Copaxone itching driving me nuts

[essdipity]

I've been on Copaxone almost 2 months. For the first several weeks the only reaction I had was moderately painful stinging and aching after the shot, lasting about half an hour, plus some tenderness at the site. Now that part is only 5 or 10 minutes. In the meantime, though, other reactions have REALLY set in.

The thigh area is the worst, but all injections give me big red spots, lumps, welts, and sometimes bruises, lasting nearly a week. This is all ugly, but manageable. The itching, though, is what I can barely stand. That starts a day or so after the shot and continues for 2 or 3 days. So I always have several areas that really want to be scratched. Yikes.

I take an antihistamine for airborne allergies, and that does nothing for the itching. I use Benedryl spray, which helps for a couple of hours. The Copaxone people have no other recommendations.

Because of my allergies I'm an itchy person generally, and my nerve endings seem to be hypersensitive. Sometimes it feels that my bod has issued to general alarm to scratch everywhere.

I don't plan to stop Copaxone so I'll just have to bear it, but I sure would appreciate any suggestions for dealing with this maddening problem. My body is trying to tell me something!

ess

[essdipity]

Well, I was still going nuts yesterday, so called my PCP's office. I figured that would be quicker, and it was. He knows me and knows I wouldn't do anything totally crazy, so he had 2 prescriptions phoned in. One was Singulair (this is prescription only, and no generic is available), and the other is a cream called Betamethasone D. That comes in a tiny tube and as we know the welts are huge! Also prescription only.

I'll have to see how they do and report back. The cream did nothing at first (apply twice a day) so that didn't bode well, yet the itching may need a lot to get it under control. If these don't work then I'm out of ideas, not to mention out of my mind.

And Elaine, I'm sure the problem is not the actual injection, but with an allergic reaction to the med that sets in later and seems to be building. The injection pain is a piece of cake compared to this.

ess

[monotreme]

Wow, I am really sorry you are all going through this.   The drug companies are up there with some neurologists who are good at being cold and dismissive.

This is just a thought as I would guess it is a reaction to the medication not the shot, but do any of you who use Copaxone think a numbing ointment would help??

There is a cream called "EMLA" which numbs the skin before an injection.  Allergists also use it to stop the allergy testing injections from hurting.    You put the EMLA cream on, then cover the area with saran wrap for about one hour, then take off the wrap, the cream is dissolved, and you don't feel your skin.

So it would make the injection and the sites pain free.  

EMLA and Singulair are both by prescription.  Family doctor can order both.
Elaine

[jensequitur]

Well, the good news is after a while of injecting in the same spot, the reactions will get less.  I regularly inject my stomach, hips, and thighs, and they aren't so bad.  I've recently started doing some new spots, and those itch like crazy.

The bad news is that you'll still have problems with redness and welting and lumpiness, even after you get used to the histamine reaction.

[gollie]

Ess and All:

Guess its time to add to this thread. I had a thread awhile back
on the same issues with injection site reactions. I thought I had
it undercontrol, after the second visiting nurse visit and a new
auto injector.
Well that lasted about a week. Now I site reactions are double
as bad. They had me drop the needle level just below the 4
so its at about a 3 !/2 cant go lower or the med would squirt out.

but the welts on hip and thighs are getting to be as big around
in diameter of  at least 5 to 6 inches.and are not all the way gone
in 7 days time. not only do they itch real bad but they are very
very sore. the ones on my thighs even hurt when I walk. or when
the skin moves. (the one from 2 nights ago on my right thigh looks
exacty like the bulls eye rash from lymes.) scared the heebeejeebees
outta me when I first noticed it.
Have had brusing too. left some of the skin
areas a slightly dark color after bruises went away.
I went to do the right hip last night and still had 2 small lumps
there it made it hard to find a clear spot to inject. So I called
the copaxone nurse, and once again got the same old  same old
well, you have only been on it 5 weeks it could take several months
before the reactions calm down.

I do not, so far have any other reactions to it. But I am concerned
as I dont want to get an infection in the sites or worse.
So like Ess says, its the same old from them, of corse they dont
want us to stop using it, not good for business!!

And like Ess, I said no, I dont want the visiting nurse for a third time.
I am going to give it a few more days,  if it continues this bad, I am
going to have my nero look at the sites and see what he thinks.

I kinda doubt he will like what he sees.  I no I dont. but I also dont
want to give it up either. just dont want and infection or worse from it.

Can anyone tell me if the singular is perscription or over the counter.?

if its perscription, maybe i can ask my doc about it??

I hope for all our sakes we can get this worked out.
Really with this many of us having the same problems
and countless others, wouldnt it just make good sence
for this company to try to improve the injecton site issues
or are they just so  comfy with all the profit that they make
that they figure, just leave it at that.?????  Seems its a good
product, but could be greatly improved upon with at least
alittle bit of effort.    Sure makes me wonder.                         Gollie

[essdipity]

This is getting ridiculouser and ridiculouser. I decided to let the Copaxone folks have one more shot at solving my site reaction problem, and was politely told to ask my doctor! I pointed out that he would say that since Copaxone makes the stuff, they would be the most knowledgeable about side effects. Wrong, and too bad.

They do not recommend any specific product. They claim they are not allowed to by the FDA. These people are very big on calling you every whipstitch with useless 'how ya doing?' kinds of questions. And they ALWAYS remind you that a nurse is on call 24/7, etc. But what for? They don't DO anything. No, I don't want the nurse to come back and look at my welts and say yep, those are welts. As Zilla would say, Oy!

Itching myself nuts,
ess

[6-paq]

You poor things!!!  I'm sorry!!  ((Hugs))

I hope either Singulair or perhaps an Rx strength cream will help you!!!

Take care!  Pat :)