Night waking from Tecfidera stomach Pain

[JustineS]

Started 240 mg dose on July 4th.
Very little flushing symptoms. Ears get warm for about
5 minutes. Not every time I take it.
I am having some stomach pain during the day which I hesitate calling stomach pain. It seems too high up so I
think its more upper intestinal. I have being trying to describe it to others as that horrible side stich you can get
from running. Just below the breast bone, right side only,
and wrapping around the back. If the pain gets too intense-I start getting nauseated.
I also have a pressure sensation or fullness in my stomach.
Interestingly it is similar to a sensation I get when having
a flare. I have described it to others as I am waiting for an
alien to pop out!
I have been able to control the daytime symptoms with advice from you guys. I now make sure more breakfast is more sufficient.
From day one-my neuro told me to take a quick release
low dose baby aspirin one hour before eating/taking the Tec.
I also eat 3 snacks a day. When the stomach starts feeling
weird- I find that the food helps especially a protein snack
of nuts. I am GF and dairy free.
My problem being is every night 3:00 ish the side
pain wakes me up!
I find that a snack helps. Usually rice milk and a GF cookie
I am able to return to sleep-avoiding my right side.
I am questioning in all of this-obviously what I am doing
with my dinner dose isn't lasting all night.
I am also wondering why my neuro said quick release aspirin and others are taking enteric. Enteric makes more
sense to me - would think it would be longer lasting.
Also my neuro explained to me that the Tec is a pulse medicine. I can control the pulses during the day and make
the side effect tolerable-but need help during the night.

[durgastiger]

@JustineS

Do you take it after breakfast 7am-ish and then after dinner 6-7pm ish?

I wouldn't recommend taking it too late 7pm is my cut off for all meds.

[JustineS]

I am taking my morning dose at 7 am and my
evening dose at 6 pm.
Last night I had my bedtime snack a hour later.
I actually slept through(except for a bathroom pee break-that I have always had especially the nights I injected my
Betaseron).

[Alicious]

I had that problem, then I started taking Zantac (generic; I cut the 150mg pill in half, in fact) along with the Tecfidera, and it completely solved the issue. My neuro says it's totally fine to take them together.

Protein definitely helps, but for me it wasn't enough and the pain was awful. With the Zantac, however, it's totally gone.

[sardi_g]

Wow I was just about to start a thread but this one describes my symptoms exactly. On my third week and out of nowhere unbelievable pain - at 3:30 am. After 3 aleve and an oxycodone/acetomenophin it was still so painful it hurt to breath. Has anyone had that where even moving your diaphragm hurts. I took a second oxycodone/acetomenaphin combo and that finally worked. Although now I'm in a stupor. I haven't taken any tex today bc I haven't been able to eat. so annoying. I'll try the baby aspirin and the antacid but has anyone gotten a prescription for this pain? Still waiting to hear from neurologist. At the risk of indulging in self-pity I'm starting to get a few tears as I feel the pain coming back. I know it's not exactly their fault but I really hate biogen right now and of course this *** disease.

thanks for allowing the rant and any ideas/advice/experiences.

Take care all.

[msesq]

I would say take it EXACTLY 12 hours apart, which you're not doing. I had the same stomach issues. There were so many times at the beginning of 240 that I would wake up in agony. I found that If I took my meds less than 12 hours apart I would suffer. Once I started really paying attention and adhering to a strict timing schedule I have not had any stomach issues. Its been a month.

[cvms]

I had the same horrible upper abdominal pain starting after my first full week on 240 mg. I take a baby aspirin and Zantac an hour before my morning dose and another Zantac before my evening dose. The pain completely went away.

Last week I tried to stop the Zantac after no pain for a couple weeks and it came back. So the next dose I restarted the Zantac and have had no pain since.

I have found I can't take my pill first thing in the morning or I get stomach pains by lunch. I eat breakfast at 7am and take my pill with a snack around 9:30 and have no issues. I take my bedtime dose with a snack at 9:30 also.

With out the Zantac I would wake up at 2 am with horrible burning stomach pains. I am so grateful for the advice I've learned here. Without it, I probably would have stopped taking Tec due to the pain. Now I have none.

Best of luck!