Looking to Rebif as an option

[MtnHigh]

So are there not a lot of people on Rebif??

Looking a head to see what Med I might want to start if the MRI's and everything I am going through in the next two months comes back with the MonStor

Needles don't bother me... Having been a Vet Tech for 10 years and drew people on people at a hospital for 8 months ( like animals better! lol )

I would like to hear the good and the bad from what people have tried on this med's

Thank you very much for your time!

[22cyclist]

So are there not a lot of people on Rebif??

Looking a head to see what Med I might want to start if the MRI's and everything I am going through in the next two months comes back with the MonStor

Needles don't bother me... Having been a Vet Tech for 10 years and drew people on people at a hospital for 8 months ( like animals better! lol )

I would like to hear the good and the bad from what people have tried on this med's

Thank you very much for your time!

If you have to start something, Rebif, being an interferon, comes with many flu-like symptoms that are supposed to go away within the first three months. You start on a low-dose and work your way up to the 44 mcg dose. It made me feel awful and caused bone marrow failure, but that is very rare. It also caused liver problems for me, which is more common.

The one good thing about it, it was super easy to inject! I am a nurse, and like you am not afraid of needles. I did not use the injector pen. It was by far less painful than Copaxone which I was on for over one year. But the copaxone gave me absolutely no side effects, it just didn't work for me. Alas, now I am on Tysabri.

In my opinion, I would start on Copaxone. It has the least side effects. You will not feel bad...you can go to work and feel normal. You do get some divets in your legs where you inject, and arms...but I found the lack of side effects worth it.

Hopefully you will not need any at all!
I wishing you a clean MRI!

[MrsV]

I've been on Rebif for a little over a year. I get some of the side effects: rising temp, aches, but really, it's not anything that I can't deal with. In fact, I take an Aleve prior to the injection and I might have to take another one the next day, depending on how I feel.

I like that it is only a three time per week injection.

I manually inject and don't use the auto injector.

My neuro does bloodwork every six months to check levels to make sure that all is well, which it has been.

I wish you the best of luck. It was so crazy when I was sent home with information about the three injectables. The neuro indicated that he thought Rebif would be best for me but he let me review the meds available and make the decision on my own.

[Alicious]

Lots of people here are on Rebif and are doing great with it. If you are leaning towards this med, go for it. Remember, your choice isn't set in stone, so if it doesn't work for you, you can switch. Many, many people are on it for the long haul.

[Cat Mom]

I'm partial to Copaxone, only because it's been really good to me for the past 5 years. I started on Rebif (2 years) and it didn't work, thank God... once I started on Copax I realized the Rebif made me feel worse than my MS did.

If you're OK with daily needles, why go through the flu like symptoms and chancing your liver staging a protest and saying, "I'm outta here!". Of course, your neuro will make a recommendation or 2. I hope you don't have to even worry about making a choice and your MRI comes back OK.
Jen

[polly2448]

I have been on rebif for 7 years. I do not get the flu like symptoms.
I had an aggressive case of ms in '05 my neuro said "if I'm going to keep you out of a wheelchair you need to start on meds now" He put me on rebif, I am stable and have not had any relapses since he said I now have a moderate case. For this reason I have stayed on rebif. But I hate it, I have hair loss and skin problems.

The best of luck to you with whatever you decide.

[MtnHigh]

Thank you all for your input!!!

I don't care if I have to do something everyday or whatever... I don't want the pill, it hasn't been out long enough.

Guess I just have to wait.. I have all my MRI's on Monday, and then evok Monday too, then an EEG on the 22nd.. Yet I don't see my Nero again until Oct.16th

I just want to know WHAT is going on with my body, and get it fixed!! I can't stand being sooo tried, and all the pain and the lose of feeling all over!!!

Again thank you all for your time!

[jojo18]

i was on it for 4 years. little to no side effects.

[lukeduke]

I have been on Rebif for almost 5 and 1/2 years. I learned the hard way to always pre-medicate. I do not have alot of problems with the Rebif. My family currently wants me to go see another Neuro and switch to Tysabri. My aunt says I am too educated about Tysabri. I just do not think that is a medicine I want to be on. I am fine with continuing on the Rebif as long as I am able.

[ericppl]

I have been on Rebif for a little over a year. I do use the auto-injector. Many complain that you lose control of the injection, but I'm find with five seconds of pain.

Typically, I take the Rebif just before I go to sleep so that I sleep through any flu-like symptoms. I do experience some overall body aches the next morning, but those usually resolve by the afternoon.

I also have what I think is the most common side-effect - dry mouth. Rebif has worked very well for me, an MRI that I had six months after starting it show significant lesion size reduction.

I'm not sure what your symptoms are, but one of the things you need to understand about MS is that it hits everyone differently. It can also strike without any warning. In my case, I have been symptom free since I was diagnosed, an my neuro expects things to stay that way forever.

As an aside - my neruo extended the initial titration period. Usually you step up from 22mcg to 44mcg after two weeks, I think. My neuro extended that to four weeks.

Good luck, I've had great success with Rebif. Like any drug, however, everyone's body responds differently.

[BigA]

Generally people respond to one or the other. Both meds are rated equally as far as reducing exacerbations. Neither is proven to lessen disability, though it is assumed (and hoped) that fewer exacerbations mean less disability.

If you research side effects, both the "feeling" and serious kind, you'll see that copaxone has far, far fewer. Interferons can do many things to your body, such as lowering your general immunity, lower blood counts as well as thyroid issues. copaxone has none of these issues and the only immune modulation is regarding mylen.

to me, Copaxone is the obvious first choice, especially for someone who doesn't have issues with needles.

[kriscake]

I have been on rebif manual inject since June. I had the extended 22mcg dose for a month as well. I do have minor flu like side effects but for me, it isn't bad. I take aleve an hour before I inject and go to bed shortly after.

I don't think I have really been on it long enough to know if it is really working for me or not.