copaxone injection site reactions

I am just finishing up my 2nd month of Copaxone. I had increased site reactions starting at about 3 weeks, and now they are mostly calming down again. Some spots are better than others. My stomach has very little reaction. My arms and hips I'll get a hive & lump, sometimes discomfort, but that goes away in about a day. My thighs are the worst and not only sting and have lumps, but I get bruises there also which can last weeks.

t know what the answer is to the injection site reactions. I do know they get less with time. I do not have any side effects from the Copaxone itself, after injection, which is why I choose the drug. I'll put up with any skin reactions.... Trust me, when I say the burning gets less and less over time.

On a serious note, after taking Betaseron for 7 years, I started having injection site reactions. They would become red and swollen and nothing would take the swelling down -- I called my neurologist and he said if it is red and swollen, it is not MS related. See your family doctor immediately! The injection sites turned into Cellulitis and I ended up in the hospital receiving intravenous antibiotics. This happened about 10 times over the course of about 5 years.

You may very well be allergic to copaxone. Read your material for allergic reactions. I was using copaxone I did have a itch at the injection site and a lump that lasted for days sometimes weeks. Blistering I never experienced.

Anyone on copaxone, anyone have their tastes changing? Putting on weight? Just wondering, things taste a bit strange since copaxone.

In terms of side effects, I have had some site reactions (post injection pain/sting; mild redness; swelling/lump at injection site) but no other problems thus far. Copaxone is reported to be about the same effectiveness as the interferons, for reducing relapses. It is not yet clear whether it is effective in delaying disease progression and disability.

I’ve noticed members here post a common pattern with Copaxone injection site reactions. There seems to be an initial 'honeymoon' period that lasts a few weeks. During that time, we each seem to think we are one of the fortunate few who aren’t going to experience much for site reactions. Unfortunately, it appears our bodies use this time to ramp up defenses against Copaxone and/or the preservative contained in the solution.

But I also stopped using the alcohol wipes all together and do my shot after I shower. That helped alot with the injection site reactions. Another thing that helped the site reactions, was to self-inject, instead of using the auto-injector, which seems to "slam" the skin, making the shot worse. I get the help of my "other half" for areas that I cannot reach. It seems to be important that the needle goes all the way into the skin.

I read about a phase 4 clinical trial double blind using the anthisimine generic Zyrtec with copaxone to lessen injection site reactions. I all ready take it for allergies. Anyone else tried this?

With the autoject the worst spots for me were my arms and thighs, never really had a problem with my hips and belly but everyone is different with site reactions, while others have no problem with site reactions. I wish you luck with Copaxone. Well my neuro appointment went well. He told me he is proud of me for losing weight :) that made me feel real good. I told him that I switched to manual injections and that has helped me a lot.

On it nearly five years now and zero to very minimal injection site reactions (usually zero) no more burning when the medicine goes in. When I first started, it hurt like hell and I just couldn't see how I could stay on it long term. However it ddget better, much better, over time. Your body may adjust to it a lot sooner than seems possible right now. Like Jeny, I take out several syringes at a time as it feels much better at room temp than cold.

Where did you go? I sure hope you're coming back Proccy. You can try a topical anti-itch cream. I've used a stick roll-on applicator type of Cortizone-10 from time to time if an injection site got too itchy. I've also had success using a cold pack (or ice) application, applying light to moderate pressure over the injection site or placing a chilled witch hazel pad (yup, the ones like they sell to treat hemorrhoids, lol) between my skin and a cold pack.

You say "how can you mess this up" but I did at first, I hadn't listened properly when the injection procedure was demonstrated to me and I wasn't massaging the site after the injection, according to the nurse this could have meant that the drug was just "sitting under my skin". I must admit that massaging hasn't made much difference. My MS nurse seems more concerned about the reactions than I am.

Recently, I posted that I only had injection site reactions to Copaxone- but that has changed. I have taken a few days off, because of severe headache, nausea, and HUGE injection site reactions. They seem to keep getting bigger the longer I take the injections. The pain wakes me up, if I happen to roll over onto one. My neuro says the headache and nausea are "normal" as are the reactions I have been having.

I just started taking Copaxone, last Friday. The injection site reactions are the biggest side effects with Copaxone. I've had no other side effects other than a little bit of anxiety after a shot was given and a feeling of something being different--which has gone away. The injection site reactions looked pretty impressionable, at first. The first five days they were about the size of a baseball of red area with about a half-dollar sized fluid-filled middle area.

Never had a problem with copaxone other than injection site reactions. Still get those after a year.

Although Shared Solutions denied it, the fact is that some people, a very small percentage, are just plain allergic to it. Since most everyone gets injection site reactions from Copaxone, though, I want to caution others that this doesn't mean they are allergic. It's all a matter of degree, and my reaction was way off the charts. My neuro agreed. I hope you will start to do better on it, but if you need to change, remember there are other DMDs out there.

LOL If you use the alcohol wipes, which you really should for a clean injection site, be sure to wait for it to dry/evaporate before injecting. The alcohol can sting like hell if you rush it. Three times now I have left the orange cap on and finally figured out how to save the syringe full of medicine. The first time I squirted copax all over my dinnig room table. The second time was the bathroom mirror that got hosed.

We have had several great discussions about managing site reactions when starting Copaxone. Try using the search function for this community to see if you can find one. If you still have a tough time I'll see if I can scare one up. Two ideas that come to mind right off..... EXPERIMENT WITH DEPTH OF INJECTION - A SMALL ADJUSTMENT IN EITHER DIRECTION CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE. DIFFERENT BODY PARTS WILL LIKELY REQUIRE DIFFERNET DEPTHS OF INJECTION.

Hi, I took Copaxone for a couple of months and discontinued due to site reactions. There is another member who had similar reactions. The medication does help with the MS symptoms, but it was too harsh for my body. Everyone is different and many have used Copaxone successfully for a long time. One thing I have found is that the Shared Solution Nurses are trained and paid to help patient through problems.

I couldn't agree with you more....lol I heard about the oral medication for MS. I actually received something in the mail regarding clinical trials. The problem with participating though is that you have to have not been on any sort of treatment, I believe, and have to have had (again, don't quote me on this) a relapse with in the past two years. I didnt keep the information I had received because I am on treatment and havent had an MS episode in awhile.

Hi Kristi, I've been taking Copaxone for 3 1/2 months. I get the welts every single injection at every single site. A lot of my welts are very big, too. However, the welts are always gone within 24 hrs. And I never have had any itching. I've told my neuro about it, but he doesn't seem concerned. And I have relayed the message to Shared Solutions, and they say to adjust the level to a higher number. I was always on about 4, since I'm fairly small.

When I first started on Copaxone two months ago, I found the shots quite painful (stinging), and had some major site reactions (redness, huge welts, bruising, lumps). I followed a regular routine of warming the site first, swabbing with alcohol, injecting the med at room temp using the autoinjector, and then using an ice pack for 15-30 mins afterwards. After the first few weeks, the site reactions had improved quite a bit. I continued to follow this same routine.

I'm on copaxone, too. I get huge welts and the site gets so itchy. But, that's it. Some more fatigue, but also no post injection reactions. My neuro says it's the least likely to cause reactions of any of them. I can't take a full dose, though. I manage between 1/2 and 3/4. Full causes a vasodilation effect. For me, I use warm pack a few minutes before the shot, then tried ice after but made welts larger so switched to warm again. The warm works better for me.

Copaxone injection site reactions

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