Before you start taking Avonex, tell your doctor if you have any history of depression, mood disorders, or suicidal thoughts or behaviors. They may monitor you more often than usual if you have a history of mental health conditions.
If you do develop any of the symptoms mentioned above, be sure to talk with your doctor or caregiver right away. In some cases of suicidal thoughts or behaviors, you may need to visit an emergency room. Your doctor will usually have you stop taking Avonex if you develop depression, mood changes, or suicidal thoughts or behaviors. Some people reported that their depression symptoms eased after stopping treatment with Avonex. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, get help from a crisis or suicide prevention hotline.
Try the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at Below are commonly used dosages, but always take the dosage your doctor prescribes. Avonex comes in two forms: a single-use prefilled syringe and an autoinjector.
Each form contains 30 micrograms mcg of medication in 0. Either device should be used only once. So once you inject your Avonex dose, you should discard the syringe or autoinjector as directed. Before you start using Avonex, your doctor or another healthcare professional will teach you how to use the syringe or autoinjector.
This way, you can learn how to self-inject or have a caregiver inject the drug for you. Be sure to inject your Avonex dose exactly as your doctor prescribes.
You should change injection sites with each dose. This helps prevent your skin from becoming irritated. The dosing schedule for the drug increases over the course of a 4-week period. Your doctor will discuss your specific dosing frequency with you before your first dose. When you first start taking Avonex, your doctor will usually start you at a low dosage.
If you experience side effects from Avonex, your doctor may recommend taking certain medications before your dose to help prevent the side effects. These medications may include acetaminophen Tylenol and diphenhydramine Benadryl.
Taking these medications before your dose may decrease your risk for certain side effects, such as fever or flu-like symptoms. For example, if your MS symptoms get worse during treatment, your doctor may recommend taking a steroid medication with Avonex. The steroid may help ease nerve swelling. Talk with your doctor about your treatment for MS before starting Avonex. You may have questions about Avonex and your treatment plan. Remember, your doctor and other healthcare professionals are available to help you.
And they want you to get the best care possible. Avonex is used to treat certain forms of multiple sclerosis MS. MS is a condition that affects the nerves that connect your brain and spinal cord.
MS causes your immune system to mistakenly attack the covering of your nerve fibers. Some symptoms of MS may include:. To be specific, Avonex is used to treat relapsing forms of MS. A relapse is a time of new or worsening symptoms. Avonex is used to treat the following in adults:. This may then help relieve your symptoms.
Avonex is not known to cause symptoms of withdrawal. But when you stop treatment with Avonex, your symptoms of multiple sclerosis MS or clinically isolated syndrome CIS may worsen. This is because Avonex was working to help ease your symptoms. If you have any questions about possible side effects when you end Avonex treatment, talk with your doctor. You should do this about 30 minutes before your injection. Let Avonex come to room temperature before you inject it.
Once you have removed Avonex from the refrigerator, you should use it within 7 days. You may also wonder how long Avonex can be unrefrigerated. Doing so may make the medication less effective than usual.
For more information on how Avonex works, see this article. You can also talk with your doctor or pharmacist. No, weight gain and weight loss were not side effects that were reported in studies of people taking Avonex. But in some cases, weight change can be a symptom of other side effects of Avonex. For example, if you develop heart failure due to Avonex, you may gain weight.
Changes in your thyroid is another possible side effect of Avonex. And thyroid changes may cause weight gain or weight loss. They can help determine the cause. According to guidelines from the American Academy of Neurology , if you have MS, you should get a flu shot each year. The medications Avonex and Rebif are both approved to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. With these forms, you may have new or worsening symptoms.
Both of the drugs contain the active ingredient interferon beta-1a. But even though these drugs are similar, they also have many differences.
And be sure to talk with your doctor about which drug is right for you. You may have a higher risk for liver problems if you drink alcohol or take other medications that can affect your liver.
These include:. Avonex may cause flu-like symptoms, such as fever, chills, aching muscles, and feeling weak. These symptoms may start within a few hours or days after your injection and can last for about a day.
