Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

HELP! GIGANTIC HIVES FROM COPAXONE

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    HELP! GIGANTIC HIVES FROM COPAXONE

    I HAVE BEEN ON COPAX FOR THREE WEEKS AND THE HIVES GET BIGGER AND BIGGER. tHE ONES ON MY LEGS AND BELLY ARE HUGE (ABOUT 5-8 INCHES). THEY ARE SORE, ITCHY AND ARE SWOLLEN ABOUT 1/4 TO 1/2 INCH ABOVE THE SKIN LEVEL. THEY ARE BLOOD RED AND VERY HOT TO THE TOUCH. THEY LAST AT LEAST TEN DAYS (THOUGH MAJOR RELIEF COMES IN ABOUT 5 DAYS FOR MOST). THEY LEAVE A LUMP AND DARK SKIN AREA THAT DONT SEEM TO GO AWAY. PLEASE SOMEONE HELP. I HAVE CALLED THE NURSES AT SHARED SOLUTIONS AND THEY AGREE THAT I AM PROBABLY INJECTING MYSELF CORRECTLY. I HEAT AND ICE TOO. I USE CORTIZONE CREAM ON EACH ONE MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY BECAUSE THE ITCHING IS SO BAD.

    #2
    If I couldn't see or at least speak to my doctor immediately about what you describe, I'd go to the ER right away. Barring that, I'd cut out the hydrocortizone immediately and try a couple of Benadryl, because this sounds like it might be an allergic reaction. But really, you should be seen by a medical doctor ASAP, IMO.


    rex

    Comment


      #3
      Me too

      Happened to me on Copaxone too. Took Benadryl and doc took off ASAP. I'm now on Betaseron.
      RRMS 10/2011 Sick and tired of being sick and tired!

      Comment


        #4
        Are these the lumps where you injected, or lumps elsewhere? I ask because I have chronic hives that are unrelated to Copaxone, but it's not a particularly common condition...and they sure as heck aren't THAT big!

        Either way, I'd stop the meds and call your doctor ASAP. This isn't a normal reaction, and until you see a doctor you don't want more of the Copaxone, which you may be allergic to, in your system.

        You poor thing!

        Comment


          #5
          I had those reactions when I first started cop axone. They did get some better after about three months. That 4 to six week adj period they talk about? Yeah, right.

          Then after about 6 months both my hip and stomach were much better. My legs continued for quite awhile. I have been taking C for over three years now with a year hiatus and still have sight reactions. My legs are the worst and I still refuse to do my arms.

          Not to be a total downer...some suggestions for you:
          Use Solarcaine spray on the area starting the next day.
          Don't ice OR use heat beforehand. The nurses at SS will tell you to this. None of them have ever taken this medication.(Iasked.)
          Ice afterwards for longer than they tell you that you can. I have done up to half an hour.
          Wrap your ice pack in a really soft cloth and very gently and lightly rub it over the area. (I use a cloth diaper.)
          Take your shot at night time.
          Apply hydrocortisone about 20 min after you inject.
          Take benadryl about 20 before you inject.

          Chant to yourself over and over..."Oh mama.". This one is optional, but it works for me.

          Finally, the reason I have stayed with C is that it has controlled my MS really well AND there are no other side effects.

          Comment


            #6
            Switched

            I had the same problem. I stuck with it for 3 months, I ran out of places to stick myself. Every place was discolored and swollen. WhenI had my follow-up appointment I showed my doc and he recommended I switch to Avonex. I have had not one problem in 2 years.
            "So, perhaps our task in this shaky, fast-changing, bewildering world in which we live is to make music, at first with all that we have, and then, when that is no longer possible, to make music with all that we have left." UNKN

            Comment


              #7
              I have been on Copaxone for 2 years w/o any problems, not even hives, SO FAR. It seems to be holding my MS in check very well.

