1st Copaxone Injection

[anon07072023]

Hi Everyone,

After much nervousness and trying to figure out how to operate the auto-injector, I took my 1st Copaxone shot today. The DVD that Shared Solutions sent didn't work, so I didn't get to see it beforehand.

After the injection in my stomach, it stung for maybe 1/2 hr and then a welt was there for about 2 hrs.

I remember others had posted about the acute side effect of feeling like you're having a heart attack. I'm not sure if this is really true - but he nurse practitioner showed me in her book and it said that it's caused from accidentally wiping the injection site with alcohol wipes after you inject.  That doesn't really make sense - the injecting into a vein makes more sense. Anyway, I thought I would put it out there...just in case....

Thanks,
Kelly

[anon07072023]

The forum must think that I'm trying to say something bad and not allowed on here.
I see that it removed part of my summa-***-laude. hahaha.....  

[Deb61]

I got a chuckle out of your discription of setting it up because I had the same reaction.  It's you that will be taking the medicine and not your partner, so I'm sure that's why your partner was much more relaxed and beat you!  LOL  That is too funny!  My husband gave me my shots for a very long time before I got the confidence.  

My sister, who first started on Rebif several years ago, told me a very funny story about her expensive medicine being shot across the room like a dart gun!  I'm glad she didn't shoot her timid little poodle.  That dog pees on the ground if you talk to him!

[anon07072023]

Thanks everyone for the congratulations and the helpful tips! :-)

Yes, the Shared Solutions nurse did come to our house.  It just seemed that it took me extra long to figure out the auto-injector.  But I was really nervous about my 1st shot.  I'm sure that played into it.  I really didn't know what to expect.  And I usually like to look over/read stuff on my own before I do it.  I kind of felt like an idiot. I can normally figure out things - I graduated with highest honor from my university (summa *** laude) for Pete's sake.  The nurse said that she understood - that I had a lot on my plate right now.  

We did practice giving the shots into a half squishy ball.  She pitted me against my partner, and I always seemed to be on the losing end of getting the auto-injector all set up.  The nurse left me a diary with a diagrams in it for each day, a heat pack that I can warm up & put on the injection site before my injection, and of course the instruction booklet.  She didn't say that I could call her with any questions, so I guess if I have any, I'll just call Shared Solutions directly.      

[poker247]

September 23rd marked my one year Anniversary on Copaxone. It was truly a god send considering the 6 months of turmoil I spent on Rebif. I still get welts and stinging from time to time but it is manageable because I don't get any of the aches and flu like symptoms or increasing depression like I did with the Rebif. The sad part is I may have to give it up and try something different and more aggressive like Tysabri, because my follow up MRI showed 3 new large lesions that weren't there at the start of copaxone. Most of my neurologist's patients are on copaxone and respond very well.....as luck would have it I have to be the Odd One :(

Best of luck and congrats on your first successful injection! :)

[Deb61]

I'm surprised that the Shared Solution nurse didn't come over to your house to show you how to inject you first shot.  They are usually there to make sure you don't have an adverse reaction to the medicine.  The nurse showed me how to inject myself manually, with the autoinjector, gave me lots of goodies (travel containers, calendars, a bag, etc. etc.   I also got several follow-up phone calls.  Additionally, she told me that if I needed her to come out again to show me anything, just to give her a call.  

Everyone has their own routine of how to inject their medicine and reacts differently.  I have learned that not getting the alcohol dried causes it to sting really badly, so I ensure the area is dry with use of a hair dryer (this also warms the area) blown on the area for a few seconds.  I injfect manually (I used to inject with the autoinjector) now to control the speed of the injection.  Some people can never do this, but you really do get brave after several years of giving yourself shots . . .

I used to develop huge welts.  The ones on my arms and tops of my legs hurt like h*ll and looked like the size of a baseball.  They no longer do this.  Your body does get used to the medicine (or the shots).  

Rotate, rotate, rotate!  I've not developed any dents or dimples, and I've been taking the medicine for 2.5 years.  I attribute this to rotating the site.  I also try to avoid shooting in the same site if I can from weeks previously.  

To avoid shooting in a blood vesel which can cause the IPIR, pinch up skin when injecting.  don't go straight in with the autoinjector if you can help it.  

Best of luck!  I am so happy that I chose Copaxone.  It appears to be doing its job and I've not had but a couple of IPIRs which turned out to not be that big of a deal.  

Best of wishes,
Debbie

[twopack]

I don't think there is any clear explanation for why some Copaxone users experience a severe immediate post injection reaction.  It certainly doesn't happen to everyone and even those who have experienced it, go on to give injections without the reaction.  If alcohol was the culprit, we would see it with other injectable drugs as well, and we don't.

Alcohol can sting if it is tracked into the tissues because it hasn't been allowed to dry completely before a needle pierces the skin.  Many people use soap and water to clean their skin before injections.  That is totally acceptable.

Alcohol can also stimulate bleeding at an injection site if it is used immediately after withdraw of the needle.  This doesn't mean it will hemmorhage or cause a bruise.  But the site may ooze a drop or two rather than seal over quickly without bleeding.  That is why a dry tissue or cotton ball is recommended to apply slight pressure immediately after injection (no rubbing please).

As an aside, anyone checking their blood sugar should remember to wipe the first drop of blood away with a dry cotton ball, tissue or gauze wipe.  The second drop is the one to test.  Residual alcohol can alter micro blood sugar readings.

And Kelly, CONGRATULATIONS on getting started successfully with your MS treatment.  Didn't you have a nurse come to your house and show you how to use everything?  It's so much easier when they come and let you 'play' with their educational mock-ups.

Be sure to let us know how it's going and if you have any questions.  There's usually someone around to help talk you through this stuff.

Mary

[Lulu54]

Kelly, congrats on getting the first one done.  It will get easier and for most of us the site reaction gets better.  It may take a month or so, so give it time.

the HA side effect is real - there are a few of us here who have experienced this first hand.  

As for the alcohol wipes - if you use them you need to be sure that the alcohol has completely dried before you inject, otherwise the sting is pretty horrific.

Congrats again on taking this first step to staying well, Lulu

[anon07072023]

Hmmmmm, maybe that's what she was talking about. ???  

Because now I think that I remember - when I had mentioned to her that I heard that one of the side effects could be that you feel for about 10 min that you're going to have a heart attack -  she looked at me strange and said that she can't believe that they're still telling people that. Like it doesn't happen any more. Then she looked in her book and showed me what could cause side effects. Maybe that's it.....  

[Erin0313]

Kelly,

  I don't know about the sensation of having a heart attack being caused by an alcohol wipe after the injection. It sounds silly so who knows maybe it is true. I do remember from my days on Copaxone something about not wiping the site after the injection but I think it was to avoid more of a skin reaction at the site. Oh well

I just really wanted to congratulate you for getting through your first injection!! Good job the first time can be a bit scary and now it's behind you.

Hugs,
Erin :)