@Tantan 

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Tantan

Medication switch

Switching to Tecfidera on Saturday from Avonex was wondering if anyone has had bad side affects from Tecfidera? I’m a bit nervous about it. Didn’t really have any side affects with Avonex just an inconvenient when it came to travelling with it. One other question I have is how do you know if you have an episode? I only had one and that when I was diagnosed. Maybe I’ve had more but I don’t know cause I don’t know what to look for. I know my memory if NOT good and I can tell my speech is not the same as it was before. I jumble my words and sometimes have a hard time getting my words out. Sounds like I stutter. Are there any signs of an episode. I know they’re all different but how do you know you’re having one.
@AuroraBulgaris

Hi! I'm new here and to MS. My first medication is tecfidera. I started taking it this March. So far, I feel great, but arguably it's early to tell if working. So far my liver enzymes and white blood cell levels are stable (so that's good), and so far I haven't had a flare-up. I'm scheduled for an MRI to see if the lesions are stable in Sept (you can imagine how hard I keep my fingers crossed). My biggest noticeable side effect for the moment is the flushing. I get it a couple of hours after intake, it's more pronounced if I had a fat-free meal for my meds (a non-fat-free yogurt is enough, doesn't have to be a whole fat meal :D ), and it feels like i've been wrapped in a wool blanket. my skin turns red and it feels prickly/itchy. 9 out of 10 times it's not extreme, I feel it, but nothing to cry about or that would remotely make me consider giving it up. the 10th time i itch a bit more and scratch (always on my arms), but again - no lasting scratches or sensations remain. the whole shebang is gone in about an h max. Some days I don't notice it at all and with the evening dose, I'm usually asleep when/if it happens so it doesn't bother me. Hope it works as I'm most happy to live with those side effects for as long as i can. Also hope it works for you and you have even fewer issues with it! <3

@sarah21

Hi, i’ve Been on Tecfidera for 3 years. The first few months I had a lot of flushing, precisely 4 hrs after taking morning dose, but this subsided after the first few months and only happens occasionally now. Only other side effect is upper GI heartburn / indigestion- usually worse if tablet not taken half way through a meal and if non fatty meal. On the rare occasion I forget a tablet the side effects can be more noticeable for a few days but nothing to stop me taking it as they are manageable and I have not had a relapse since starting. The relapse question is a tricky one and one I asked too, I would consider a ‘flare up’ to be a short lived increase in existing, or first presentation symptoms, lasting a few days or weeks, usually when I have let myself get too tired or stressed! A relapse would be a new symptom or significant change in existing symptoms / function that lasts for more than 48 hrs. I have been worried about knowing if the Tecfidera is working and preventing sub clinical damage (that may happen without a significant clinical symptom) so when I had a recent flare up I had an MRI to check and there was no new damage so it must be working so far! Hope it goes well for you.