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@mari365 

Last reply

mari365

Betaferon

Hi all, Very newbie post but I'm very new to all of this, just diagnosed 3 weeks ago. Still trying to get my head around the whole thing. I have decided to start medication and have gone with Betaferon. I'm starting tomorrow and was just wondering if anyone else has used it and what sort of experience am I in for? I know the medications affect everyone differently and I know I won't get a full dose tomorrow but I suppose I feel like I'm not really sure what I'm letting myself in for. Am I going to just take this injection and get on with the rest of my day or am I going to be in bed with flu symptoms for the rest of the week? Thanks :)
6
@Stumbler
@Stumbler
 

Hi @mari365 and welcome. You are a very newbie, aren't you? I do hope that you're taking things easy and spending a bit of time finding out what MS means to you. You must be, as you've found us. The MS Trust is a good place to go for information. Check out the "newly diagnosed" section of this website, https://support.mstrust.org.uk/shop . As for you question about Betaferon, yes, it can give you flu-like symptoms, shortly after the shot. I was on it for 5 years and at the start and occasionally thereafter, I used to get the flu-like symptoms. I used to take the shot at 19:00-20:00 and just used to go to bed if I felt the "chills" coming on. I used to be alright the following morning. And, I was taking the medication every other day! So, it will be a case of finding a schedule that works for you, assisted by Ibuprofen and Paracetamol, where necessary. Just take your time with it and good luck.

@mari365
@mari365
 

Thanks for your reply. I've tried to find as much reliable info online as I cam (I've found a LOT of unreliable info around) but I'm not really sure what else I should be doing. I was diagnosed and back in work the next day, I'm not sure I was medically prescribed any time to adapt to this situation. It's sort of like "ok you have multiple sclerosis now let me know what medication you want, bye". Some days I feel like there's no reason for me to even spend time thinking about this and others I feel like I need to just be left on my own for a week to accept this. I've struggled with my mood a lot of the last 3 years. I've been inexplicably depressed or upset or irritable for a long time now, I don't want to go out at night, I just want to go to bed. 5 years ago I was out every night of the week so at least now I can pin that change to multiple sclerosis. I have lost feel in my arm and in random parts of my body like my stomach and back but I think that's easier to deal with than the emotional upsets I've been feeling. Are these all the normal feelings of someone newly diagnosed? I don't really know what I should think or feel