Pen vs. syringe?

[Gremspi]

I'm interested in hearing some experiences and opinions on which method of injection is better, the pen or the syringe. I'm getting ready to start Plegridy in the next week or so. I was diagnosed in 2000, and have been on several DMDs over that time. I started with Copaxone, then went to Betaseron for a brief time, followed by oral medications the last five years. Now I find myself back to an injectable, which does not thrill me. It's been probably ten year since I tried the Copaxone pen, which actually hurt and caused more redness and discomfort than the syringe. Because of this, I'm a little gun shy to try the Plegridy pen. I would appreciate hearing some your thoughts on this.

[ky2435]

Pen

I have only used the pen but have had no problems. It doesn't hurt at all. The needle is so small. I do get large red spots around the injection site but I don't think that is necessarily from the pen but because of the medicine.

[cjtmn]

My experience is exactly the same as ky2435. The injection has been the easiest part so far - virtually painless in my legs and 100% painless in my stomach.

[TravisT]

I have been using the pen injectors since February 2015 and have never used the syringes. I never had any issues with the pens. Sometimes you'll feel a very slight short instance of pain, but I think that is just due to it maybe actually hitting the muscle a little. I'm not a doctor or anything, so I have no idea how much space there is between my skins muscle though. I can tell you that I have muscular legs though. I tried my abdomen and my arms, but, quickly gave up on those areas. Those areas always give me the red itchy blotch about a week after injection. I do sometimesmget irritation on my thighs occasionally though. But not every time.

Hope this helps.

[holliedog]

I too started on Copaxone syringe and then pen for approx 9 years, switched to Rebif pen for about 6 years and I now am on Plegridy pen since it had been available.

I have had no issues with the pen at all. No pain just he large red blotch which is not bothersome at all. I have so much lipoatrophy from the Copaxone I can only inject my legs. I also thought that the Copaxone was very painful, I think that was the medication not the pen that caused the pain. I experience no pain with Plegridy.

I hope it goes well for you.

[lrella84]

I too developed lipoatrophy all over my butt from Copoxane (last fall - immediately stopped the medication). For people that developed lipoatrophy years ago - has it gotten better with time? Worse? Stayed the same? Am looking into a BBL fat transfer.