I’ve been diagnosed with MS for five years, and been on a DMT for that same length of time. It feels incredible, and completely normal, all at the same time. In the last four years, I’ve injected myself with Rebif a little over 500 times. 500 nights of drinking tons of water, making sure I have alcohol wipes, aleve, tissue, and a bandaid. That’s not including the months I was on Plegridy.

I was on Plegridy for a year, right after my diagnosis. That was a horrible, defeating year. The huge dose of interferon every two weeks, intended to have less side effects, caused so many in me I was ALWAYS sick. I woke up sick, went to bed sick, it was never ending. I know that is not everyone’s experience with it, so take that with a grain of salt. That’s a discussion always best had with a physician, anyways. 

I’ve been on Rebif for four years now, and while I still stick with a lot of the same routine that I’ve been doing for years doing, there are a couple new issues I’ve been dealing with.

For starters, I’ve developed a newfound appreciation for sunscreen – this started after a few painful mishaps when I didn’t remember to reapply later in the day, and a few small blisters appeared. They were a little painful, but itched so much, I make sure to keep SPF on me all the time if I’m going to be outside longer than a few hours. 

Another thing that’s changed is the amount of injection site reactions. I don’t get a lot by any means, but I have had a dozen or so the last year and a half. These mostly itch, and are only painful if I’m unable to refrain from itching it until it’s sore. Cutting off some fresh aloe is usually my best bet for relieving this.

Besides those two changes, not much else has changed. I take OTC pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen an hour or so before, drink a lot of water the day of, and try to relax before I inject it. The same routine, every few nights, for the last few years.

It can definitely get monotonous, and a little aggravating. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful I’ve got the opportunity to use a DMT. I’m extra grateful there are so many options, because otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to try a different one when my first didn’t work out. 

To be completely honest, I do get tired of it being on my mind for almost half of the week. Drinking water is always on my mind. Figuring out what I may need to rearrange on my schedule is also an issue of mine. Some nights I still have trouble falling asleep, but that’s less frequent than it used to be.

All in all, it can just be a little…annoying. 

I know this whole update is a little bit…underwhelming. I kind of think of that as a good thing. It means no disease progression, no worsening of symptoms, and no news is good news. 

I’m really excited for the next two posts – one on acupuncture, one on counseling. My journey with those two experiences are much more exciting than my journey with Rebif. 

If you’ve benefited from acupuncture or counseling, or you’ve just got a comment or suggestions, feel free to comment or email me at bri@stumblepup.com. Feeling curious? You can also follow me on Instagram or Pinterest if you’re interested in what I’m up to.

Until next time,