Anyone taking Copaxin?

[sweetie1414]

Has anyone taken the MS drug Copaxin? If so what has been your experience?

[doublevision1]

There are a number of us here who are on or were on Copaxone.  I've been on it one full year after an unsuccessful attempt at Rebif.

The Copaxons shots hurt more than the Rebif ones, but that was only initially.  The medication stings but after a while one's body adjusts.  The needle doesn't hurt, it is very thin.

My site reactions were quite red, warm, tender and the size of marbles to golf balls at first.  These decrease over time and now I can't even tell where I've injected a few hours later.  
Rotating your injection sites is important to delay any skin problems that may result from daily injections, year after year.  But this is true for any kind of injection, not just Copaxone or MS meds in general for that matter.

I have never had a post-injection reaction, but one of our other members here recently did, or at least that seems what it is.  I'll let her speak to this if she sees this post.  Another member had to discontinue Copaxone due to allergic reaction, and is now on one of the interferon meds.

In terms of injecting, I use the autoinjector provided by Shared Solutions, others here prefer to manually inject.  I find my site reactions are milder with the autoinjector.  Some have said they feel the autoinjector is too traumatic for your skin, saying it snaps the skin, but this isn't the case.  The device itself does make a loud snapping sound as the spring is released, but only the needle and the tip of the injector ever touch your skin, nothing snaps against it.  

As far as cost of this med, you will find that it varies widely, depending on what country/province/state you live in; whether you have coverage provided by your govt; your employer; your private insurer; etc.

I'll probably I'll think of more later, but for me, this covers my experience pretty well.
Others will share their experiences, I'm sure.

[sweetie1414]

Thank you! I meant to spell it Copaxone , my mind is really jumbled from all the information I have taken in the past few days.I was just Dxed yesterday and this is the drug he suggested to me,first he is starting me on 3 days of solu-medrol IV steroids to try to reduce some of my symptoms.
I hope more do write in and tell me their experience with this drug .Right now I am trying to decide what treatment i want to follow so I can get on with my life.

[Lulu54]

Hi Sweetie,
I am also on copaxone, and have been taking it for 10 months now with very little problems.  On the right side of this page there is a search box for this community - type in copaxone there and you will find tons of posts that address this question.  

You can also check the other DMD's and read what the feelings are... then you can make an informed selection.

good luck,
Lulu

[Sarahsmom46]

I'm a newbie like you and we have several others who have just been diagnosed within the past couple months many also taking Copaxone.  So, you are in good company.

I started the copax almost a month ago. Within the first week of taking it, I was in a car accident which may have contiributed to putting me into a relapse. I had to be on the IV steroids too.  I was concerned about being on the steroids and the copax at the ame time, but everyone said it was not an issue.  

Much of my experience with the drug this pst month was described in DBs post.  One thing  I have learned is not to take it right before going to bed anymore because of the stinging.  When you start it, take it at least one hour before you go to sleep.  

The nurses at Shared Solutions will contact you and even send someone out to help you learn how to do the injections. They are great help when you have questions.  Trust me, doing the injections will become so second-hand that when you get the hang of it you won't even have to think about anymore.  This treatment only takes a few minutes out of your day to adinistert then you move on to the other things you need to take care of.  It really becomes that simple.

I hope your IVSM treatment goes well and that the start of the copaxone will go smoothly.  You can certainly ask as many questions as you want.   We are always happy to help in any way we  can. Take care.

Julie

[rendean]

Welcome to the site.
I'm a newbie as well, having been officially diagnosed on 4/13. I have been using Copaxone for  21/2 months. My experiences mirror those above. I certainly agree with Julie regarding the stinging post injection, but the ice packs (provided by Shared Solutions) help with the stinging. The redness is starting to fade post injection so I'm hoping the stinging will begin to subside as well.

I hope your treatment goes smoothly. Do read about your options in disease modifying medicines so that you can make an informed decision. Feel free to post with any and all questions you may have. Nothing is really off limits here.

Best wishes,
Ren

[HVAC]

Hi welcome,
   Ren and I have been on Copaxone the same amount of time. I ditto everyone. I distract myself after the shot. I take it at night. I have a cat who some how knows and purrs all over me after my injection to be petted. When I first started it I met several MS patients who had MS long before the DMD's and they all told me they would do anything to stop the disease. I was told the disease can progress with out symptoms. I committed to myself and to those who had MS long before me to take a DMD.  I hardly have any injection site reactions.

Alex