It's not so bad!

[growing2boys]

Ok, I was completely wigging out about the idea of taking Copaxone. I read through all the negative topics in here & I just wanted to post a positive post for those getting ready to start.

I've only been on it 3 days, so I am certainly not an expert I downloaded the rotation chart off their website & I plan to use those every month. I have so far injected in my belly, thigh & love handle. I'm afraid to do my arms. I am keeping 3 syringes at a time at room temp in a dresser drawer so I don't need to wait for them to warm up.
I put it under my arm while I prep my site with alchohol.
I don't use an autojet & I push the needle in as deep as it will go (I am 5'6 & 115 pounds & I can still pinch plenty to get it in deep) I go in at a slight angle because I am thin. Then I hold mild pressure on it for a minute. Now here is the only negative thing. It burns. Boy it really does burn! Let's say it really gets you attention. That burning lasted for me about 15 minutes. I did not ice the spot, rub it or put any medication on it.
I do get a welt. It lasts for 1 day then it's gone.
I have had absolutely zero side effects from the shots.

I hope this encourages those just starting. I know I still have a good chance of an injection reaction & skin problems, but I'm feeling pretty good about choosing Copaxone at the moment. (hopefully my opinion doesn't change!)

[msgator]

it only gets better. I found the the first week back on (two pregnancies interrupted my treatment) were the worst.

Also ask shared solutions to send you the calendar. They have pictures of the injection sites and you can write comments for each day,

i too avoid the arms, and inject the sides of my buttocks instead.

Also you can leave the copaxone out for 30 days now, so I take out five syringes at a time.

Keep up the good attitude. I've done well over 1,000 of these shots, but I do use the autoject.



Ann

[growing2boys]

Oooh thanks Ann...I was looking at the side of my butt last night thinking it looked like a great place to go next Glad also to hear the burning may get better, but if it doesn't I don't mind it so much. Small price to pay if I can keep my legs moving a bit longer.

Glad I have found this site. It's a fantastic resource for those of us newly diagnosed.

[msgator]

just make sure you avoid the parts you sit on I find that area stings more than others. Let me know how it goes.

Ann

[LadyDoe]

Hey there, GREAT TOPIC! i understand what you mean about cpxne not being so bad and others experiences frightening newbies. I'm in my fourth month, boy does it fly, and the shots dont bother me whatso ever. i also manually inject, but i inject 12 on stomach, 6 combined on love handle, 4 on each leg and some in my butt area - excellent (new favourite) spot. i admit i dont wait the 10 seconds of injecting slowly, and just pump the solution in as quick as possible. swelling gone day after, or the next even though lump can be felt. ARMS ARE A NO GO ZONE, MS nurse said i have stickmen like arms and it would badly bruise
I do understand that people have different pain tolerance and in general i am okay with the burn. i find night shots the bed, i inject them plonk myself into bed and ''pretend sleep'' and hence dont feel the burn.. that and ive taught myself self hypnosis for pain management in the past

i think this thread is great!!! power to us all *ignoring mr MS,he's not my friend*!!!

[nicko]

I've been on copaxone since July. I've only recently found that the stinging has subsided some. I no longer have to use a ice pack. But I still get swelling and a big red patch around the injection site. I inject everywhere except for my left arm, it takes forever to heal I've had the lump after one injection stay for a month. Its also the arm that is always slightly purple so I guess the bad circulation is the culprit. My legs are so full of veins its like playing darts to get around them lol. I've hit them a couple times and it wasn't pleasant. The only thing I don't like is the fear in the back of my mind of a IPIR(immediate post injection reaction) mimics severe allergic reaction or heart attack symptoms but suposively goes away after 15 mins. When I hit the veins in my legs I had some mild dizzyness and a hot flash but only for 2-5 mins.

[BamBAM]

Hi All

I have been on copaxone now for a little over 2 months, I was scared to start my injections and actually wasted 6 months time, I read all the bad stories on here and else where about the lumps & bumps and the stinging, I finally recieved my Copax and the Shared Solutions nurse came to my home for injection training, I was a bundle of nerves until I finally took my first shot in my right arm, It was comic because I looked at my wife and said "thats it? " It was a piece of cake, I have minimal injection site reactions, Minimal pain after the shot, I stopped using the alchohol wipes before the shot and most of stinging stopped, Every once in a while when I am in a hurry or try to do the hard spots by myself I will get blood at the site then it really aches for a while or bruises, I do not have a problem doing all 7 injection sites that S.S reccomends, I have just learned what depths on the auto ject work best for certain areas,

I also think this is a great topic cause newbies only have the bad experiences posted to go by, I think if someone newly D.Xed were to find this topic I hope it would ease there mind a little, If I would have read a topic like this I might not have wasted six months cause I was scared