of anything. I inject tomorrow, I'll pay more attention to see if I get achy legs again.

[mtnwillow]

@Mike, that's interesting. I sleep with an ice pack on my neck or under my pillow and a heating pad on my hips and legs. I didn't know the logic, it just feels more comfortable. Also if Avonex makes the spasticity worse explains why I can't tie my shoes some days.

[3csmom]

Joint pain & Avonex

Just curious if anyone out there has extreme joint pain the day after you injection?
I've been on Avonex almost 3 yrs & had all the typical flu like sxs and still get them about once a month. Lately the day after injection my shoulders, elbow, wrists & hips KILL me and bring me to tears.
Am almost to the point of stopping the Avonex due to the joint pain. Anyone else out there like me?
Thanks!

[Justsayyes]

In the first year Avonex gave me joint pain, and it was awful, but it has diminished over time, probably because I take 10 mg. prednisone on shot day. Aleve works well for me too.
Important to be well hydrated the day after the shot, I like the vitamin waters for that.