Describe please.

[TinaF]

Copaxone

Hello All,
I have been on Copaxone for 5 years and am learning some possible solutions here. I still get welps and brusing; however much less than the first year. Personally I inject, hold cotton ball on firm and then use cold rag to help with the welp and pain for appx 5 minutes...then to sleep. Good luck to all....take care.
Tina

[rubberlegs]

I have used C before it was made into pre-filled syrgenges. And experianced just as many stinging injections with the pre filled; as the origanial. it just costs more and takes about two minutes less to inject now.
The worst injections for me are when I dont get the alcohol dry befor sticking the needle in.

[LARAINS]

Copaxone 7 yrs

C for 7 yrs and I have experienced welts not all time, bleeding once in awhile and welts all connected like a topographical map that is extremely hot and red that particular issue happens twice a yr or so. Use ice before the injection and after, if I take my time and use the ice I have no reaction. I used the auto-inject briefly in the beginning, now I don't use it at all.
I prefer to pinch two inches insert the needle, release the tissue and then inject.
Sorry to hear you're having trouble, it will get easier
take care,
L

[toot2818]

Copaxone since 2003

I give myself the shot first thing in the morning. First, take syringe out of refrigrator hour or more before using. I use the autoject 2. I clean area with alcohol pad, let area dry or it will sting After I push the botton on the autoject I carefully remove the needle and push cotton ball over spot. Sometimes there is blood, not sure why. Then I use SPORTSCREME on my belly , thighs and legs. It keeps my skin soft and it doesn't smell. I get it at Walgreens or the grocery store. Sometimes I do get a "bump". They go away.

In 2000 I was on Betaseron. At that time I had to mix and fill the syringe. That was a real challenge. In 2003 I was having problems and my doctor ran a test, Betaseron was not working so I changed to Copaxone. I find it a "breeze" compared to the Betaseron

And I believe it is working.[COLOR="Black"]Knock on wood--I have not had any exacerbations since starting Copaxone. I also have a monthly IV methleprednsine.

Good luck to all the Copaxone users, hope my suggestions help.

Think positive,

[jrob281]

13 days only

I did Copaxone for 13 days only. I did horribly with the injections. My doc for 2 years tried talking me into Copaxone due to less side effects than Avonex. On day #13 I had migraine and fever. Now, 29 days later I still have a migraine which at this point I can no longer say is due to the Copaxone but I had been hospitalized for 8 days.

I'm off Copaxone and back on the powdered form of Avonex. I had a horrible time with Copaxone - had terrible site reactions - itching, welting, loss of use of my arms, pain the next morning in my leg and barely able to walk. I used the Copaxone exactly as the nurse had trained me to, it just wasn't for me.

[Susanette]

try try again...

Just another indication that not every option works for every body, I tried the ice before the shot last night (usually I use heat before) and it made the pain and the bleeding worse for me. Usually I'll have jsut a little spot of blood on the cotton ball after the injection, but last night it bled enough to send me looking for a bandaid. Needless to say, I won't be trying that again.

C for 7 yrs and I have experienced welts not all time, bleeding once in awhile and welts all connected like a topographical map that is extremely hot and red that particular issue happens twice a yr or so. Use ice before the injection and after, if I take my time and use the ice I have no reaction. I used the auto-inject briefly in the beginning, now I don't use it at all.
I prefer to pinch two inches insert the needle, release the tissue and then inject.
Sorry to hear you're having trouble, it will get easier
take care,
L

[GreenTee]

Avonex?

Anyone currently on Avonex and comfortable on with it? I have been on Avonex for 7 mo it's the 1st drug my neuro put me on. It works great for me being a once a week shot as I'm not a fan as it seems none of us are of those shots are anyway. But it seems everyone seems to be on Copaxene. I was just curious where all the Avonex users are. I did have the usual side affects in the beginning, but they have diminished with time. I do have some achiness and grogginess mildly so on injection day but pretty manageable when I drink lots of water the day before, get rest and take advil. Plus the drug has been working for me. Anyone else?

[BigA]

Anyone currently on Avonex and comfortable on with it? I have been on Avonex for 7 mo it's the 1st drug my neuro put me on. It works great for me being a once a week shot as I'm not a fan as it seems none of us are of those shots are anyway. But it seems everyone seems to be on Copaxene. I was just curious where all the Avonex users are. I did have the usual side affects in the beginning, but they have diminished with time. I do have some achiness and grogginess mildly so on injection day but pretty manageable when I drink lots of water the day before, get rest and take advil. Plus the drug has been working for me. Anyone else?

