in my "how to you prepare for an MRI" I told the whole story of my visit to the MRI/MS center. I have been having some rough side effects from the copaxone, and we spoke to the MD about it. He was not my normal MD (who is retiring, BOO!) and he was sort of in the mind set of "MS drugs suck, but you just have to stay on them" I was not happy with that, but he was willing to compromise. He said he felt that several of my sx were simply MS, and some were issues that come from life itself, and some where from the copaxone, but he was willing to try a test with me. He gave me two weeks freedom from the Copaxone (after a stern warning that I may be throwing myself into a relapse to do it) and to keep a journal.

He said Copaxone takes about a week to wash out, and as the 2nd week approached, I would notice the most changes. If many of my issues went back to baseline or disappeared, he would be more likely to pin them on Copaxone. I told him I was tired of sweating my way through the night, and roasting like a ham in the oven. dry eyes, rashy psoriasis skin, and itchy! petichea patches, and fatigue that extends beyond anything I had before Copaxone. I am tired of the eyes so dry I dont feel I can blink. While he was a bit gruff, he did listen, and he was willing to try the experiement.

So, I have two weeks off, and will have to keep track. If at the end of two weeks, I dont see much difference, then back on C I go. If I notice dramatic, and he said it must be dramatic relief then he said we could talk about other options. If not dramatic relief or removal of other sx, then, he wants me to stay on Copaxone even if I have to suffer some side effects for it.

What are some side effects that YOU have, that you blame on taking Copaxone?

Other than site reactions, I don't have any side effects from Copaxone.

Won't repeat my site reaction story, today, as I've posted about it before. (Can find a link to a previous thread to post, if anyone want to hear it.)


Hope that you figure out what is causing your symptoms, Dej, and that your break from C does not throw you into a relapse.
~ Faith

When I was on Copax, before the IPIR stuff made me have to try something else....I had to take the shot in the morning. Could not sleep at night if I took it after 5 pm.

The only place I had issues with dents was my arms, but that's because I have short ones and was very limited on where I could reach.

Best of luck.

I was on Rebif, felt a little icky, but not overwhelming, Insurance shipped it to me, totally without cost BUT took a week off for vacation (no frig) and being PPMS, two years taking and MRIs showing no results, doctor had no problem agreeing with me to stop totally.

Good luck, only you know the worth (pluses, minuses of drug)

Enjoy your "vacation" and I hope it helps resolve and/or pinpoints some of the issues you are having. Let us know how you do.


BTW - I am not sure why they think that a little vacation from C would cause a flair. I took a month vacation from C due to neuros nurse not submitting the paperwork to the insurance for approval. I didn't immediately go in to a flare and when I did 5 months later the neuro blamed it on the 1 month vacation.

Enjoy your Copaxone-free time. I hope everything goes okay.

I took a two week vacation from Betaseron in December, on my own without discussing it with either of my doctors. I just needed to get away from the darn stuff for awhile. Then, I began the shots again, like a good little girl.