Let's take a minute to talk about your medication. 

This is Avonex. It helps treat multiple sclerosis. The goal is to decrease relapses and slow down the onset of possible physical decline. 

Avonex is given as a shot into the muscle. Before injecting it at home, you should demonstrate an injection to your doctor or nurse. You should know how to store the medicine, and how to dispose of needles. If you have questions, your doctor or pharmacist can help. 

Your injection site may have mild tenderness or redness. Call your doctor if this gets worse or does not go away in a few days. You may have flu-like symptoms after each dose, for about 1 day. These include feeling tired, or having muscle aches, fever, chills or sweating. These often go away after a few months of treatment. Until then, your doctor can advise which pain reliever is best for you. Also, it may help to take your dose at bedtime. If these or other side effects become reasons you want to stop taking Avonex, please talk to your doctor or pharmacist. 

As with any medicine, more serious side effects can occur. With Avonex, these can include allergic reactions, seizures and problems with the heart, blood, liver or thyroid. You should read the Medication Guide for full information. To help keep this medicine safe for you, your doctor will order blood tests and follow you closely. 

You should know that if you ever have depression, unexplained sadness or even thoughts of suicide, it could be a side effect of this type of medicine. You should call your doctor right away. 

Women should talk to their doctors before becoming pregnant or breastfeeding. 

For best results, take Avonex exactly as directed by your doctor.