I have terrible injection site reactions with Betaseron and have been using it since 2003. If I switched to another drug, would I not suffer the injection site problems? Is this typical of Betaseron or all of them???

I use Copaxone...once I got the depth right, I don't get the lumps I used to. But I still get the dimpling of skin from the subcutaneous fat being destroyed.

UGH!!!! I really want a pill for this that is not going to kill me first

there are new meds that are oral now.
i'd make an appt with your neuro to discuss this. i don't know what your disease process is but your dr should be able to talk to you about this.

i've been on copaxone since '03 and have tolerated it well, however, it's a daily sub q shot. i won't lie. you still can get site reactions but it's not like an IM shot. i had bad site reactions in the beginning but it got better over time.

i changed to manually injecting over the autoject and that helped.
and i have to say i'm really sick of injecting right now. i'd love to stop but don't want to suffer any relapse as i've been so stable.

let us know what you decide. i'd love to know what your dr says.

All of the SubQ shots can have very severe Injection Site Reactions, Avonex does not have them since it is IM. The Pills out now have significantly worse side effects than the Shots. One Pill that is very promising is BG-12 which may be out by the end of this year. It does not have many side effects, is well tolerated.

My site reactions were worse with Copaxone than they were with Betaseron.

~ Faith

I ask my daughter about the pill and he said not enough research has done enough to start prescribing his patients. He said once you start taking the pill, who have to start seeing all these other specialist such as a heart and kidney specialist. He said his opinion the tablets have similarities as chemo. I have taken Avonex and Betaseron, both bad reactions and even stop my monthly cycle.

I just completed a six month study on Gilenya and I didn't have to see any specialists. I did a complete work-up before I started and was monitored for 6 hours after my initial dose for heart rate. It was just like being monitored while on rebif. The boodwork and physical exam to see if any symptoms worsened. I will warn you that Gilenya is expensive. I didn't have any adverse reactions to the pill only the cost.

Hi Karilann

Sorry that you are having problems with Beta site injections. I did Beta for eight years and ended up going onto Tysabri because the side effects became too great and really interfered with my daily life.

I think all of the interferons have nasty reactions and so does Copaxone. My site reactions took a long long time to heal...including the 'dents' that appeared in my legs....but they are gone now (after three years on Ty).

I want to keep Gilenya in my 'arsenal' so that I have something if Tysabri stops working - so I don't want to rush into it.

I hope you can find something that will be well tolerated by you.

Regards

Lyn