feeling overwhelmed and update on Avonex shots

I thought I'd fill you in on my Avonex.  I had my 5th shot yesterday, my hubby gave it to me in the arm.  I tried not to whince but it really hurt!  He is trying so hard to do this for me.  He gave me my shot last week in the thigh for his first time.  I am still having horrible side effects from the shot.

Last night and hour after my shot the horrible headache started then about 3-4 hours later chills, fever over 101 and intense body aches.  I do take alot of advil and learned today I need to take 4 in order to get relief.  I still had fever and horrid headache this morning but after taking the alotment of advil I am finally feeling better.

Do any of you just get overwhelmed with all you have to do some days and yet you don't have the energy or feel up to any of it?  I have been experiencing it, I just feel so rotten and don't know how on earth I can do what needs to be done.  My daughter recently brought home a 3-4 week old kitten that had been abondend and that is like having a new born baby!!  I want to care for the poor thing but I just don't know how I can add one more thing to my overloaded brain and body.

I am feeling down because I realize that I am not going to get "better", in fact, this may be the best I will ever be.  That makes me sad!

Yes, we all feel overwhelmed at times, I think.  I think that, over time, you'll learn to manage to juggle all the balls in the air that you NEED to juggle..

and learn to set down those that aren't so important.  These are just generalities, and may not apply to you, but for example:

some folks think they have to have an immaculate house, and get overwhelmed when they just don't have the energy to clean every day like they used to.  Well, y'know?  dust bunnies never choked anyone. Sometimes it really IS OK to just not vacuum every day. Or make the bed, complete with comforter, bedspread, dustruffles, and all those fancy pillows. Or wash the kitchen floor EVERY day (like, I know there's the expression, "my floor's so clean you could EAT off it!!" When's the last time you served dinner off the floor???)

I don't know your schedule, so can't help you figure out what maybe you don't NEED to do, vs. what should be done regularly.  I can tell you this, though: your daughter will be much more grateful about your attempts to care for the kitten than she might notice that her laundry isn't done.  Or that her bureau is dusty. (And besides...how old is your daughter?  never too young to learn how to do some stuff for herself..and to help you!!)

As for the Avonex. I've never found advil or aspirin to do much to touch the side effects from the interferons.  I know they tell you to take advil or tylenol; you might try ibuprofen (you can get it generically, pretty inexpensively, at most pharmacies) and see if that doesn't work better for you.

Okay Michelle,  I felt the way you do too before I started on Wellbutrin.  I also take Avonex and I didn't think I was "depressed" when I started on it, but after a couple of months my neuro told me she thought I was depressed from the start and put me on the Wellbutrin.  I guess she was right because I do feel better and the Avonex doesn't even make me that sick anymore.  I feel achy and tired, but it's hard to tell if it's the medication or just the way I feel.  Now doing the shot shouldn't hurt like you are saying it does.  My nurse "teacher" said to freeze the site with a blue freezer pack (like a cooler ice pack) for about 15 minutes before doing the shot.  I don't even feel the needle.  Mentally it's still a long needle and it still scares me, but I do not feel it in my thigh at all.  If you aren't already, try doing that and maybe you will do better with it.  Your body will get used to the Avonex.  Do you take a xanax or anything before you do the shot?  I find that it really helps me to be able to get past the fear and anxiety if I take one half an hour before I do the shot.  I hope you feel better soon.  No one should feel the way you are now.  Take care and don't worry about chores.  They will be there when you feel better.