Meds.....(Copaxone)

[court.leppek]

Hi everyone!!!

I'm Courtney or court.leppek, which ever you perfer, I've recently been dignosed with MS and my Nuerologist wants to put me on Copaxone. My question is to all that use it or know someone who uses or has used it how are they doing on it? and if they have experienced any side effects?

Thanks to All!!!

Courtney

[heliotrope]

I had to stop it due to bad site reactions (eventually involving the muscles), but if that hadn't happened, I think it would have been a good option. I didn't have many other side effects beyond the lump at the site.

[coral12]

Copaxone

I have been taking it since august and am finding it very easy to take. I do have red marks after the injection but they go away. I was told to use a hot pad to warm the site and cold after. When I do that everything seems to go better.coral12

[jenl]

I have been on copaxone for about a month now, and things are going really well. I was super nervous and anxious thinking about giving myself a daily shot, but it has been a lot easier than I imagined.

The autoject works really well for me. The shot itself really doesn't hurt (although it does in the thighs). I have a sting for about ten minutes, but it isn't anything I can't handle.

I had read to warm the injection site prior to injection. One time I skipped that, and the sting was a lot less for me, so u just have to see what will work for you. I ice it for about 15 minutes after the shot and it really helps.

I have not had any site reactions or bumps or itching yet.

Good luck.

[Mamabug]

I switched from Betaseron to Copaxone. The Betaseron wasn't very effective, although I was on it for 5 years. My MS Specialist said, "If you are having flares once a year, it's borderline whether it's working. You aren't borderline."

Had a lot of trouble, initially with pain at the site of injections. See one of my former posts here: http://<span style="color:blue">http...ount=16</span>. (Copy/paste it into your browser. Don't know how to do a link on this site.)

At this point, I'm very happy with Copaxone. My doctor and I did discuss the possibility of switching to Gilenya (the oral med), but, at this time, she isn't recommending it for me. I was kinda relieved, because Copaxone is working better than Betaseron did for me, and I'm not interested in switching to something that I don't know how effective it would be for me, or how its side effects would affect me.

~ Faith

[KoKo]

Mamabug

Mamabug

Don't know how to do a link on this site

It's not you .... only mods can do live links.

Take care,
KoKo

[rubberlegs]

on C about 10 years now. and it works for me so far. little to no side effects, the normal stuff for me is - sometimes itching, or bumps,
to help keep the side effects down-
bring your injection out and let it set at least 15 minutes, and let your alcohol dry completley before you pope that needle in.
Some folks -ice the spot they are going to shoot.
Oh -I had problems and still do with thigh injections - I dont use my thighs for the injections.
good luck!
and if C -dont work well for you; ask your Nuro for one of the others!

[Mamabug]

Ohhh. Thanks, KoKo. I thought we were unable to post live links on MSWorld. But, then I saw that someone had. I hadn't made the connection to mods being able to do it.

~ Faith

[justacowgirl]

Been on C since last April. No problem. The site reactions for me are minmal and the daily shot is just part of my routine.

I don't use the autoject and would never use it again.

[Jules A]

I have been on it for six years now and either the medication is working or my MS is largely in remission or a combo of both. In any event I don't miss a shot. Good luck!

[Pipsqueak]

Copaxone

I have been using Copaxone for 4 and 1/2 years and started after a bad relapse. I have only had one relapse since then -Nov 08 which was also a bad one but no smaller ones in between. If I get to June this year with no problems it will be the longest I have gone without a relapse and then we will party big-time!! I am hoping to go away on a charity walk that month( fatigue problems putting it in jeapody at the moment) and have warned the other girls to be prepared to party on the Sunday- after the event. So I guess its working for me.

I still get quite bad reaction sites and have to be careful when I inject in my legs - until recently I was doing a lot of walking and so have quite muscled legs so they tend to hurt more.

You can only give it a try - what have you got to lose?? I did quite a lot of research before making a decision and felt that Copaxone had a good success rate without any of the complications of potential liver damage that you have with the Interferons. Also my work life at that time was so stressed that I couldn't afford to be dealing with the flu type symptoms that so many people had spoken about and doing the 60mile round trip to my hospital for blood tests

I'm not sure what the system is where you are but here in UK if you try 1 drug and don't get on with it you can try one of the others.

[Milhous]

I have been on Copaxone since 2001 no relapses just evolving of my previous lesions --- some redness after injecting but I had problems with skin breakdowns after betasuron and avonex
the autojet is great

Copaxone put me in remission but due to an allergy (to one part of the medication) I had to stop.

I started Betaseron, though I still have the allergy to deal with, it is less due to the B having less of the allergen than the C.

I will say, the C stung like mad no matter what I did. The B, not so much.

Good Luck!

[pawshiel]

New On Copaxone

Hi - I'm totally new to all of this. Been on Co for exactly one month. Site reaction my only concern. Was on Betaseron for 2 weeks, but felt "down" all the time, so switched. I agree with one of the people who did their research: no internal damage with Co, so it is my choice for now. So far I've found the autoject pretty easy. I too have the most trouble with the legs in terms of site reaction. I always thought they were pretty fatty - guess not. My arms too are very lean, so I'm working carefully on them. I take the shot out 5 days before, leave it in the cupboard with my "stuff". Heat for 5 min. prior and again after. I was really worried about tissue damage with cold after. Also, applying direct pressure with the cotton ball for 1 min. after helps too. Mine feels like a bee sting for about 30 min. after. Nothing intolerable though. I also have tenderness for 1-2 days after injection. I'll take any and all suggestions on reducing site reactions!!

[JS813]

I've been on Copaxone for about a month now. No issues to speak of, small hives on my arms 1 time. Other than that just the standard stinging sensation for about 10-15 mins afterwards...The autoject is nice, and shared solutions has been really pleasant to deal with.

If your MS isn't overly heat sensitive I find a nice warm shower after the injection helps. (Pain is usually gone by the time I'm done cleaning up.)

The daily injection became a part of the routine pretty quickly. Takes about 2 minutes after you get the autoject process down.