Multiple Sclerosis Forum

I am new to these forums so I hope this isn't a "forbidden" topic, but I have a question about ms and marijuana. I am a 22 year old college student who was diagnosed about 3 years ago with ms. I initially had to drop out of school because of the whole diagnosis process, but I quickly returned the next semester and have been successful ever since. I have been taking avonex for almost 3 years now and it still makes me sick every time I take it, not to mention my phobia of needles. I travel to my mother's house every week to have her give me the injection since I haven't yet gotten over the needle fear. I get the flu-like symptoms my doctor told me I might get, but they are still persisting 3 years into the medication. It is hard to tell if the avonex is even working because I still have had a few episodes, but for the most part I am doing well and it seems my relapses are few and far apart. I figure suffering through the flu for a few hours every week is the price I have to pay to slow the ms progression, which is what is important. It seems like I am one of those people not included when they say the flu-like symptoms go away in most cases after a few weeks/months of medication. I usually take aleve because it is the only thing that comes close to helping with these flu symptoms every week but it just isn't cutting it. I get a pretty bad headache and the chills and my skin tingles and everything, just like the real flu. It only lasts 15 hours or so, but this happening every week consistently is becoming a huge pain, both physically and mentally. My doctor prescribed a larger dose of naproxen, but being that aleve is literally the same drug, I can just double up on the aleve to match the dosage instead of going all out on prescriptions.

Anyways, a few months back I finally succumbed to peer pressure and tried marijuana. I still smoke recreationally but I decided to try smoking after getting my avonex injection. It seems to help a lot with the flu symptoms. I take 2 or 3 aleve right before the injection every week and they help with the initial sickness, but not much after that. I travel home a few hours after the injection and smoke some. The flu symptoms are almost unnoticeable now and I have had no problems (and coincidentally no new ms episodes) since I began smoking over half a year ago.

I am asking you guys for some (hopefully open-minded) feedback on this. I know marijuana is illegal and I am very careful about this. I am a smart guy and I am not letting this affect me in my school or personal life. I am still maintaining a high gpa and will graduate soon and head off to get my m.B.A. Are there any serious effects that stem from my marijuana use that can either affect my ms or conflict with the avonex? I am asking this forum somewhat anonymously because I am hesitant to talk to my ms doctor about this. I don't really have anyone else to talk to about this because I don't know anyone with ms my age so any input would be greatly appreciated.

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