Unbearable site reactions with C, When to call it quits?

[kewi1976]

Just started back

Well I truly understand your issues. I have taken 4 injections this week after being taking off Avonex. When first dx back in 03 I started on C and I stopped after a few months due to sight reactions.

The first injection on Sunday was HORRIFIC!! I did the injection in my backside and I promise,,,lightening shot up my back in that side all the way to my shoulder. I was in sooooo much pain. I immediatedly said, "Oh this is the last and only one Iam taking".

But the next day I tried another location and it was the same thing.. So now after 4 shots I have huge itchy red sore spots on my body, not to mention they are the side of tennis balls.

So having said all this, I will try C to stay on C until the first of the year when hopefully BG12 is released.

[rdmc]

I had high hopes for BG12 and then just learned that it is no longer on the FDA fast track which means it could take 18 months from Feb. 2012- I just find it hard to stomach doing the shots for that long when IŽd pumped myself up to believe it could end in the fall. But-- tis better than feeling like I have the flu every week.

Speaking of BG12, I saw this further up in the thread. I had not heard this, as far as I know it is still on the fast track. Can anyone provide confirmation either way?

[woodstock]

I started on Copaxone 3/31/12. I can't tell you how many times I almost quit in the first couple of months. It started out with site reactions on every single injection site. I would have a burning sensation and pain for 1.5 to 3 hours depending on the site which was horrible.

Then, I got the bright idea (from a posting online I might add) that the reason I was having site reactions was because occasionally some Copaxone would drip out of the needle before I autojected. So, I started using the cotton ball to dry off the needle before injecting. That led to red marks that wouldn't go away and itching...never stopped to think that the cotton balls contaminated the needle!

My next thing was to use heat before and ice after. That started to help and the pain/burning and site reactions slowed down...at the most I felt them up to an hour afterward. I also had the shared solutions nurse come out for retraining and found out that there were things I was doing wrong.

I'm starting on month 4 now and things have settled down quite a bit. Occasionally I will have some mild itching, primarily on my arms. My thighs do bruise regardless of how/where I do it. Just talked to Shared Solutions about this and I am having a nurse come out a third time to train me on self injecting especially for my thighs. I hear that may solve alot of my issues. Due to my schedule, I won't do that though until August. I'll keep you posted on my journey.