They tend to be worse when you first start treatment. This allows your body to get used to the medication and can help minimize flu-like side effects. You can also relieve flu-like symptoms by taking an over-the-counter pain and fever reliever on your injection days. Ask your pharmacist to recommend one of these drugs for you. Hair loss can be a side effect of using Avonex. Weight changes were not reported in people who took Avonex in clinical studies.
Weight changes have been seen in people taking other forms of interferon beta the active drug in Avonex. For example, suddenly gaining a lot of weight could be a symptom of fluid retention caused by heart failure.
Gradual weight gain can also be a sign of an underactive thyroid gland. On the other hand, weight loss can be a symptom that your thyroid gland has become overactive.
Avonex may also be used off-label for other conditions. It helps to slow down the progression of MS and reduce the number and severity of relapses you have. In clinical studies of people with relapsing MS, Avonex was found to slow the progression of disability, reduce the number of relapses, and reduce brain lesions areas of nerve damage. Avonex treatment was compared with a placebo a treatment with no active drug. A second study looked at the effect of Avonex in people with clinically isolated syndrome.
Researchers found that people who took Avonex were about half as likely as people who took a placebo to have a second episode within 3 years. Avonex is not approved for use in children. Research has shown that interferon beta the active drug in Avonex can slow the progression of disability, reduce the number of relapses, and reduce brain lesions in children.
This can relieve the flu-like symptoms that commonly occur with Avonex. If your multiple sclerosis MS relapses during treatment, you might be prescribed other drugs to take with Avonex. A relapse is when you get new or worsening MS symptoms.
Other medications you may take include corticosteroids to reduce the nerve inflammation swelling , as well as other drugs to treat specific symptoms. Typically, your doctor will start you on a low dosage. Your doctor will ultimately prescribe the smallest dosage that provides the desired effect. The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended.
However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to fit your needs. The dosing frequency for Avonex is once a week. You should have your injection on the same day each week.
When you begin treatment, your doctor may start you on a low dose of Avonex. This helps to minimize flu-like symptoms that can be a side effect of the injections. The dose is gradually increased over 4 weeks to help your body get used to the medication. The titration kit contains three devices that you use to give the first three doses.
Then continue with your usual schedule the following week. However, do not take Avonex 2 days in a row. A medication timer may be useful, too. Avonex is meant to be used as a long-term treatment. Other drugs are available that can treat multiple sclerosis MS.
Some may be a better fit for you than others. They can tell you about other medications that may work well for you. You may wonder how Avonex compares with other medications that are prescribed for similar uses. Here we look at how Avonex and Rebif are alike and different. A relapsing form means you get episodes of new symptoms or times when symptoms come back or get worse. Avonex and Rebif have some similar side effects and others that differ.
Below are examples of these side effects. These lists contain examples of mild side effects that can occur with Avonex, with Rebif, or with both drugs when taken individually. This list contains examples of serious side effects that can occur with Avonex or with both drugs when taken individually.
The use of Avonex and Rebif in treating relapsing-remitting MS has been directly compared in a clinical study. In this study, people who took Rebif were less likely to have a relapse of their MS than people who took Avonex.
Avonex and Rebif are both brand-name drugs. There are currently no generic forms of either drug. Brand-name medications usually cost more than generics. According to estimates on GoodRx. Avonex and Gilenya are prescribed for similar uses.
Below are details of how these drugs are alike and different. Gilenya contains the active drug fingolimod. They are both disease-modifying therapies, but they work in different ways. Avonex is only approved for use in adults. Gilenya is approved for use in adults and in children ages 10 years and older. Avonex and Gilenya can cause some similar and some different side effects. These lists contain examples of mild side effects that can occur with Avonex, with Gilenya, or with both drugs when taken individually.
These lists contain examples of serious side effects that can occur with Avonex, with Gilenya, or with both drugs when taken individually. The use of Avonex and Gilenya in treating relapsing-remitting MS has been directly compared in a clinical study.
In this study, people who took Gilenya were less likely to have a relapse than people who took Avonex. People who took Gilenya also had fewer new brain lesions areas of nerve damage than people who took Avonex. Avonex and Gilenya are both brand-name drugs. Avonex is given as an injection into a muscle. Your doctor will teach you or your caregiver how to prepare and inject Avonex. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist if you have questions on how to give the Avonex injection. This allows it to warm up to room temperature.
