Avonex (interferon beta-1a) A Medical Guide to Avonex - Uses & Avonex Side Effects
Avonex (interferon beta-1a) is prescription medication approved by the FDA for the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) relapsing tendencies. It works by helping reduce the number of flare-ups and slowly reduce the number of relapses associated with MS physical disability
Interferon beta-1a is the Generic name of this medication. Avonex is not a cure for MS, it is only meant to temporarily decrease the frequency of relapses that a patient can experience. MS. Multiple Sclerosis is a disease wherein there is damage to the spinal cord as well as the brain.
Uses:
- Delay the progression of Multiple Sclerosis
- Reduces the lesions in the brain
Other uses of Avonex:
- Treatment for Hair Loss or Alopecia
Avonex Side Effects:
- Depression
- Allergic Reactions
- Sudden drop in red blood or white blood cells
- Seizures
- Fetal death if taken by a woman
- Flu-like Symptoms such as chills, high-grade temperature and colds
- Tiredness
- Numbness or tingling in your body
- Stomach pain
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Headache
Withdrawals:
Do not discontinue usage without speaking with your doctor. Relapses are known to occur when the medications were not properly administered or discontinued before the prescribed time. Follow your doctors prescribed directions.
Dosage
- Intravenous drug of 30mcg, injected to the muscle for 1x a week
Take note that there are specific instructions when injecting this kind of medication.
- It should be injected on the thighs or upper arms. Should the patient do it alone, it would be recommended to be injected on the thigh or upper torso
- Don't inject on the same area or spot twice. A rotation of the spot to be injected is advised
- Since the drug is prepared in a vial, do not shake the contents since it is very delicate and prone to molecule destruction if done so
What to avoid if you're taking Avonex:
Avoid using this drug if you engage in, or have the follow conditions:
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Breast-feeding for Women
- Liver Disease
- Seizure or Epilepsy
- History of Depression
- Heart Disease
- Thyroid Disorder
Women who are pregnant or about to become pregnant should not use this drug. It may cause miscarriage, and could harm an unborn baby. Ask your doctor if it's okay to breast feed while using this drug. It is not known whether this medicine will pass into the breast milk and harm your child.
Talk to your doctor right away should you become pregnant while taking this medication. Avonex is FDA pregnancy category C Rated.
There were some medical reports wherein patients would go through a withdrawal stage after discontinuation of the medication. They have this need to get injected with the medication to avoid getting depressed. So as always with any prescription medicine, talk to your doctor before you make any change to your dose.