Avonex vs Rebif
I was on Avonex for almost three years and then switched to Rebif about nine weeks ago. After having been on Rebif for about two months, I’ve noticed that there are some significant differences.
First, the injection for the Rebif is MUCH more comfortable. Avonex has a much longer and much thicker needle than Rebif. That just makes Rebif much more comfortable to me. The fact that Rebif goes under the skin instead of into the muscle also makes a difference. The marketing for Avonex says that the discomfort levels shouldn’t be any different between Avonex and Rebif. I must disagree.
The biggest difference is probably in my head. The Avonex needle just looks huge. It’s really hard to overcome that self preservation instinct and stab yourself with a needle that big. I’m someone has been around body piercing for a long time, and I have to say that this made me uncomfortable. Having said that, I was very fortunate to have friends and family who were willing to give me my injection. That made it much easier. With Rebif, the needles are thinner and shorter, and giving myself the injection is no big deal. Like I said, this one is probably in my head.
Another difference is the side effects. With Rebif, I’ve had fewer side effects, such as the flu-like symptoms, and those are usually mitigated by taking some type of over-the-counter pain reliever like Alieve or Advil. With Avonex, I had the same flu-like symptoms, but they were more severe. In fact, my neurologist in Pittsburgh had me on a low dose of prednisone to help alleviate the side effects. Now that I’m on Rebif, there is no need for the prednisone, and this is a good thing.
The last difference that I’ve found is the frequency of the injections. At first, I thought that Avonex would be superior because it was only once a week. Honestly, it’s not that big of a deal. Because Rebif has lessened side effects and is a more comfortable injection, doing it three times a week isn’t an issue for me.
I don’t regret being on Avonex. It really worked for me. But Rebif has been easier for me to tolerate so far.
These are my opinions based on my experiences. Your mileage may vary.
Indeed I fee better too with Rebif, but remember that when you are under this treatment blood tests need to be done every three months to check white blood cell count and liver function for the first year. After a year, they can be reduced to once every four months. People with known thyroid problems should be monitored every six months for thyroid dysfunction. A doctor said that if I do a maca extract treatment in the same time, would help me more. Do you know something about it?
Posted by on 05/14 at 12:12 AM
Next entry: Barb
Previous entry: Mojitos and Manicures