I'm on it for about 5 months now. I think it's working, but will have to wait for my annual MRI to find out. The only evidence that it's working is that I have not had an exacerbation. But truly, we can't know if it's working.

Copaxone is the most popular DMD in the US. I don't know how popular Interferons are if you combined all of them. I like Avonex but do wonder if I should have started wtih Copaxone. I suppose I'd wonder the reverse if I had started with C.

I think most people start wtih either.

[nell]

Hi, I am also on Avonex, have been for about 9 months. It is the fist med I have tried also. I am doing good on it so far. Side effects are not so bad with advil and lots of water. It seems to working for me as well.

[DianeD]

In reading the variety of posts and experiences i am struck by 'different strokes for different folks'. Everyone seems to have their own unique experience.

I'm on Copaxone, but have some side effects I don't like. I've hung in there, but not sure if I will continue over the long run.

I had started to feel good just prior to begining C an now I feel rotten. Seems like two mos. is a pretty good indicator. It is very frustrating.

Diane

[jrob281]

Anyone currently on Avonex and comfortable on with it? I have been on Avonex for 7 mo it's the 1st drug my neuro put me on. It works great for me being a once a week shot as I'm not a fan as it seems none of us are of those shots are anyway. But it seems everyone seems to be on Copaxene. I was just curious where all the Avonex users are. I did have the usual side affects in the beginning, but they have diminished with time. I do have some achiness and grogginess mildly so on injection day but pretty manageable when I drink lots of water the day before, get rest and take advil. Plus the drug has been working for me. Anyone else?

I'm back on it, love it.

[QuickType]

I've been on it for about 5 months now, BigA and I started about the same time. I've posted about my experience on the medication here a few times, but in a nutshell, I have had a very positive experience on the medication overall - almost never any flu-like symptoms as long as I hydrate and do ibuprofen beforehand.

For the last 3 weeks or so, I have been in a really good upswing with more energy and stamina, but on the day of my shot and most of the day after, I "droop" a little bit, just feel a little more "blech."

Overall, it's been as positive an experience as I could ask for, considering I have to stick a needle in myself.

[bluemanda]

Copaxone Question

I have started my third month of copaxone. I get stings, sometimes not bad, mostly when the medicine starts to spread. I get welts, some rather large, some smaller, but always some kind of welt. They also itch by the second day and for several days. They can also leave brusing, my arms though have a discoloration that shocks me. The spots can ache for a day or three afterwards. I use seven different locations, rotating so the same day each week gets the same area, it takes that long for that spot to recover. Arm, Arm, thigh, thigh (sometimes inside thigh sometimes outside thigh), stomach, hip, hip, and back to the first arm.

My big question is, does anyone have a fever in the welt? Mine do for a day or two. Some worse than others. For example, on a thigh I can feel the heat through the jeans I am wearing. Is that normal for anyone else?

[BigA]

I've been on it for about 5 months now, BigA and I started about the same time. I've posted about my experience on the medication here a few times, but in a nutshell, I have had a very positive experience on the medication overall - almost never any flu-like symptoms as long as I hydrate and do ibuprofen beforehand.

For the last 3 weeks or so, I have been in a really good upswing with more energy and stamina, but on the day of my shot and most of the day after, I "droop" a little bit, just feel a little more "blech."

Overall, it's been as positive an experience as I could ask for, considering I have to stick a needle in myself.

I still get aches and pains and in my particular case, in my buttocks (pronouncing like forrest gump). Its' like I'm sitting on the bones without padding. After the shot they hurt. Now, in anticipation of the shot, I am in pain... My hands ache too.

But it gets better. I just have to write off my friday nights. Saturday will be fine.

[DianeD]

Fever, not sure?

bluemanda,

I could have written your post it is so like my own experience.

My welts do get warm/hottish and they itch like the devil! Seems like when gets to itching the others will just join in.

It sure is miserable.

This reminds me of an allergic reaction; don't know if after awhile it goes away or just stays the same.

In my case I feel more tired than ever and that is a huge disappointment. The neuro gave me Nuvigil to take (like Provigil, only newer product I think), but I haven't had the guts to try it.

This is quite a 'ride' isn't it!

Diane