              I did, one morning, decades ago have terrible hives, an allergic reaction to INSULIN... Oh how wonderful, being diabetic and allergic to insulin, well beef-pork NPH anyway. I drove my self to the hospital, not knowing it was a stupid and dangerous move. Needless to say my reg doc had to change my insulin. Today its very rare with the new rDNA insulins.

              DO GO TO ER or SEE A DOCTOR ASAP. If it's an allergic reaction, you run a serious risk of Anaphylactic shock, which could be deadly!

              Gomer Sir Falls-A-Lot

              Comment


                #8
                This is not normal and my doctor took me off copaxone for "severe site reactions" that weren't quite as bad as yours, but close. I had sore, red, swollen spots that would make me limp for 3-4 days, and then it was time to do the other leg, so I limped most of the time. Dark spots lasted weeks and weeks. Tummy and hips weren't as bad but still worse than they should have been.

                But it sounds like it may be an allergic reaction and not just bad site reactions.

                You should definitely get checked out as soon as you can.

                Comment


                  #9
                  I had the same reaction to copaxone. The welts were HUGE and itchy. The we're so big that you could see them thru my clothing. Went to the drug store bought $100.00 worth of allergy meds and nothing worked. Stuck it out for 6 months had an anaphylactic reaction and then they finally switched me. You should see if they can give you a prescription for an epi pen and keep it close when you inject? I am on Rebif now and always hav n epi pen close by. These are heavy duty unnatural meds that we are putting in our bodies. Who knows what what reaction we can have.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Or, like me, you could have an epi-pen for a reaction to unnatural substances like peanuts. You can react to pretty much anything, "natural" or otherwise, and waiting until you have an anaphylactic response before switching is a really bad idea. i am so sorry you had to go through that!

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Good news

                      Doc took me off Copax and now on Rebif. Still on the 8.8, but not one problem so far - no hives, no pain, no flu sx.... knock on wood

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Sounds like you made the right decision!

                        I'm so happy that you switched off C with all of the problems you were having! Certainly drives home the point that every person is an individual and reacts differently.

                        Be well.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          I had horrible injection site reactions to C. I gave it a good college try for 9 months and then found myself skipping a shot here and there.

                          I finally told my doc that I was done with it. I am on avonex now and granted I have the flu symptoms but no huge hives.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            like gnet511, i had what sounds like similar reactions and perservered for about 4 months, then when i went to give my daily shot one evening within moments ( i still had the syringe in hand, it was so quick) i could barely breathe and i could see in the bathroom mirror that my face was swelling, thankfully i have one of those emergency pendants and i used it and within a short time an ambulance crew was there, putting in an iv and adrenaline as i was having a severe anaphylactic reaction! When i described to the ER doc that i had been having the skin reactions since starting but they had never really gotten worse or better then that day the reaction was so rapid and caused the facial swelling, airway problems, etc literally as soon as the medication was injected he warned me the next one would almost certainly be fatal!

                            i am so glad i had my call pendant too and the emergency key safe so the ambulance crew could enter without me having to get in as i was having so much trouble breathing i doubt i could have gotten to the phone or the front door!

                            very scary, i was transfered to betaseron immediately by my neuro
                            this is not to scare you but dont just assume these are the usual reactions, get them checked, but honestly even if they are just the normal reactions at a more severe level, as this is a long term medication, i would be discussing other options with my neuro, that is not a good way to have to manage!

                            Comment


                              #15
                              It's good you switched! I also had similar experiences five years ago. And then finally started getting the fast heart rate and fever reaction, two nights in a row, that was it for me.

                              It's a good thing there are numerous choices out there as each of us can tolerate different medications differently.

                              But one thing is for sure, once an extraordinary reaction starts, it is only bound to get worse. What I mean by extra ordinary, are the side effects that we see in the "severe side effects" area of the side effects descriptions of the meds.

                              This board is so good for sharing these experiences, as each of learn what is normal or acceptable in terms of side effects and what isn't when we share this information. My copaxone contact kept telling me it would go away, that's why I persevered as long as I did, until the fevers set in..

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X