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    Copaxone

    I was told today to stop with the Rebif. I had thought I would try Copaxone, but keep reading all the posts of site reactions. That makes me nervous! Does anyone use Copaxone and don't have the site reactions?

    Sara

    #2
    I think everyone on Copaxone experiences post-shot stinging, but I have never had any site reactions. Usually I can't even tell where I just injected after even a few hours (and they're always invisible within a day).

    My routine is to shoot up after the shower (autoject for hips & arms, manual for stomach & thighs). I've tried both ice and pressure afterwards, and find that pressure (30 seconds) somehow limits the stinging. Sometimes doing manual injections as slowly as I can (and still hold steady) reduces the sting, too.

    It's never exactly fun, but it's always forgotten within 20 minutes (and I don't need to take meds to take my DMD! ).
    1st sx 11/26/09; Copaxone from 12/1/11 to 7/13/18
    NOT ALL SX ARE MS!

    Comment


      #3
      The site reactions that I had on Copaxone were pretty insignificant as long as I 1) took the shot out of the fridge to cool to room temp. At least an hour before injections and 2) avoided my arms as an injection site. Of all of the DMD's that I have tried Copaxone was the best side effect-wise.

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        #4
        I wish I could say for me, there were no lumps, red warm spots that used to itch, some bruising and on a very rare chance, no Initial Post Injection Reaction(IPIR), but I can't.


        However, I can tell you that 15 years later, I have experienced great MRI scan reports, and shot reactions lessened greatly over aprox. 9 months. Today, I don't think twice about my shot areas and I'm happy.

        It's great that Copaxone comes pre-mixed and ready to go.
        It's also great to remember to keep the medication off of the skin.
        Copaxone irritates the skin, so wipe it away immediately if any get you directly.

        Giving yourself manual injections will lessen the site reactions.
        Oh, and skip arm injections if they hurt too much days after.
        Find other fatty areas. Copaxone likes that much more than muscle in the early, adjustment time.
        These days I can inject in muscle like it's (almost) nothing.

        For me, Copaxone was a second attempt at a DMD that could help slow down the disease since my brain has so much damage from the MS.

        Well, it has helped!
        In fact, I credit Copaxone, my awesome neuro, resting and reducing stress for keeping me functioning. Mostly, I give credit to Copaxone.

        I hope that you give your body lots of time (remember, 9+ months) to adjust.
        You might have a flare or two early on, but the medicine hopefully will do well for you. I had a handful of flares, but a few days of steroids while taking Copaxone worked during the adjusting-years.
        Now, I have confidence in what I'm taking, which has helped me physically and emotionally.

        It gets better, that's all.

        Comment


          #5
          Thank you! I'm suppose to be off Rebif 30 days and then I go back to the Dr. to make a choice.

          Sara

          Comment


            #6
            copaxone


            I wish I could say the same with my experience but my situation actually brings me here to ask if anyone has had the severe reaction of breathing difficulties that last 20 to 25 minutes? I actually gasp for air. My throat becomes very thight and my chest can barely exspand. I have had this happen to me 5 times now. I have been on the medication for a little over a year.

            I'm holding off calling my doctor and reporting to the staff nurse for copaxone. I have already discontiued my arms due to this reaction thinking it was sight related. This is a tough decision for me. I have had ms for over 30 plus years. This my first ms drug I have ever used and I'm not sure if I want to keep trying or not? That's why I have not reported this today from last night. I'm on oxgen too and even this does not help. I have used steriods for my attacks over the years.

            Does anybody else have this trouble or know of someone who has this reaction and what did they decide?

            Thank You
            msrasurvivor

            Comment


              #7
              I've been using copaxone now for almost 2 weeks now. The only site reactions I've had was mild bruising,redness,welts,mild stinging. It goes away in a few hours.
              The other problems that I've notice have been nausea, increased fatigue,dizziness. But I may be having a mild relapse. My feet are pretty numb so it may be relapse and not the copaxone.
              I used the auto injector today for the first time . No problems.
              My myself its been a good choice of treatment so far.
              dx.SPMS (baclofen,gabapenin,norco)
              started tecfidera 7/10/2013
              rituxan 11/13/2012 stopped due to side effect &it didn't help me (for RA and MS)
              copaxone started 4/2012 but stopped due to bad allergic reaction
              Matt.19;26 “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

              Comment


                #8
                I've only been on Copaxone for about 3 months, but I don't mind the shots...only takes a few minutes a day and if it works for me, it will be great! I get stinging and redness for about 10 minutes after - once in awhile I'll accidentally poke the muscle in my arm or leg (which results in it being sore for about a week afterward, I try to avoid!)

                Use a cotton-ball or pad right afterward to apply gentle pressure on the injection site for 10 seconds or so (also mops up any stray medicine). If it's on my leg, I use a cool gel-pack for a few minutes afterward. I keep the gel pack in the 'fridge, not the freezer.

                I find it hurts less to auto rather than manual...except for my legs, I almost always manual on them :O) Good luck!
                RRMS 2011, Copaxone 2011-2013, Tecfidera 2013-current

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by msrasurvivor View Post
                  I wish I could say the same with my experience but my situation actually brings me here to ask if anyone has had the severe reaction of breathing difficulties that last 20 to 25 minutes? I actually gasp for air. My throat becomes very thight and my chest can barely exspand. I have had this happen to me 5 times now. I have been on the medication for a little over a year.

