Avonex to Gilenya?

[stphshaw]

I've been diagnosed with MS for about half a year. I've been taking Avonex for about 8 weeks. I've been having the hardest time injecting myself though. I was reading up on Gilenya and was just wondering if anyone has switched and what their opinion is.
Thanks (:

[TLC_31]

I switched in November 2011; unfortunately, Gilenya proved intolerable for me and I switched back after 19 doses. However, it does work for many people, and my experience shouldn’t necessarily deter you. Experiences such as mine should serve as caution, especially if you have even the slightest heart issues, and we we all need to remember there is no free ride. Even the much-anticipated Tecfidera has side effects people report struggles with.

Except for my brief experiment with Gilenya, I’ve used Avonex for more than nine years. It seems to work, I can manage the side effects, and it has a time-tested strong safety profile. I certainly had hard times injecting myself (Google “shot #269 of Avonex” for an example, and from that video you can link to shot #339), and for months I’ve handed off the syringe every week, so I know how you feel. You selected Avonex for one or more good reasons, however, and there are ways to try to overcome the injection anxiety.

Have someone trained to give you a shot so you can take a break once in a while. Practice regularly on an orange with a practice syringe or used syringe. Reward yourself after an injection with something you would let yourself have any other time during the week. Schedule injections for times that you can be well rested physically and mentally. Even shoot videos or pictures as I’ve done. You don’t have to post them to the internet, but you can show your friends and make some of them squirm, and then you realize you are pretty tough for doing this, and you can do it again and again!

Ask questions anytime!

[austinaaro]

Switch from Avonex to Gilenya

My 21 year old son switched inn April from Avonex to Gilenya. He has been on Avonex since Sept '12 when he was officially diagnosed. He also had trouble doing the shot. He was able to get the pen injector and after that he didnt have any problems at all. Is that something you can try? The pen conceals the needle so I think that is what helped him get over the anxiety about the shot.

Unfortunately Avonex didn't do the trick for him. He continued to have pretty severe symptoms with no remission period the whole time he was on it. Gilenya has had its own set of issues for him. He has a naturally low resting heart rate (mid-40s) so they were hesitant to give it to him - he was observed as an inpatient for 24 hours. He still has the low heart rate but is not symptomatic. Now he is having low lymphocytes so they are watching that closely. Seems if its not one thing its something else.

Best wishes to you!