Peginterferon beta-1a for Multiple Sclerosis User Reviews

• kIr...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 9, 2023

Peginterferon beta-1a "Took this for eight months in the years 21 into 22. I went from feeling absolutely fine (just one attack pre-diagnosis six months prior) to feeling constant headaches, muscle pain, anxiety, depression, and feeling worthless nearly all the time. I couldn't continue my work, socialize, and I barely managed to function for the entire period of time I was on it. Came off it just under a year ago, and within a few weeks I felt absolutely fine. On a new treatment now with significantly less side effects (for me) and certainly nothing like being on the Plegridy. Due to the fact that it was making me feel so bad, I have given it the lowest rating and went against the mantra of 'we aim to keep you well!'"

• Pat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 2, 2023

Peginterferon beta-1a "Started on Plegridy. First titrating dose left me with awful flu-like symptoms for nearly 48 hours. Additionally, the autoinject pen is horribly designed. When I tried to take my second dose, it malfunctioned, stabbing me with the needle but failing to inject the medicine. Lovely. What was so hard with sticking to the standard “press autoinject on your skin and then press a button” mechanism? The Plegridy autoinject pen requires you to use a stabbing mechanism into your skin, with then it automatically releases the needle and injects the medicine. Or at least that’s what is supposed to happen. I find it far more mentally taxing than any other autoinject pen that I’ve used. I wish there was another option for injecting this medication. Also - the medicine comes implanted in the autoinject pen already, and you cannot remove the syringe, which means you have to put this bulky 1” x 1” x 9” pen into your sharps container for each dose you administer. Completely needless waste."

• Rou...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 13, 2018

Peginterferon beta-1a "I've taken the medication 3 times. The last dosage was the full one (125 mcg). So far, the symptoms are much better than Avonex. I took the Avonex drug for 6 months and had few fever-like symptoms that lasted 24 hours. With Plegridy, the only side effect so far is that the injection site gets red and swollen for 3 weeks after the injection. So far, I like the drug and would recommend it as it's also bi-weekly."

• Kry...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 28, 2022

Peginterferon beta-1a "Diagnosed in 2018 and have been taking Plegridy since. To be honest, it’s the worst for me. Severe flu-like symptoms to the point where I’m bed-ridden and crying. I have to take pain relievers constantly to manage the body aches and fever, which is usually about 5+ extra strength ibuprofen a day. It lasts for about 5 days. I tried to deal with the side effects this for this long, but I can’t do it anymore. Going to change it up."

• Gre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 27, 2020

Peginterferon beta-1a "On Plegridy for MS, and my side effects of flu-like symptoms were rather extreme for me. The first and second doses lasted for 48 hours. The third dose was the worst. Shot on Friday and fever still going on, 72+ hours afterward...39.6 degrees, 36 hours after the shot. Doctor said I probably cannot handle it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 30, 2018

Peginterferon beta-1a "Drug caused major heart issues when I had no prior heart problems. Came on 2 months into taking it. Too much for the heart to take. I had to stop and now have major life-threatening issues. This drug is not good for your heart. It literally damaged my heart."

• Lil...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 5, 2021

Peginterferon beta-1a "I’m taking Plegridy for over 4 years now. It was the first and the only therapy that my doctor suggested back in the time (2016). Didn’t have the mind to think for myself in the first place, like which one should I get with the less side effects, etc. However, I still have the flu for more than 2-3 days. The company that brings the medicine to my country was telling me from the start that I should stop it, but my doctor, on the other hand, keeps telling me that it's the best for me because in the MRI, it looks the same over these years. (Besides all the painful side effects that I am experiencing every 2 weeks. Even my psychology is really down with this drug, I got another relapse and nothing seems to feel right with this one.) I will stop taking it and switch to another one soon. Have only bad feelings for this one. I don’t recommend it. :("

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 7, 2017

Peginterferon beta-1a "Minimal side effects for me. I do not drink a lot of water before or after my injection. I do not take ibuprofen. Injection site redness is my only side effect (does last for a month or more). Previously on Tecfidera, the twice-a-month shot is much easier to tolerate than a twice-a-day pill (extreme flushing on Tec.)."

• Mas...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 16, 2018

Peginterferon beta-1a "After striking out with Gilenya, I thought that I would try Plegridy. I have had no side effects, except for one time I felt like I had the flu. I loved the once-every-other-week injection schedule, but unfortunately, I had disease progression after 20 years of having none. So, I am looking to switch to another medication."

• Ter...
• December 7, 2017

Peginterferon beta-1a "I have been on Plegridy since I have been diagnosed in 2016, so I have been on it for a year. I love the fact I only have to take it every other week. At first, the day after taking this injectable, I would be down for the day. Now, the next day I am a little sour. I do get a red mark on my skin where I inject myself. On the whole, this med is working for me. I have not had any new lesions."

• wha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 11, 2017

Peginterferon beta-1a "I took this injection in August 2015. The side effects were horrendous, it felt like every bone in my body was being crushed. I stopped taking it in October, never again. Recently been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, could there be a link? Also tried Avenex, same symptoms."

• Cin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 28, 2022

"I have been on this medication for 2 months. I feel like it is poison to my body. Within hours, every joint is in extreme pain, I am sick for 3-5 days with a salty mouth and constantly feeling nauseated and sometimes heartburn. These are all symptoms that I never had before I took this medication. It makes it impossible to sleep while feeling these symptoms. I was diagnosed in 1998 and was on Rebif for years, but the shots were so painful, and the itching I suffered from this medication was frustrating. After years of being on this medication, I went on Vumerity, but my lab results have declined every month for 2 years, and I was forced to go on another medication, and the one we are trying is Pegridy. The side effects are so horrific for 3-5 days that I cannot recommend this medication. And we haven't come to a conclusion on liver damage yet."

• CB9...
• May 10, 2017

Peginterferon beta-1a "I've been taking Plegridy for the past 6 months. I used to take Avonex, but for me, Plegridy is much better since I have to take it every 2 weeks and it doesn't make me feel sick or with fever."

• Rey...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 18, 2019

Peginterferon beta-1a "My son used Plegridy, and every time when the medication had been injected, he had severe side effects (fever, vomiting). After a while, he started to take different medicine."

• Bel...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 1, 2019

Peginterferon beta-1a "Have used three previous medicines, the Plegridy pen is really great. Every other week, I feel bad for one day, a red spot. I have been using it for five years."