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Stinging/Burning after Copaxone Shot

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    Stinging/Burning after Copaxone Shot

    For those of you who experience this, what helps? I don't even feel my shot but about a minute after it burns/stings like crazy! Thanks in advance for your help!

    #2
    I'm on Copaxone 40.

    Shared Solutions has a 24/7 help number: 1-800-887-8100, They can give you some suggestions. They may also be willing to come out and re-train you in doing injections to see if there is anything you could try differently that might help.

    Here are some of my suggestions:
    • Medication should be at room temperature, not just out of the fridge.
    • Heat (a warm compress -- not too hot) or cold (ice or a cold compress) applied to the site sometimes helps. You may need to experiment whether heat helps more, or cold. Also, some find that "before" injecting works for them; others apply heat or cold "after" the injection.
    • Remove needle cap in upright position; this will prevent a drop of Copaxone® on the tip of the needle, which may cause burning
    • If using alcohol swabs, ensure the alcohol is dry before injecting.
    • Do not inject in an area where you have injected in the last week.

    I found that some sites are worse than others, and, with the approval of my physician, I now inject only in sites in my abdomen, being careful not to use any one site more than 1x per week, to avoid a higher risk of lypoathrophy (dents in the skin that don't go away). Shared Solutions wasn't able to suggest or approve that option, as they need to stick with their protocol, but physicians seem to have more flexibility to try other things.
    Last edited by Mamabug; 04-11-2016, 05:10 PM. Reason: Corrected a spelling error
    ~ Faith
    MSWorld Volunteer -- Moderator since JUN2012
    (now a Mimibug)

    Symptoms began in JAN02
    - Dx with RRMS in OCT03, following 21 months of limbo, ruling out lots of other dx, and some "probable stroke" and "probable CNS" dx for awhile.
    - In 2008, I was back in limbo briefly, then re-dx w/ MS: JUL08
    .

    - Betaseron NOV03-AUG08; Copaxone20 SEPT08-APR15; Copaxone40 APR15-present
    - Began receiving SSDI / LTD NOV08. Not employed. I volunteer in my church and community.

    Comment


      #3
      Take week's syringes out

      I'm on Copaxone 40 mg.

      The best advice I got was to take the week's syringes out Sunday evening. They are good for up to 30 days without refrigeration, so taking them out on Sunday is still within the protocol. I have found that only when they have been at room temp for about a day are the burning, stinging, redness, and swelling lessened.

      Hope this helps.
      Melissa
      _____________________
      Symptoms started around 2000, Diagnosed with RRMS April 2014, On Copaxone.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by cptmelissa View Post
        I'm on Copaxone 40 mg.

        The best advice I got was to take the week's syringes out Sunday evening. They are good for up to 30 days without refrigeration, so taking them out on Sunday is still within the protocol. I have found that only when they have been at room temp for about a day are the burning, stinging, redness, and swelling lessened.

        Hope this helps.
        Yup. I do that. Copaxone 40 syringes are packaged in 3's, and we need 3 injections per week. In addition to ensuring that the med is at room temperature, it helps me to ensure that I keep track of giving myself my injections on M, W, F, and I don't have to wonder if I forgot one or not.

        If I am one day late, it still works. I just move to T, Th, Sat that week, and can easily switch back to M, W, F the following week.
        ~ Faith
        MSWorld Volunteer -- Moderator since JUN2012
        (now a Mimibug)

        Symptoms began in JAN02
        - Dx with RRMS in OCT03, following 21 months of limbo, ruling out lots of other dx, and some "probable stroke" and "probable CNS" dx for awhile.
        - In 2008, I was back in limbo briefly, then re-dx w/ MS: JUL08
        .

        - Betaseron NOV03-AUG08; Copaxone20 SEPT08-APR15; Copaxone40 APR15-present
        - Began receiving SSDI / LTD NOV08. Not employed. I volunteer in my church and community.

        Comment

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