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@Sarah_T 

Last reply

Sarah_T

DMD Decision time ..Ugh!

Hi I'm currently trying to make a decision between the 4 DMDs. I’m sending myself slightly mad trying to choose one. I’ve been through the ms decisions site - www.msdecisions.org.uk . I’m spending evening scouring forums to get people’s opinions on them and very day I change my mind as to which one to choose. At the moment I’m thinking Avonex. Originally I thought Copaxone would be the one for me as there are so few side effects but I'm now starting to think maybe Avonex as the site reactions are fewer. This may sound vain but I go swimming several times a week and I have enough trouble with body image without adding red bumps and dents. My thinking is that I have never had flu and I didn’t have any side effects from the steroids that I may be okay on the Avonex. Is that a really ridiculous reason to choose a DMD? This is starting to stress me out and that is pretty hard to do normally, I’m very easy going person. Sarah x
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@pebbles19
@pebbles19
 

Hi Sarah, I was diagnosed in Jan with RRMS and also given the 4DMD options. I really relied on the advice from my MS nurse, who has been very supportive, who told me to try not do too much "Googling" on the medication, side effects etc. She told me everything I needed to know about each one, advantages & disadvantages and I made the decision to go with the new Avonex Pen. I'm not a big fan of needles so the thoughts of having to inject myself more than once a week really worried. Injection sites are less on the Avonex as you only have to inject once a week rather than daily or every second day. When i first started I did get flu like symptoms for the first few weeks when I started such as hot & cold flushes and muscle stiffness and aches but I did the injection in the evening time so as to not effect me during the day. This decision suited me and my lifestyle and I'm happy using (well as happy as I can be :))but at the end of the day you need to choose whichever one suits your needs! Hope this helps....shoot me any questions you may have!!! :)

@Lillylilly
@Lillylilly
 

I have heard and read so much from people who have had flu like symptoms from Avonex. At the time I had to make the medication decision, I just couldn't deal with feeling fluey as well as having symptoms. After deciding on Copaxone, I had a few months of lumps and itchy sites, but no physical reactions. I'm injecting a year and a half now (using the Autoject, which makes it easier) and have no reactions at all. Don't be worried about the sites being visible though, someone would have to feel your skin to notice a lump and if you stick to your hips and tummy noone will see anything.