BAD REACTION PLEASE HELP

[student01]

I just started my copaxone inj 8 days ago, wanted to know if anyone had a reaction quite like this?

7th inj was taken at 7:00 pm at around 10:30 started with shaking muscle tightness freezing cold had 2 comforters on and it was 75 degrees in my room my whole body felt like I had a bad sunburn nad the muscle tightness was so bad I could barely walk to the bathroom.Had a hard time breathing. Spoke to SS with no help told me to call the doctor in the am. Spoke to the doctor he tought maybe I had a BUG!! told me to continue inj for the next 2 nights and call him.

8th inj. taken at 6:30 pm took 3 advil and a xanax before bed still had the same reaction but not as severe was able to get a little bit of sleep.

Wanted to know if anyone else had the same sort of reaction or if maybe this is a BUG!!

I also had started my menstrual cycle on the night of the 7th inj. didn't know if the hormone fluctuation had anyhting to do with this reaction or not.

Any help or advice is greatly appreciated

Lynn

[student01]

I spoke to my doctor he wants me to do 1/2 a shot for 4 nights and call him monday morning. I started the 1/2 dose on thurs. with no bad reaction so I will keep this up for the rest of the weekend. I am just not sure how protected I am with regards to a flare up.

Thank you everyone for all the great info. your the best!!!

Lynn

[shermay]

Hi there,

Yes I had that reaction too, it's enough to bring you to your knees, well it did for me anyway and I have not used it since.  OK I am suffereing now with a relapse so I should go and get myself sorted out, but yes I did have the same s/e
Debs

[jensequitur]

Hey, where are you doing the injection?  It sounds like you're getting into the bloodstream, which causes a vagus reaction.  Did that once - it felt like I was swelling up like a balloon, and I got really hot and sweaty.  My chest felt tight and I had a hard time breathing for a few minutes.  It wore off after about fifteen minutes.

I would see the doctor before injecting yourself again.  I always make sure to inject in a fatty portion (I've got plenty of those!) so if you don't have a lot of body fat, or at least a little, Copaxone might not be for you.

[rendean]

I experienced a similar event right after starting my Copaxone (within a week). Called SS, no help regarding a connection.

Called my neuro on Monday and he said it had to be an infection of some sort. He asked if I had ANY sort of bladder or UTI symptoms. I told I didn't.NO symptoms except the shaking and chills which led to muscle cramps, etc.

I had blood work drawn by another one of my docs. The CBC revealed I had a virus.

Hang in there with the copaxone...it might be a bug that's causing your symptoms. Hope you feel better soon.

Ren

[Heather3418]

I have been on Copaxone for a year and a half and have never experienced symptoms as you describe.  Please be careful taking that much Advil at one time or you are going to set yourself up for some stomach problems.  Since you say you took a Xanax, are you an anxiety sufferer or having panic?  Being very anxious about the injection certainly would not help with the injections.

Copaxone can cause a side effect that happens almost immediately after the shot, but it is very rare.  It can happen once in your treatment and never happen again.  No one on the Forum I believe, has had the flushing, temporary chest pain, etc.  If they have, I don't know about it.  It only lasts about 15 minutes, but if you ever have it, you should call your doctor.  This doesn't sound like what you are experiencing though.

Hang in there a little longer with the Copaxone.  It has the least after effects of any of the DMD's.  Please let us know how you are doing today.....Any better?

All the Best,
Heather

[truelove47]

Hi, I wish I could help, but i am taking avonex for over 10 years.

I know that someone here will give you good solid advice.  This forum has helped me so much.  Best wishes to you                        Linda

[student01]

bump

[Lulu54]

Hang in there for a few more days with the Copaxone and see if the problem really is a bug.  I have been on copax for about 9 months now and only had site reactions problems and even those have now pretty much disappeared.  

Adjusting the needle depth is also a good suggestion - the deeper you can go with the shot, the better.

We do havea few people here who couldn't take copaxone because of reactions - I hope you will not be among that small number.

be well,
Lulu

[Military_Wifey]

I have been on Copaxone for about a month. I have bad site reactions but nothing like what you mention. Hope its a bug. I will pray for you. If your doctor said to keep taking then I would just see if it continues or worsens and let him know. As for the muscle tightness...are you adjusting the injection depth based on the amount of fat? If it was injected into the muscle versus the fatty tissue it may cause the cramping.

-Dee

[Amyloo]

Hi,  I was on Copaxone for a year; never had any problems except for site redness/pain.  How do you feel in between shots?  Are you experiencing anything close to these symptoms any other times of the day?