Copaxone Reaction

[starryeyes1]

I'm wondering if anyone else has had reactions to Copaxone? I have been taking it for over 5 months and one night after taking it in the thigh, I experienced the tightness of the chest, difficulty breathing, and my face turned bright red and felt like it was going to split apart. My DR said to reduce it to 1/2 a shot the next night and I didn't have another problem for 3 more weeks when it happened again. Coincidently, both times it occured when the injection was in the thigh .I am worried I won't be able to continue this if it keeps happening. I don't want to switch. Any suggestions? I don't inject into my legs now to see if it makes a difference.

[Quixotic1]

Tonya - thanks for adding what your neuro told you.  The Copaxone site is where I got the 13% figure.  Can't say I would be surprised if they downplayed the incidence of the reaction.  But, also remember it only lasts about 15 minutes.  If you are really worried you can call Shared Solutions or even 911 if you wanted to feel safe.

Personally, it does sound so much like a heart attack, that I wonder exactly what it is.  I wonder if it is something like the chemical, adenosine, that they use for a cardiac stress test instead of the treadmill.  

Quix

[Lulu54]

My neuro talked to me quite a bit about this before I started on Copaxone because I have had a heart attack.

He asked me what I would do if I had this reaction and I told him I would take a nitroglycerin tab and wait five minutes. He then asked what I would do if the pain continued.  I told him I would then take another nitro tab if needed and wait another 5 minutes.

Both of those actions are standard procedure outlined to me from my cardiologist.

Of course he asked what I would do then if it  still went on I said I would then call 911.  

He was then satisfied.  His big concern is that I not overreact, but also that I not ignore what might possibly be a heart problem.  

He also said most copaxone users have never been medically observed with this problem, because by the time you decide to call 911 and actually get medical attention, the event has resolved on its own.  

It is a dilemma, because we know time is muscle when it comes to heart problems - I think the key here is having these pains immediately after the copaxone injection.  I have not heard of it happening at any other time.  

my take,
Lulu

[Quixotic1]

Nice info, Lu, plus a good viewpoint from which to consider the problem.
Thanks

Q

[Quixotic1]

I wonder if we would do a service to our members to bring this up when someone tells us they are going to start Copaxone?  Forewarned is definitely forearmed.

Q

[Deb61]

I have gotten a Copaxone reaction almost exactly how you described it about three months after I started the medicine.  My heart was pounding and my face turned beet red.  My head felt like it was about to explode.  Then I had another reaction a short time later.  

My neuro told me to inject my medicine at an angle when injecting in my legs--exactly where I was injecting when the reaction occurred.  I have little fat on the tops of my legs, so I inject higher on the fatty areas of my legs now.  I haven't had a reaction since.

[Qrtrmoon]

I have been on Copaxone for one week now, and I did read in the literature that this was a possible side affect but they made it sound more like it could happen after the first dose rather than months from now.  I thought I was fine since it didn't happen after the first couple of doses, now I am going to be scared every time I do a shot after reading this.  

I started out on Beta Seron years ago then switched to Rebif about 4 years ago and just finally had all I could stand of the side affects so I just quit them altogether.  Finally when I moved to Texas a few months ago new Neuro convinced me to try Copaxone due to NO SIDE AFFECTS.  Now I read this!  Very funny doc! No side affects just a heart attack!