issues pressing release button with Avonex pen

[BigA]

It's not a real click, if you listen and feel it, you can feel it releasing. So if you didn't hear it and it worked, then that's all that matters. Well done!

[Alpharetta]

Are you reacting to the sound

Sounds like you are reacting to the sound! Make sure to ice your leg first, that always helps.

[BigA]

I iced today - I didn't want the pain. Ice packs really work.

[CNDGirl]

I've been using the pen for about a year now. I started with the syringes for the titration and was more than happy to switch to the pen. Once about 6 months in to the teratment I jerked and pulled the needle out when it injected. I have found that while I love the pens more than the syringes, they are very inconsistent. Sometimes you press down then hit the trigger and it goes off without a hitch. Othertimes you press down forever and then press the button firmly and nothing happens. I spoke to the people at MS Alliance and they did say that some pens are harder to trigger than others. The nurse told me to leave the pen out longer than 30 mins, try an hour and that may help. I haven't found any difference.

Sometimes I find no matter how long I leave it out, or how hard I press down before I hit the trigger, the button won't go off until you're pressing so hard the pebn tube hurts your leg. I've even gotten to the point where I get my husband to be on stand-by to help out. If I try three times and can't do it, I get him to do it. The last couple of times he's even had a hard time pushing the button. It really does suck. I wish they would come up with something better. I mean I like the pen for myself better than the syringe because I've never gotten good at putting it in. But the pen seems to be causing more issues. I've started to hate shot night again.

I really don't mind needles if someone else gives it to me.. =) which isn't the easy thing to come by. My husband is really good about helping with the pen, and even helped when I got a months worth of syringes by a mistake.

I've been thinking about switching to rebif. I love the fact that Avonex is only once a week, but now I admit that the idea of a programmed autoinjector that doesn't have to be stored in the frigde sounds good.

The only thing I am dreding is having to go through getting use to new symptoms again. After about 9 months of Avonex I have very few symptoms.

Good luck to everyone. I hope my experience is useful.