One of my fears when I first started the rebif was when would I be able to schedule it in. I had heard about the flu-like symptoms and was worried that they would effect me and my running the next day. Well like many people I am experiencing them after I do an injection, but for me they haven’t been that bad. I take a couple of Tylenol when I do the shot and I seem to be ok. I also do it about an hour before I go to bed so I apparently sleep through the worst of it.
So what effects have seemed to hangover into the following morning/day? I do still seem to have a little of the flu-like symptoms 12 hours after injection, but not that bad. I don’t like to take any pain medicine before a run as I don’t want it to mask the onset of an injury, but I have been taking a couple Tylenol before my runs after the morning after injections. The effects I have experienced in my morning-after runs are so far not what I expected at all (I have done it three times now.)
My first MAR (morning-after rebif) run I did a long run (8+ miles) and felt great, a little tired but good. My second MAR run I did a fast run, the fastest 10K I have done since I set my PR. Again I was tired, but the run went well. I was able to continually push my speed throughout. Yesterday I did my third MAR run, this time I went back to a long run (8.5 mi) and I was surprised to see I did it relatively fast too; 8.5 minute miles. Where I usually have an initial seizure after 4 blocks (almost like clockwork) I had none. I didn’t have anything until I hit 6 miles and then I had a very slight one. I had several more after that before I finished, but all in all they were small and I was pretty happy about the lack of negative effect the rebif had. During my cool-down I had a few more, but they were light and I added a core exercise routine I have been doing off and on (more off!) this year.
I am no runner and I am on Avonex, and have been on it for almost 7 years. At first I had planety of flu-like symptoms, but they subsided.
But here of late, they are coming back, and full force. And there is another symptom adding itself. I will clal it a migraine, but it is not a full blown one. For those who have had one, will understand my description.
But what is worse is that it keeps me on the sofa all day. So I hope that you keep doing well with your Rebif.
Danette,
I may be a runner, but I loves me my couch too! I know just what you mean, I have had this cold that has zonked me out for the most part. I really have had to force myself to run. Even then the couch has been really tempting afterwards.
That is interesting that the Avonex symptoms subsided and came back. Its almost like relapsing/remitting symptoms. I have never had a migraine before, hopefully I will be able to avoid them. I hear they are no fun.