My neurologist called teva and they told him that my reaction to copaxone the other day could not be due to the copaxone ( not a normal side effect) because they had never heard of anyone having cold chills and shaking. So maybe I should try again (their opinion). My neuro does think it is an allergic reactions and said no. The same thing happened to me after the IPIR's I experienced last year.

As far as the arm goes, it does seem to be the hardest place to inject. I would sometimes skip that area and do my stomach twice in one week (left side - right side). You meed to be careful when injecting in the tush that you do not hit a nerve,

if you shoot shallow, make sure to push the area, to help it sink deeper into the fat.

I have given up on my arms. Fat or no fat, they hurt, they swell, they stay tender, and sore. I spent days being protective of them because they hurt afterwards! so, I do double bum bum shots, or double legs, or double tummy shots instead.

feel better!

I had to give up on my arms after about a year of Copaxone. I used the heinie area an extra time instead. I started getting some dents and they've filled in somewhat in the nearly 2 1/2 years since I stopped taking it.

I don't know why the arms were so difficult. The thighs were tough to do also for me but I kept using them because I didn't have the denting problems as much. I think if I'd gained more weight that might not have been an issue but I don't know. I'd put on nearly ten pounds as it was.

I think part of my problem was using the autoinjector for the first year. If I'd been doing manual injections it wouldn't have gotten so bad. In hindsight, I'd have had DH do the arm injections manually since those spots were harder for me to reach and judge the depth while keeping my hand steady. At least doing the heinie I had a big target, lol.

I've seen you, Wiz...a large heinie you do not have...
we all must have one area that gets aggravated more than the others...mine is my thighs. The nurse at SS told me to talk to the neuro about abandoning that site...I will when I see him in two weeks...

Laura and others sorry yall having issues with the injections, you do know that chart they use isn't written in stone, for the longest time I dreaded using the stomach, but that one turned out the be the easiest one to do i tend to feel guilty on threads like this cause I am numb enough I don't feel any shots on my left side and lately the right side too, so for me to know what yall are going through I don't sorry, but i am sorry your having troubles, hope changing the angle helps you out

you've gotten some great suggestions.
maybe a break for a few wks or a month would help the sites.

i prop my arms on the back of a chair to "raise" the fat. then inject. that seems helpful. but i have a lot of fat.

UPDATE!!!

I called SS today. Talked to my nurse. Told her about what's happening with my arms spasming.

She told me to take a 1 month break from my arms, and instead of doing 7 injections weekly, I'll be doing 6. I'll inject on my stomach twice weekly instead of once, which is fine with me, because I'm finding the stomach much easier now.

She mentioned the arm spasming is not unheard of, but definitely the spasming is not a good sign.

When I go back to the arms, she mentioned doing the 45 degree angle trick instead.

I had to give up on the arms too because I had the same problem. Not enough fatty tissue there. So I used my hips and thighs more often and I didn't tell anyone that I wasn't using the arms!! I'd just smile and nod and say, "Yes, I'm rotating the injection site." Which was the truth, just not the ENTIRE truth.