                  I'm holding off calling my doctor and reporting to the staff nurse for copaxone. I have already discontiued my arms due to this reaction thinking it was sight related. This is a tough decision for me. I have had ms for over 30 plus years. This my first ms drug I have ever used and I'm not sure if I want to keep trying or not? That's why I have not reported this today from last night. I'm on oxgen too and even this does not help. I have used steriods for my attacks over the years.

                  Does anybody else have this trouble or know of someone who has this reaction and what did they decide?

                  Thank You
                  msrasurvivor
                  OMG and you HAVEN'T called SS or your doc??? Are you waiting for a trip to the ER? Please, call SS and the doc immediately!! Thats a severe reaction. I passed out cold after a shot one time and SS and doc told me to stop immediately, and doc scheduled me an appt to do shot in office so they could monitor me. Better to be safe than sorry.

                  Sara Angela, I have only been on copaxone for alittle over a month, and I've gotten the burning and site pain, a few lumps, 2 bruises and one red spot. I hate these shots but its got the best side effects when I compared all the dmd's.

                  I cant shoot on my right side at all, and I also dont do my arms or the top of my left leg. I got alternate sites from my doc. Any reaction I have afterwards, like the burning or pain, goes away within 5-10 mns. Alittle discomfort for 5 mns a day is worth it for what the drug may do for me.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    All of the other posters have given you such great information so I won't repeat what has been said extremely well.

                    I will however sing the virtues of Copax, which I have been taking since 2007 after Rebif didn't work for me (lots of flares, lived on IV steroids, MS got worse). I took Rebif from dx in 2005 until Aug 2007 and I can honestly say that the side effects of Rebif were, a lot of the time, worse than my MS.

                    Once I switched I started having good days, I'd forgotten what those were. I'm still taking Copax, only has 2 steroid-worthy flares, 1 in Jan 2008 and 1 in Jan 2009. MS has improved markedly since dx and no new lesions either. There is some permanent damage but that all occurred pre Copax. As for the injection site reactions, it's a small trade-off for everything it has done for me. They aren't that bad and there are ways to alleviate them.

                    I guess I just want to offer you 1 more positive Copax experience as you plan your next med regime. Good luck with your choice and I hope that whatever you choose has a success story for you!

                    Jen
                    RRMS 2005, Copaxone since 2007
                    "I hope to be the person my dog thinks I am."

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by msrasurvivor View Post
                      I wish I could say the same with my experience but my situation actually brings me here to ask if anyone has had the severe reaction of breathing difficulties that last 20 to 25 minutes? I actually gasp for air. My throat becomes very thight and my chest can barely exspand. I have had this happen to me 5 times now. I have been on the medication for a little over a year.

                      I'm holding off calling my doctor and reporting to the staff nurse for copaxone. I have already discontiued my arms due to this reaction thinking it was sight related. This is a tough decision for me. I have had ms for over 30 plus years. This my first ms drug I have ever used and I'm not sure if I want to keep trying or not? That's why I have not reported this today from last night. I'm on oxgen too and even this does not help. I have used steriods for my attacks over the years.

                      Does anybody else have this trouble or know of someone who has this reaction and what did they decide?

                      Thank You
                      msrasurvivor
                      SO sorry about this for you!

                      Please call your Dr ASAP.
                      And, for your sake, seriously consider NOT injecting until you get word from your Dr.
                      Some people are more sensitive to different meds.
                      Maybe half doses can help you, but please, please, please call your Dr.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        @ Jen, thanks for the encouragement. I haven't felt good since being on Rebif. So looking forward to having good days again!

                        I'm pretty sure I will choose Copaxone. I had always been ant-med person, but with lots of stress and nt eating right I was going down quick. I had always thought Copaxone was the only one I would try, but then the neuro. just put me on Rebif. I just obeyed...

                        Sara

                        Comment


                          #13
                          I have rarely had too bad of a injection site reaction. I've been on Copaxone three years. After I take it out of the fridge, I make sure it's at room temp and I ice afterwards.

                          I did have the IPIR once and I feel that it was because I was in a hurry. In my opinion I think I set my auto inject way to deep and hit a vein. Guess I got too used to giving myself the shots and wasn't being careful. So I now do my shots manually.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            I had to stop Rebif as well. Like you, I never felt great on it, and was not disappointed to have to go off of it. Once my liver numbers were back to normal, they wanted me to start copaxone.

                            While I didn't start right away (I went a year with no meds), I recently started on Copaxone. The site reactions are not fun, but they aren't horrible either. I can deal with them, and the shots have gotten easier.
                            Melody
                            Diagnosed 1/28/10

                            Comment


                              #15
                              mrsasurvivor, I agree that you should consult with your doctor about your reaction. It sounds like an IPIR (immediate post-injection reaction). The Shared Solutions people claim that this is not such a big deal and most people just wait it out, but I've seen quite a few posts on this board from people who found their IPIR wasn't exactly mild.

                              Because you're on oxygen, you and your doctor will have to decide what would be best for you. But you should definitely check in with the doc about it.

                              Welcome to the board!

                              Sara Angela, injection site reactions are fairly common with Copaxone but not everyone has them. Others have given you some good suggestions about ways of dealing with them.

                              When I was on Copaxone I found that the injection site problems were troublesome in the first few months but after that they weren't so bad. They didn't ever really go away in the arms, though they stopped being a problem at the other injection sites.
                              MEMBER OF MS WORLD SINCE 4/03.

                              SPMS diagnosed 1980. Avonex 2002-2005. Copaxone 6/4/07-5/15/10.

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