Use a different place within these injection sites each time you inject Avonex. This will lower your risk for having a reaction at your injection site. About 2 hours after you have an injection, check your injection site for redness, tenderness, or swelling.
Avonex is used to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis MS. Relapsing means you have episodes of new symptoms or times when your symptoms come back or get worse. When this happens, it creates inflammation swelling that damages the outer protective layer of the nerves, called the myelin sheath. Damaged myelin makes it harder for messages to travel along the nerve fibers from your brain to the rest of your body. This can result in various symptoms, depending on which nerves are affected.
The episode of inflammation also called an attack or relapse can last for a few days or a few months. Scar tissue then develops around your nerve fibers in the places where the myelin is damaged. Before you start injections, tell your doctor if you have an allergy to rubber or latex. Blood counts: This medication can decrease the number of neutrophils a type of white blood cell that helps fight infection , red blood cells which carry oxygen , and platelets which help your blood to clot.
Your doctor will do blood tests to monitor this. If you notice any signs of infection e. Depression: Depression has been reported by some people taking interferon medications. If you have a history of depression, discuss with your doctor how this medication may affect your medical condition, how your medical condition may affect the dosing and effectiveness of this medication, and whether any special monitoring is needed.
People with depression should be closely monitored by their doctor. If you develop symptoms of depression such as poor concentration, changes in weight, changes in sleep, decreased interest in activities, or thoughts of suicide while taking this medication, contact your doctor as soon as possible.
Heart problems: This medication may worsen symptoms of heart disease. If you have heart disease such as angina, congestive heart failure, or arrhythmia, discuss with your doctor how this medication may affect your medical condition, how your medical condition may affect the dosing and effectiveness of this medication, and whether any special monitoring is needed.
Contact your doctor as soon as possible if you develop symptoms of heart problems such as shortness of breath, chest pain, rapid heartbeat, or swollen ankles. Liver damage: This medication may cause severe liver damage. Although rare, this side effect can be very serious. If you have a history of poor liver function, alcohol abuse, or active liver disease, discuss with your doctor how this medication may affect your medical condition, how your medical condition may affect the dosing and effectiveness of this medication, and whether any special monitoring is needed.
Your doctor will test your liver function regularly while you are taking this medication. Contact your doctor as soon as possible if you notice any of the signs of liver damage, including yellow eyes or skin, easy bruising of the skin, nausea and vomiting, itching, or abdominal pain.
Seizures: Some people have had seizures while taking this medication, including people who have never had seizures before. It is not known whether the seizures were related to the effects of their MS, the medication, or the combination of both.
If you have seizure disorder, discuss with your doctor how this medication may affect your medical condition, how your medical condition may affect the dosing and effectiveness of this medication, and whether any special monitoring is needed. If you have a seizure while taking this medication, you should call your doctor right away.
Thyroid problems: Some people taking this medication develop changes in the function of their thyroid. Symptoms of these changes include feeling cold or hot all the time, a change in weight gain or loss without a change in your diet or amount of exercise you get, or feeling emotional.
Contact your doctor if you experience these symptoms. Pregnancy: This medication should not be used during pregnancy. If you become pregnant while taking this medication, contact your doctor immediately. Women who may become pregnant should use effective contraception while taking this medication.
Breast-feeding: It is not known if interferon beta-1a passes into breast milk. If you are a breast-feeding mother and are taking this medication, it may affect your baby. Talk to your doctor about whether you should continue breast-feeding. Children: The safety and effectiveness of using this medication have not been established for children and adolescents less than 18 years of age. If you are taking any of these medications, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.
Depending on your specific circumstances, your doctor may want you to:. An interaction between two medications does not always mean that you must stop taking one of them. Speak to your doctor about how any drug interactions are being managed or should be managed. Medications other than those listed above may interact with this medication. Tell your doctor or prescriber about all prescription, over-the-counter non-prescription , and herbal medications you are taking.
Also tell them about any supplements you take. Since caffeine, alcohol, the nicotine from cigarettes, or street drugs can affect the action of many medications, you should let your prescriber know if you use them.
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