COPAXONE Reviews (GLATIRAMER ACETATE)Average Rating: 3.5 (300 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare COPAXONE with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by length of time drug was taken longest to shortest. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
More on COPAXONE: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR COPAXONE | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 5 | RRMS | It always blows my mind to read about severe side effects being attributed to Copaxone. I have never experienced a single adverse reaction in the 18 years I've been taking it (that's over 6,500 injections!). I consider the mild discomfort at the injection site a small price to pay for the benefit of experiencing fewer relapses -- and ultimately protecting my brain for the future. I am 100% certain that I would be in a wheelchair by now if Copaxone hadn't come along when it did. I do envy the patients who are newly diagnosed and can get started on the 40mg right away -- as they will likely experience very little lipoatrophy -- the only adverse reaction I've had to "endure." But I'm not in a wheelchair, I'm still working full time, I cycle at least 1,500 miles per year (in rainy Seattle!), and I honestly believe that none of that would be true if I hadn't started on Copaxone immediately after my diagnosis. | Of all the medications out there now (there was only Avonex & Betaseron when I was diagnosed -- we've sure come a long way since then!!), I believe Copaxone to be the most convenient (3x/week injections with an AutoJect) and most effective with the least amount of side effects. If I were newly diagnosed, I would start with Copaxone. If it doesn't seem to work, or if the injection site reactions are too severe, there are more than a dozen other FDA approved meds to try. But I feel like I "won the lottery" when Copaxone was released right after my diagnosis. | F | 50 | 18 years 40mg 1X day | 10/23/2015 Patient History | 5 | ms | The usual nasty skin reactions most times. I HAVE FOUND THAT KEEPING ABSOLUTELY STILL FOR ABOUT 1/2 HR. AFTER INJECTION HAS HELPED DRAMATICALLY WITH THE PAIN. After 13 yrs. my skin is in pretty good shape (discoloured, lumps but no degredation). I have had the severe body side effects occassionally. In the last few years have become more frequent, severe, lasting longer (several hours). Yesterday was really bad so I am researching if there is anything I can do to lessen the reaction. | The first time I had a severe reaction was about 1 yr. after taking Copaxone in 1998. My MS doctor took me off it immediately. After about 6 month I felt my symptoms getting worse so I asked to start again. Copaxone has really helped and I do not want to stop, but am concerned about severe reactions. Others have suggested 25 mg. of benadryl and an Epipen. I will try the benadryl and talk to my Dr. about the pen. Anyone have any other ideas? | F | 60 | 15 years 20 1X day | 10/20/2012 | 1 | MS | I have been injecting for years 14 years. Had a extreme reaction of extreme burning in my leg for seven hours which kept me up all night. | Had a extreme reaction of extreme burning in my leg for seven hours which kept me up all night. It has turned me off of the drug forever. All eight injection sites are so flat that I barely have any area now to inject (Skin indentations) | F | 57 | 14 years 20 1X day | 2/27/2022 | 3 | MS | Tight chest mood swings and emotions | Can't get better help for strengthening my body | F | 44 | 13 years 40mg 3X W | 7/10/2023 | 3 | MS | Horrific injection site reactions, hard as a rock, bruising, lumps, bumps. Nausea, night sweats, eating away at my teeth, IBS exacerbations , weight gain | Despite the reactions I will stay with this or just go off of it until something "better"comes alone. Slow progression of disease with lack of endurance, lack of appetite despite weight gain which is steady, walking but short distances but no major exacerbations. | F | 62 | 13 years 20 mg 1X day | 5/8/2014 | 1 | RRMS | I took copaxone for over 13yrs with minimal, typical side effects. (pain at inj site, welts, divots, etc.) In December I experienced a severe reaction and my whole life changed. First my arm looked like it had a bad bruise. Then the area turned dark red and finally black. I had to have the black areas (skin necrosis) surgically debrided out of my arm on 3 separate occasions. My arm wound was so deep you could see the tendons, nerves, and bone. I was taking antibiotics, pain medicine, lyrica, vitamins and I then got drug induced hepatitis. I have missed 2months of work and will have severe scarring on the back of my arm. There are many quesses as to why this happened. What I am upset about is that Shared Solutions says this can happen, but they say it is rare. It usually happens to people who have been on the drug for a long time. WHen I called to report it, they told me.....wowwe havent talked to you in many many years. They need to be educating their long time copaxone users patien | M | 45 | 13 years 1ml 1X day | 2/19/2012 | 4 | MS | For over 11 years I just had the usual injection site reaction,raised red egg-shaped area, warm to the touch. Then this year I have had 2 extreme reactions to Copaxone. | The first was in January and the second was in Oct. where I was extremely hot (a dry hot like I felt I was going to combust) and racing heart, feeling faint and sick which lasted for about an hour then I was freezing cold. I was shaking all over. Put socks on, my robe any my husband made me some hot tea but he had to give it to me because I was shaking so badly that I couldn't hold the cup. It finally subsided but still didn't feel very well the next day. | F | 55 | 12 years 30 mg 1X day | 10/11/2010 | 4 | ms | I take copaxone once a week - could only tolerate injecting once a week. First five years, I injected two to three times a week. After 6 years, went off medicine for 3 weeks and had an attack. Went back on the medicine and ms improved. Believe this drug has helped me. Have bumps on my