This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Odd I know that I am overcome with happiness that my first injection took place today! I hope I am on the road to a much more productive life and can only say I am staying positive!! I think I overanalysed before all of this building it up to much, more than it should have been! I am excited to see results although I know it will take time.

My new neuro doctor just suggested Copaxone...was on Avonex for 6 years but I felt it wasn't doing anything since no relapses and thought I was becoming secondary. Anyway new MRI shows active lesion on my spine (hence mobility issues). Very curious how you find your Copaxone. Please keep us posted. Thanks.

KDGO,

I have been taking copaxone now for almost a month and I'm finding it to be somewhat of a nuisance but I am going to give it a chance to show me if it will help my MS. (which can take anywhere from 6-9 months so I was told)

I have no issues with the actual injections themselves, the needles are about the same size as an insulin needle (quite small). The burning you so often hear about really doesn't affect me too much it's very tolerable. It's the site reactions I get the next day. I have been getting large golf ball size red welts with small lumps forming that seem to pretty much clear up just in time to inject again lol. They get so ITCHY!!!!!! Yesterday I injected in my left thigh as I was supposed to and I think I must have hit a muscle or a nerve as for the latter part of the day yesterday and so far all of today it hurts to walk on that leg, with pain stemming from the injection site. Almost feels like an awful big charlie horse!!! I also had no site reactions the first week but the second week developed cellulitis (skin infection) but the docs and Shared Solutions seem to think it could have been the fact that I had just finished steroids and my immune system was lowered.

All in all I find it pretty tolerable, and had chosen it as I was worried about the flu like symptoms of the interferons as I have 2 small children that depend on me everyday and couldn't imagine trying to be a great mom while I feel sick constantly.

Does your neuro think you have progressed to secondary??

All the luck in the world to you
Cheers!

Stabilo
I am on the SP border. The fact that I have an "enhancement at T8" means RR...but I haven't had an issue in 6 yrs....until heavy leg function this year. What was the timing of your steroid treatment and Copaxone?
He wants to put me on 6 monthly IV of steroid and the C at the same time.
I'm wonder if I should just do the steroid for 6 month then start the C...or LDN...that is what has keeping me awake at night wondering what to do!
The daily doesn't concern me as much as the reactions to the sites and the pain but if it gives me 6 more years just as I am...then that is perhaps what I need to consider...of course I will always take "better than I am". What do you do about your reaction site?

KDGO,

I had finished my last dose of steroids (1250mg of prednisone) the day I started my Copaxone Injections (Oct.7) I personally have never had IV infused steroids so they may react differently?? I did have issues while on the steroids with waking up at night, so was given Imovane (sleeping pill) to help with that and it worked like a charm, but 6 months on a sleeping pill is a tad much I'm thinking?

The daily injections are really a breeze, you hit the nail on the head there. It's the sites that are tough to deal with. I don't get anything immediately after injection, but the next day it's a large red welt that itches like crazy which slowly develops into a marble sized lump under the skin. so far I have these lumps at every site. Shared Solutions informed me this was a normal reaction for most while their bodies learn to tolerate the meds.......I'm hoping my body gets used to this sooner than later!!! I have a warm/hot shower (whatever you can tolerate) prior to injecting which seems to get the blood circulating better (and makes it so you don't have to clean the injection site prior to injecting) after injection I put pressure on for about 2 minutes and leave it. The next day when the welts appear I apply benadryl medicated cream to soothe the itching and warm compress once or twice a day to help with the swelling. I was told by the Shared Solutions nurse that after 24 hours you can massage the marble sized lumps with vitamin e cream to help loosen them up, but it's not an instant fix it takes time apparently lol.

Hope you are well

I just took my second injection and so far it isn't too much fun. I'm not sure I'm going to last having to do this daily. I was on avonex with the bigger needle etc, but it wasn't nearly as annoying. The description of a charlie horse is perfect after the initial burning sensation. Reducing a relapse by at best 35 percent...

Well, the next few shots have been ok. i was going too deep it seems and right into muscle. i don't have much body fat so following the instructions of pinching 2" and going straight in does not work for me. i'm going in at the 45+ degree angle and that seems to be working fine.