Just curious how many have tried Copaxone?
 

Hi everyone!

I have a couple of questions for anyone that has tried Copaxone. It seems I always have questions...I have emailed my neurologist, I am just waiting for him to get back to me, Monday he has clinicals so it will be at least Tuesday.

I already know I will no longer inject in the front of my thighs (no fat and it burned and still hurts a week later), did anyone else have to request an alternative injection site from their doctor? I also seem to be waking up with a migraine the day after injection, Shared Solutions nurses have not had this reported to them before. I am waiting to hear from my doctor on this as well. I did try taking a Tylenol #3 before I went to bed and the migraine was not as intense when I woke up this morning. I do feel like the left side of my body and my entire rib cage has spent the day in a vise.

Thanks for listening.

I used Copaxone over 12 years ago. I had no problems injecting it, other than welts (sometimes). I did not have side effects.
I took it for 2 1/2 years. It didn't help me :( I had many more lesions and my sx got worse.

Good luck
Linda

Currently on copaxone, safest drug but terrible to take. I get bright red welts from it that last for 2-3 days that then look like bruises afterwards for another couple of days. It burns like a mother going in, that lasts for at least a couple of hours, and I can't take it in the morning or the unlucky limb is out of commission for the day. But then as much as I don't like it, looking at the side effects of the other meds... I'm not quite ready to switch meds yet, if I even switch meds, I might just forgo further DMDs.

Anyways, I can't do the injections in my hips and the Doctor just said to skip those and move on to the next site. So if you can handle the injections everywhere else your doctor just might say to skip the legs and inject everywhere else. I honestly can't think of any alternative sites, though I was told there were, they never said what the sites were.

i used copaxone for 10 yrs. i did the daily injection. i rotated all the sites & tolerated it well. i wasn't a good candidate for the interferons.

i was dx'd at 53 & was very stable. my neuro said i could stop it & i've now been off several yrs & tolerating that well. i've been very lucky. i've had my challenges but am stable. the main reason i wanted to stop was because i had to use insulin & competing for sites was too difficult.

everyone's MS is different. keep bugging your dr for answers to your Q's. all you can do is try & see how it works out. be your own best advocate. stay informed & you'll make the right decisions.

I only lasted on copaxone for avout 5 and a half months. Had the injection site reastions that others have mentioned. Baseball size welts that hurt a lot for a few dyas and then itched like crazy for seveal days. I quit because I experienced several immediate post injection reactions. Sfopped taking about 6 in that time period, I had 2 in one week and my neiro said enough. After the reacions I also experienced a fever for several hours. I also had allergic reactions to betaseron and tysabri. I have been dx for over 9 years and was only on dmd's the first year. MS symptoms are stable.

I took it for a few years...I got concave marks at injection sites that haven't gone away after being off of it for years.
Not on any dmd and I am doing very well!

I was on Copaxone for about 3 years. I used Benedryl gel smeared around the injection site right after each injection to control the burning/itching. I never had headaches or anything as side effects other than injection site pain and burning right after the shot. That was worst in the first couple of months and got better over time.

I was on Copaxone for a while. Like Barb, I had way too many IPIRs and had to stop taking it. I am not on any DMD and am stable now.

One thing I did learn was to take a warm shower before you do the injection as that will help with the welt like reactions. Also, others have posted that taking ibuprofen or Tylenol an hour before the injection helps minimize or eliminates the reactions. It's worth a try.

I hope things get better for you as I do think Copaxone is a good drug and has really helped many.:hug:

Thanks to all of you for your support and advice! My neurologist's PA responded today, my wonderful neurologist told her to tell me to stop the injections. He feels that I am having an allergic reaction to the Copaxone and he wants to try me on Tecfidira. She (the PA) will mail the lab paperwork that needs to be done before I start the medication and she's registering everything for copay assistance and getting the prior authorization started.

good luck. let us know how you do. :)