thighs from all the injections and still feels like a bee sting for 24 hours after injection. Numbing area with an icepack helps. Will continue to take this drug - ms has improved and stabilized. | F | 54 | 12 years 1X W | 10/30/2010 | 5 | MS | Minimal side effects--I think. My weight has fluctuated a lot over the last 21 years, so I don't know if Copaxone has anything to do with that. Same thing with anxiety & back pain. I've been treated for anxiety since before I started Copaxone almost 12 years ago (started 10/99) and I'm quite heavy and my lifestyle is very sedentary, so that's probably why I have back pain. Sometimes I have injection site reactions (big lump, pain, hot feeling) but they don't last very long (just a few minutes). The injection itself almost never hurts. Sometimes I try to inject in a place where scar tissue is present and that hurts quite a bit and the needle doesn't want to go in. So of course I try another spot and don't force it. | I think Copaxone is a great medicine. The symptoms I used to have frequently (dizziness/light-headedness, numbness in limbs) have all but disappeared. And I haven't had a major relapse since I started Copaxone. I continue to have severe, chronic depression and a lot of anxiety, but it is unknown whether that is caused by my MS. | F | 45 | 11 years 20 MG 1X day | 7/24/2011 | 5 | RRMS | Redness, flushing, fevers every once in a while. For fever times I take a Benadryl and it seems to help. Had one episode 13 years ago none since, I will defiantly stay on copaxone even with some lousy side effects | M | 50 | 10 years 20mg | 1/10/2013 | 5 | The usual redness, bruising, itching, a few IPIRs. | Has been so much better than anything else for me even with the side effects from the med. Stopped the quarterly exacerbations I was having before Copaxone. | F | 4 | 10 years | 4/19/2007 | 5 | MS | Injection site lumps redness, short lasting. Permanant scars yuck | Have been using Copaxone since diagnoses Macrh 2000 10 years. No real MS issues, it's toss up between menopause and MS | F | 50 | 10 years | 1/23/2010 | 5 | Multiple sclerosis | I have been taking copaxone for 19 years. I have been incredible successful with thre results. My choice for starting, minimal side effects and the fact that it uses amino acids found within your body naturally | F | 47 | 10 years 20/40 | 2/22/2015 | 5 | ms | no side effects at all. sometimes, rarely a slight stinging at injection site. i believe this is when i don't give the alcohol time to dry before injecting. | i love it- have been on it for 10 years. yes, i am a bit worse, but how worse would i be if i was not on it?? | F | 48 | 10 years | 6/25/2008 | 5 | MS | The usual redness, bruising, itching, a few IPIRs. | Has been so much better than anything else for me even with the side effects from the med. Stopped the quarterly exacerbations I was having before Copaxone. | F | 41 | 10 years | 4/19/2007 | 4 | MS | Severe injection site reactions-swelling, pain, lumps that last for up to 2 weeks. Occasionally hit a nerve or vein which causes muscle spasms, dizziness, and rapid heartbeat. Scarring from long term use has caused depressions in some areas and has made it difficult to inject in those areas. | I was having increasingly severe exacerbations appromately every 2 to 4 months. I noticed a marked decrease in both the severity and frequency of relapses after about 6 months. Recent MRIs show a decrease in the size and number of lesions on my brain. I have had severe swelling at the base of my neck which sometimes extends to my underarms and chest. It causes a number of other painful symptoms such as severe headaches, hoarseness, rapid heartbeat, nightsweats and difficulty breathing. I have been to a number of specialists, including my neurologist, and no one can diagnose the cause. The same things that exacerbate my MS exacerbate the neck swelling. I was wondering if anyone else taking Copaxone had these symptions? | F | 50 | 10 years | 2/17/2008 | 4 | RRMS | Pain at injection site. Now after 10 years, my thighs are rock hard at the injection site and I have tissue loss at my hips. I showed my doctor that I have loss of tissue down to the bone on one buttock, said he's never seen anything like it. Copaxone works but I am running out of places to inject. It is also taking a toll on my teeth. | F | 52 | 10 years 20 MG | 11/11/2012 | 4 | Ms | 1or 2x/year - violent rigors, severe pain around kidneys. These reactions tend to occur if I have given the injection IV instead of S/C. I chk carefully there is no blood in the cannula of the syringe B4 I inject now. I'm a nurse. | F | 54 | 10 years 1X day | 12/24/2010 | 3 | Rrms | Last 3 weeks I experienced the most painful post injection-anxiety, heart palpitations and body spasms for an entire 15 minutes. My dr said "if I was game, see if it happens a third time." Are u kidding me??? I took myself off completely. | F | 55 | 10 years 30mg | 10/13/2013 | 5 | MS | Insect like stinging and lump for abour 15mins. Lump lasts about 4 days. Now experiencing dipping in areas where I inject. Feeling of being choked, difficulty in breathing after 1-2 mins of injecting. Itchy skin, tiredness. | I was very lucky to trial the drug back in 1998 and have taken the drug ever since. The drug had great benefits to me and reduced the severity of my relapses and also went alot longer between relapses. Recently all my injection site areas have started to dip, making injecting very painful. Would love to hear from anyone with similar symptoms. | F | 44 | 9 years | 7/4/2007 |
COPAXONE (GLATIRAMER ACETATE): This medication is used to treat a certain type of multiple sclerosis (relapsing multiple sclerosis-MS). It is a protein that is thought to work by preventing your immune system from attacking the nerves in your brain and spinal cord. This effect can decrease the number of periods of disease worsening (relapses) and prevent or delay disability. It is not a cure for MS. FDA Approval Date: 2014-01-28 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)