During the start of your treatment, your healthcare provider may recommend you build up to a full dose of AVONEX gradually over the first month. This is a process called titration.
The recommended dose of AVONEX is 30 micrograms (30 mcg) once a week. To reduce the incidence and severity of flu-like symptoms that may occur at this dosing level, you may start taking AVONEX at a dose of 7.5 mcg. You may subsequently increase the dose by 7.5 mcg each week for the next 3 weeks until you reach the recommended dose of 30 mcg.
The AVOSTARTGRIP Titration Kit is used with AVONEX prefilled syringes to help you get started with titration. Once you have achieved the 30 mcg per week recommended dose you may opt to transition to the single-dose AVONEX PEN: a prefilled, single-dose autoinjector with a needle that is half the length of the AVONEX prefilled syringe.The following tips may help to manage flu-like symptoms:
Stay well hydrated
Ask your healthcare provider about using over-the-counter pain and fever reducers on treatment days
Experiment with different times of day for your injection. Symptoms may peak at different times depending on the individual
Keep a journal to note how long after your injection any side effects occur, how much water you drink, and any pain relievers you take
Remember, it’s important to talk to a healthcare provider about any side effects you experience.