I agree with Kitty. I found the autoject really difficult. The noise it makes startled me to the point where I'd jump, and then the shot hurt more.

With the manual shot you can control the speed of the injection. I did the shot really slowly.

I couldn't do my arms very well manually. After a year or so of trying, I switched to the autoject for my arms.

When I was "firmly" diagnosed with SPMS, which it ends up I was misdiagnosed, I chose to use Avonex because it was a once a week injection. All well and good, BUT it requires and intramuscular injection and you suffer flu symptoms for the next 24 to 48 hours.

As a direct result I would take the shot on Friday nights after prepping with Aleve before and after injection. I did this for over 2 years then learned of the misdiagnosis. I was never honestly convinced there was empirical research supporting any short or long term value to this type of medication. Even the neuro said it was the best thing they could offer even though the actual outcome is unknown.

Bottom line, taking Copaxone every single day does get very old very fast. Why not take a break and as mentioned, talk with your neuro about other alternatives. At least THAT can't hurt, right?

Hi Deb,
I am sorry you are feeling the needle blues. I think we all go through that. You have to decide. It your decision. It does get to be a pain in the butt, most MS DM meds are needles or infusions.

I did Avonex and was always feeling flu-ish. I went on "C" for a few years and the needle was easy and thin. It go to be a habit, shower at night and shoot on clean skin.

Arm shots are hard. But I managed with the back of a chair holding my arm in a pinch of skin, and then I would shoot slowly.

I did slowly and manual. I had the holder that they send to you that holds the needle for hands that can't hold onto the small needle. That worked great. No the auto-injector, just the blue holder.

Then it stopped working for me. Also I had problems with it when it didn't need refrigeration anymore (allergy). So I was told to stop taken it. That was in 2005 or 2006 maybe..then I did nothing. Then I went on LDN 12-08.

I did it for 3? yrs till it stopped working then went to Ty. Went back to C 2 months ago cause Ty isn't stopping progression and boy did i switch back to Ty in a hurry! No more shots. Screw it. I'll progress and die without shots every day.

I am so sorry Debbie. I find myself in that boat all the time, and I only have to inject 3x a week. But I am there with you. I feel like my shot is so harassing. And I myself feel like its not working, I have flared 3-4 times in a year. So what exactly is it doing for me? I guess maybe if I wasn't taking the shot I could have had 8 flares in a year. But what if I still just had the 3-4? It makes me wonder. And DEFINITELY reminds me that I have a disease. Sometimes I cry about it, because I remember back in the day when I didnt have to take a shot to stay out of a wheelchair. ugh. DANG YOU MS!

It sucks, I can't argue with you there. But maybe the shots are working for you (us) and we just don't see it because we want to hate the shots. Needles don't bother me, it's what's in the needle that bothers me,

I'm sorry Im not much help, but I figured some "I'm in that boat with you!" would make you feel, slightly, better.

I couldn't handle Copaxone in my arms at all. The lump under the skin would stay for at least a week, and start itching like crazy at times. Then I'd rub it, and the lump would rise above the skin.

Two tries at that and I was done with doing my arms.

What I ended up doing was taking a copy of their chart from online, and marking shot sites by day of the month. That way I never shot in an area more often than once in thirty days. That and putting heat on the injection site after the shot helped me a lot with site reactions.

Why in the world would they make something that stings so much? To make us think it's doing something?

I did it for 3 years and am completely dented. I have huge divits on my legs, arms, and tummy. I reached a point of not feeling better, and as a matter of fact felt worse on the stuff. I begged for about a year to be let go, and finally reached the "stop helping me" phase. I no longer cared what anyone else wanted. I couldnt take it anymore.

I found to give myself a small treat after helped. like bribing a small child. making time for the shot, and the rest period after helps. Also being brave, and knowing the reason I was doing it, and being pro active in my fight against this disease helped. it was tough tho. Hang in there.

After several years of Avonex, and no documented exxacerbation (sp?) since 11/2007, my new neurologist (we just moved to a different state), said she wants me to switch to Copaxone, as data suggests frequent injections are more effective in slowing long-term disability (says she will not even prescribe Avonex any more). So I dig into researching the new Rx and actually decide to fire the doc and switch to another neuro, as I just can't face the change in light of no flare-up in 3+ years, and doing the daily burn-like-H injections. Anyways... in all my research I found a very cool video that might help someone having trouble with Copaxone pains. Hope it helps!

**