Copaxone autoject 2... Eek!!!!

[KalikaLily]

Alrighty, here goes!!
Sooo i was just diagnosed four weeks ago. Right off the bat we started talking drug therapies because of the severity of lesions and symptoms at my age. For me it was a no brainer... Copaxone was to be the one for me. So bing bang boom, I had a prescrip, had it filled and was on my way. I had no problems with knowing how to inject (long story for another time) even though I was squeamish. So I started that very night!
Ok getting to the point, I promise!!
I also called shared solutions to get myself hooked up! Ordered me the travel bag, wing extenders and of course the wicked cool injector pen that would make my life a ton easier (I'm a bigger gal and reaching some injection sites is hard)
Sooo purolator came to the door today and I unwrapped my pen, put it together and tested it out and what not. So when it came to injection time I was READY!!..... And I sat there, with the pen pressed to my skin for 45 MINUTES!!! I totally chickened out!!!!!
Please I need some of your insites on your first time, had you auto injected before, did you chicken out ect.... ACK!!! :P

(also hi, my name is Heather, I'm new here and this is my first post!! )

[KoKo]

Hi Heather

Your thread has been moved to the Medications forum.

Hopefully you will get some great feedback from those members who are on the injectible DMD's.

Good luck!

Take care,
KoKo

[Txrose]

Hi Heather,

I wish I could give you some great advice about self-injecting but I still can't self-inject myself. My hubby or daughter do it for me. I'm still too much of a baby so I totally understand how you feel.

But, I can tell you that it helps if you put an ice pack on the area before you inject because the Copaxone can burn a little and causes a welp spot. I also usually put the ice pack on the injection site for about 10 minutes after injecting too.

I hope it gets better for you. Is there anyone in your house that could inject for you?

I wish you the best!

[BobOP]

Hi Heather

Welcome to MS World!!

I can understand what you went through. I had the opposite problem. I figured out, after 3 months on Copaxone, that I was needle phobic. It would take me forever to do the injection.

Then, I was introduced to the original autoject. That was about 13 years ago. Things have been smooth sailing for me.

I would suggest calling Shared Solutions. They can arrange for the training nurse to come back out & give you enecouragement to use the autoject.

I wish you the best.

Take Care, Bob

[BeneathTheLies]

Eek is right

Heather,

I feel your pain, i just started the Capoxone injection last Saturday. I will definitely say that getting in touch with Shared Solutions to have a nurse come out and give some training is very helpful. I was an injection newbie and absolutely terrified of needles. I do like the Autoject in that i don't have to see the needle at all.

The nurse that they sent to my house actually had MS and had been taking the shots herself for 11 years. I would say that was a big advantage in the training. She suggested some things i wouldn't have thought of and was very personable.

I know personally i have to take several deep breathes before i inject but last night i did it as quickly as possible before i thought about it too much. The more i look at that injector and think about the needle the more anxiety i have about it.

I hope it gets easier for you. I wish i had more advice to give but i'm still getting into the swing of it myself.

Good luck,
Heather

[justacowgirl]

Just do it.

j

[Maple25]

Go for it girl

Take a nice long shower before injection, relax, put some music on, whatever makes you comfortable. I never ice the injection site because you can't see the blood vessels (they shrink) and it is easier to poke into the skin. The autoject is very simple to use, don't go over the 6 mark and you will be fine. I usually use 5.5 on my arms, the rest is a six. I do the manual injection on my tummy and hips when I can reach. Put some ice over the site afterwards and keep it on for a few minutes, not too long though. Too cold is not good for the Medication. You get into the groove before you know it. I have been doing it for 20 months now, sometimes have to take some xanax after for the anxiety I get. That is one of the side effects for me...

[pocoapoco]

Heather you can do it!

Copaxone is the smallest thinnest needle. Believe me I have tried them all. I try to be encouraging to everyone. A positive attitude is what gets me through everything. If you're squeemish over needles, have you considered Tysabri? That is what has worked for me. I don't have to inject everyday. I just go once a month and have an infusion done and I'm out of there until the next month. I have had positive result on my MRI and no new lesions! Yay! So it's working and I have heard the same from many others. Yes, there are risks of PML. But I took the chance, and I'm so glad that I did. So try to think that you are doing the right thing and doing something to help yourself to get through this. You can do it!!!!!!!!!!!

[KalikaLily]

Thank you everyone for your replies!!!
I am not afraid of the needles, they are a breeze because I am the one controlling them
I guess what gets me, is the thought of the needle being shot into my body, and the medicine being injected at such a fast rate... It's terrifying!!!
Imagine, being scared of the mechanism that is supposed to make it easier!! I think I'm just a chicken :S

[lemstar]

heather--
do a search on the forum for rebif weenie. that was when i started injecting myself, along with a bunch of others. read about our weenie experiences....
jayne

[CindyW]

Since you're a "bigger gal" you probably have some nice fat on your tummy where there aren't a lot of nerve endings. Try there. For me, I can't even feel the needle when I inject there.

[CindyW]

Also, the medicine doesn't come out of the needle all that fast. The spring isn't very strong (I assume it's that way on purpose) so it takes a couple of seconds to inject the liquid after the initial stab. Then it makes a nice slurp sound and you know it's done (if it's behind you and you can't see the red showing up in the notch at the bottom.)

[toot2818]

You'll get used to it

Hi Heather,

I have been using the autoject since 2003. Shared Solutions had a nurse come visit me for first shot. Put an ice pack on the spot if you are concerned about it hurting.

Years back before Copaxone I had to mix Betaserson from two different containers and then give myself shot with needle, no autoject back then

Copaxone is a breeze, best wishes for success

Toot

[migmis325]

Autoject2

I use to take copaxone and the first year I use the clicker but I kept bruising my body so then I started giving the shot without and it worked a whole lot better!its sub-q so as long as the need goes under the skin you will be fine!!guaranteed!

[twisterred]

Injecting manually allows the med to go in as slowly or quickly you want.

When I started in '96, there weren't autojects.
Injecting was a daily learning process, but the phrase "just do it" really does apply.

You will feel odd in the beginning, but these shots to me are a way of fighting the disease.
Some shots will be better than others, but it's all a learning process.

Have someone from Shared Solutions discuss the rare reaction, IPIR (immediate post-injection reaction) with you.

They are rare, but it's good to be informed in case the reaction happens. I've had a handful in varying degrees (the first was the worst), but it hasn't stopped me from continuing.
The good results with my MRI's has proven to me that Copaxone is good for me.

I am hopeful and happy for you and glad you are here asking questions.
Rotating the sites is very important, so be sure to do that.
And, many (including myself) have stopped injecting in my arms with my Dr approval. For some, it is super painful days after.

Learn all you can and welcome!!