Wow, that's some very important information about the corn component in the mannitol used... I had no clue, and I bet many others didn't either.

No wonder you were having such horrific reactions to it.

I'm not allergic to corn, and I've never heard of Mannitol, but I absolutely have bad reactions to Copaxone.

~ Faith

Hi Faith,
Nice to meet you.

This may help you understand what is in the Copaxone.

http://www.rxlist.com/copaxone-drug.htm#

COPAXONE® Injection is a clear, colorless to slightly yellow, sterile, non-pyrogenic solution for subcutaneous injection.

Each 1.0 mL of solution contains 20 mg of glatiramer acetate and 40 mg of mannitol, USP

The pH range of the solution is approximately 5.5 to 7.0. The biological activity of COPAXONE® is determined by its ability to block the induction of EAE in mice.


http://www.rxlist.com/copaxone-drug.htm#

Who should not use COPAXONE®?

COPAXONE® is not recommended for use in pregnancy. So, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or if you plan to become pregnant while taking this medicine.

Tell your doctor if you are nursing. It is not known if COPAXONE® is passed through the breast milk to the baby.

Do not use COPAXONE® if you are allergic to glatiramer acetate or mannitol.

That's all they say about Mannitol. NADA..nothing else.
Lady

You'd think Teva would explain better what's in the Copaxone and what Mannitol is. I know Copaxone is 4 naturally occurring amino acids which are supposed to mimic the components of what our myelin sheaths are made of. Copaxone is supposed to act as a decoy so that the T cells that attack our myelin go after the components of the Copaxone instead ( or mostly).

I don't even think Teva let us know that they had changed what's in Copaxone. I knew they had to put something different in it when it went from being that we had to mix it to pre-filled and now they say it can be kept out of refridgeration for up to one month. You know some preservative ( or more preservative ) had to be added to it for that to be possible.

I'm actually an "after the mix it yourself" member. I went to the pharmacy and asked for the syringes/mix, and was told they had switched to pre-filled only. So I'm not sure if it had JUST switched over in Canada (May 2008) or if it had been this way here for a long time.

We still don't have 29 gauge needles, grumble.

Mannitol is a sugar alcohol.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mannitol

It's sometimes used to lower intracranial pressure for people with head injuries. (my dad told me about it when I first got the box of Copaxone. He's used it on patients with head injuries)

It's also a sweetener in breath mints and used as a sweetener for diabetic foods.

Oh, and it's also used as a laxative...(higher dosages of it than what's in the C)

Your right Erin. All of that is true.

But the Mannitol they are using now, is a sugar alcohol made from CORN. Sugar alcohol can be made from many fruits and vegetables.

In my case, I was injecting something I have a known allergy to. Corn.

So I am not saying Copaxone is a bad drug or not helping those who take it, I just said I can't take it anymore due to what is in it. Or I probably would still be on it.

It's like someone with a peanut allergy, injecting peanut oil.

My point is, I really wish all food and drugs could have a better description of what is in their products.

BTW, Copaxone's 4 amino acids are, glutamic acid, lysine, alanine and tyrosine ( Glatiramer acetate ) derived from a random polymer chain, of over 150 synthetic amino acids.

Basically, each injection could be a little different than the next, in the same box. I think that is why some shots give a reaction and some don't in the same month's supply. JMO
Lady

Lots of interesting info shared by all of you...thanks.
I'm still trying to adjust to all of this...still getting huge swollen areas on my thighs, my least favorite area to shoot. The sites get so itchy. I do rub benadryl on it, but it still itches.
I try everything that all of you have said...I sure hope they hurry up with the pill form!

I hope they never mix iodine into Copaxone.

Then you'd see me with massive lumps like the photograph. Eeeek.

I can't have Iodine either. In the contrast dye media, used for Cat Scans (not MRI's) or shellfish/seafood I get real bad. Many medications have it in it too. After my first CT scan, I needed a few shots of Epinephrine. I was itchy from head to toe, with massive hives.
Lady