The trials of Avonex

In August 2014, I started my MS drugs, Avonex, injecting the drug into my legs every Friday night, which led to me being out of order for the weekends due to the side effects I suffered including: pain, flu like systems such as headache, fatigue, fever, chills and muscle aches, as well as feeling queasy and being dizzy.  It was not nice to experience these, however they were not the only side effects.

Avonex also causes some patients to become depressed or have suicidal thoughts.  And I knew this going on the treatment but thought I would be OK, even though I do have depression due to my MS (this is one of the symptoms) . 

The important thing to remember is no to MS sufferers are the same and everyone reacts to medications differently. 

It all started off OK, I just experienced the physical side effects but over the weeks by moods started to get low and wee bit dark as well and I was a very difficult person to live with and be around as well  - relationships with family members and close friends were starting to hang by a thread.

I just seemed to lose control of myself at times, lashing out as people and exploding like a bomb for no apparent reason and doing things which just were not good for me or people involved.  It was my family and close friends who took the brunt of my moods and I am surprised they are still with me, but they are and I am very appreciative.

I decided to go to my doctor and talk to him about this and try and get some help - we decided that the Avonex was a very big part of the problem but there were other factors as well  - he was very supportive and kind and helped me.

I continued on with the Avonex and the side effects were still there so I rang the MS Nurse and told her my concerns and she told me to stop taking the drug and the consultant would send me out information on other drugs.

This is my story and as I said everyone reacts to medication differently and I know someone who is on it and has none of these issues. 

On Christmas Eve I visited my consultant and we decided the new drug I would go on is Tecifidera, which I am pleased to say is in tablet form, so no more injecting myself every week. 

Since I have been off the drug, my mood has improved, had one flare up on New Year's Eve, and still get impatient, but that's me. But overall the mood has improved which is good. And I have been doing a bit of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy to help myself.