Copaxone skin reactions

[jennyvan]

Recently diagnosed and started Copaxone in January. I'm having horrible skin reactions with most of my injections. Redness, itchy, feverish lumps that takes days to go away. Most of the time right after the injection the medicine burns so bad that I'm in horrible pain for at least an hour.

My intitial reaction to the shots was not this bad. It seems to be getting worse. Sometimes a sight isn't completely healed when its time to go back to it. I have tried itch creams, manual injections, hot & cold packs. I'm out of options!! My thighs are the worst area and I skip them often because I can't handle the reactions.

My doctor is leaving the decision up to me whether to continue or change to Avonex. I'm torn! Does it get better with Copaxone?? I really need some advice and some positive reassurance. I'm going crazy with all of these changes!! Thank you.....

[Cindarelly]

I was on C for years, I know they can hurt. I saw a lot of people post things for witch hazel and bendryl cream.
Ice first, I always iced first Or I could not have taken the shots.
I did well on c for yrs, it is your decision. I had places I could not longer give a shot in. I just could not do it.
There is a possiblity it will improve ... or get worse. Ha how wonderful huh?
Just wanted you to know, there are some everyday things that can be done to help.. and that I do know it does hurt.. bad...

[jbell2435]

a bad batch?

Hi Jennyvan,

So sorry you are having the trouble! Did this start with a new batch of C??

I ask because I just went to a talk sponsored by Shared Solutions, and the neuro there mentioned this just happened with one of his patients and he had them get a new batch and it went away!

The SS rep there said they stand behind the product and will replace a batch if necessary.

The pt in mind had been on it with no problems previously then all of a sudden had tha bad reactions like you.

I'm glad I heard that in case it ever happens to me. I just started on 1/20 and besides the 10 min bee sting, a little swelling at certain sites (ones with less fat or too shallow on the autoject), I haven't had any problems.

Good luck and let us know how you do. I know I wouldn't want to switch, my personal feeling. It took long enough to research and decide the first time!

[Alicious]

Mine got better, but it took a year. The belly was the worst--stabbing pain for an hour or more. The other sites were just very sore for 30 minutes, but it was comparatively better. When I would inject, the last few injections would get inflamed and itchy again for a few hours, and all sites took most of a week to go back to normal.

If I were you, provided it doesn't get worse than it is now, I would keep on it with the icing, etc. for a few more months if you can to see if it simmers down. If not, maybe it's time to switch. I am on Rebif now due to multiple flares, and there is no pain, itching, *anything* at the injection site, which is awesome.

[jennyvan]

I just started a new batch of meds and its the same reaction as the one before so I don't think that is it, but that is good info to know. Thanks.
Normally, I do heat for 5 minutes before the shot and then ice afterwards. I haven't tried ice before, but I'm going to now!!
Thanks for letting me know that I'm not alone. It truly is one of the most frustrating times in my life. I'm already having to deal with the diagnosis, NOW i've got to deal with reactions to the treatments! dang!!
Does anyone think the shots are better manually verses auto inject?

[Cindarelly]

Ice the skin first with the blue ice things.. put a cloth between you and the ice.. don't freeze the skin and try icing after too.
Hope it helps.

[jbell2435]

manual vs autoject

Hi again,

I started with manual for a week, then started using the autoject. The manual I actually had less reaction to as you can control the speed dispensing, but if you don't have much fat to inject (like my thighs) I found manual worse trying to go in at an angle, not all the way in, etc.

The autoject lets me control depth which helps, but the lower the needle goes in, the more reaction I get...which I could skip a few areas!

[pjsSissy70]

Ive been on copaxone for almost a month now. I also have the pain and burning. I can't do my legs either. The pain and lumps are so bad Im screaming in pain for almost an hour. Ive learned to just do my hips and stomache. I also do the fatty area between my hips and legs. I dont do the ice/heat anymore because for me it doesnt work. SS also told me that the burning will get better the longer Im on it. I also cannot shoot on my right side because I have horrible reactions to the injection when I do. SS told me that if you have pronounced problems on one side of the body that that side may amplify the shot reaction. For me it sure did, I have right sided weakness, so now I just avoid my right side. I hope it gets better soon for you.

[Alicious]

Manual was so much better for me. I gave up on arms entirely, and did manual on belly and legs, and autoject on my hips.

[justacowgirl]

I wouldn't give up.

I have lumps and pain and itching. Some of my lumps last for days. Some hurt for hours. It doesn't matter. I try to beat this thing mentally. It is alot better than having a relapse. I work on it every day. I don't care what it feels like. The alternative is worse.

All of us feel pain and react differently to pain. But, we can beat pain with our mind (alot of it) if we are prepared. I encourage you to take a deep breath and believe it won't be bad. I think we can encourage ourselves or discourage ourselves. Look for that place in your mind where you can go to ignore the pain.

You can do it. You can beat the pain and you can win.

j

[jennyvan]

Thank you, thank you. I never would have thought to try icing before injection, but that seems to be helping!! I've decided to just skip my legs/thighs all together because that is always my trouble spot. Its not worth the pain! I'm going to have to figure out a new rotation now, but that's the least of my worries.

Thank you all for your suggestions and words of encouragement. I was at the point of giving up. Thanks for pushing me to keep going.

[Cindarelly]

Glad it helped, try many things before giving up

[masterharper]

I am glad that icing before seems to work for you. I had to give up on my arms completely. The reactions were so bad.

I have switched to mostly manual injections, and I like it much better. Sometimes I will use the autoject on my hips, but most times I don't.

I hope that things continue to get better for you.

[LisaL77]

I took my first shot today. I used my bad hand (right) on my left arm. So far, so good. She made me heat the area first. Then we auto-injected. Then I ice packed it.

SO SORRY you are having these problems. I hope you get relief soon.

[newbie but goodie]

Ugggh sounds familiar. I started Cop and was a-okay but several weeks into it I now have the same problems you do. I never thought to ice before injecting. The nurse specifically said heat before and ice after. Ill try it though!
One thing I have figured out is to hold the syringe/autoject upright after taking off the needle cover off. Any little drop of meds on the tip of the needle will have me on fire for a week! Im about to give up on my arms completely as well. They just hurt so bad.