This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

Hello everyone,

So recently (about a month ago) I started using copaxone 40mg. It has been going ok I guess. I get soreness but I sleep it off most of the time. However, recently I've been getting skin reactions that turn red and puffy and last over a week and then leave a dark mark that looks like a blemish sort of that havent faded ( I know it hasnt been that long). I dont get this reaction every single time but I have a few on my body right now. My question is has anyone experienced the same thing ? and if so what am I doing wrong?

P.s. I called Shared solution and they didnt help.

Note that I've never used Copaxone, but it could be that your injection depth is not correct. Have you tried searching the Copaxone forum for skin reactions?

Here's the advanced search function for the forums.

http://www.thisisms.com/forum/search.php

You should contact Shared Solutions and ask them.

I am at the right depth. If I go any deeper it is too painful and anything else would be too shallow. As I said I did call shared solutions but they didnt help. The nurses there never really use the medication so they dont know as much as patients that have which is why I asked here.

You need to find someone at Shared Solutions that has the right experience/qualifications to answer your questions. You could be having an allergic reaction and someone at Shared Solutions should be able to assist you. Certainly what you are experiencing with regard to the dark mark is probably not 'normal', although "red and puffy" is probably a normal side effect. Have you talked to your doctor about this?

Have you ever been on daily injections at 20 ml or were you started at 40 ml 3 times a week?

In case anyone is still wondering I saw my doctor and she suggested that it was an allergic reaction due to the band-aids I was using. So I stopped using them and in the past 3 injections I didnt get any reactions! not even red puffy skin.

Also, no I never used 20mg.
Thank you everyone

I had horrible reactions when I started. I thought that I was going to the right depth, but it turns out I was going too shallow and causing horrible bruising and hematomas. If you call shared solutions, you can request a nurse to come to your house and do a training session and they can evaluate your technique and give tips. A nurse came to my house twice and was very helpful both times, even though I thought I knew what I was doing (medical professional here... you'd think I'd know how to give myself a shot!).
I continued getting red, swelling around the sites. I tried Singulair daily for awhile and gradually stopped having the reactions ( I stopped taking the singular too). The improvement may have been a coincidence or may have been reduced by the singular... who knows.