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 Date added. 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 |
| 4 | RRMS | Itching, lumps, swelling, sometimes bruising | I really appreciate everyone's shares and suggestion. I was dx 2009 and on copaxone 2 mo's. I feel less fatigued, but perhaps that's my imagination. I don't want another relapse, that keeps me motivated to inject. It's not bad, right before I auto-inject I tell myself "it doesn't hurt, it doesn't hurt!" My worst spot is my thighs, big swelled lumps. Not much fat there. Lasts 3-5 days. I bought 2 heat packs and yesterday, at work, sat them on my thights at my desk most of the day. Today I'm icing them. Nurse suggested massaging lumps with fingertips to "break up" lumps. | F | 46 | 2 months 1X day | 9/16/2010 | 5 | RRMS | Stinging, some lumps, some itching, some bruising | I was very nervous about the stinging and itching before starting copaxone, but I have found both to be very tolerable. My hubby gives me my injections daily with the Autoject. I've actually given myself a few shots when time did not allow my hubby to do it. Sometimes I don't feel anything, sometimes the shot hurts (mostly for me in the thighs). I make sure to allow the shot to warm to room temp, rotate the sites faithfully, and always use an ice pack after. If you're a newby, please don't be afraid of the shots. I'm a total wimp and I can totally deal with them daily. | F | 38 | 90 days 20 mg 1X day | 9/14/2010 | 4 | I have M.S | Minor swelling at injection site and stinging for about 5 minutes | I was so afraid of the side affects that I cried before my first injection. I was fine and was pleasantly surprise that I had the strength to inject myself with the auto injet. No where near the trama I had thought Copaxone injections would be. | M | 42 | 2 days 1X day | 9/4/2010 | 4 | MS | I was Dx with MS in March 2010. I have been on Copaxone for 2 months. I use Auto injecter.I take 6 shots out of ref. a week and put in my Copaxone bag. I take my shot at 8:00 pm every night. My shots are room temp. I replace with 6 more shots when I use them up. I think the copaxone being room temp. makes a big difference. I am walking better since I started Copaxone, I still use a walker, but not as much as before the shots. | F | 50 | 2 months 30mg 1X day | 8/19/2010 | 5 | ms | Pain, Swelling, Itching | At first I had pain, but you have to numb the area with an ice pack 10 to 15 min before and after the shot. My Dr. also said to take Tylenol ½ hr before taking the shot. That helps with pain. I also had itching. My MS specialist told me to take Claritin for the itching and it WORKED WONDERS for me. I tried cortisone cream everything and nothing worked. After my body acclimated to the Copaxone I had less swelling and pain. Now all I do is take my shot out in the morning and take it as is in the afternoon. I no longer have to ice the area, nor take the Claritin etc. Nor do I have pain. It took awhile to get to that stage but that’s what worked for me. Hope it helps someone. | F | 42 | 8 years 1X day | 8/11/2010 | 5 | RRMS | Stinging, temporary hives in some site locations, itching | It's me, the Laurel and Hardy video lady checking back in. It's now been 8 months, and I've got to say not much has changed from the first time I left feedback 90 days into Copaxone therapy. Still haven't had any of the panic attacks or heart attack-type symptoms. But as I said before, not everybody gets that. Maybe someday I will, but I'm not afraid of it; to me, it still beats seeing double or going to the hospital daily for Pred infusions - or worse. Will get an MRI in January, this will tell the story on whether or not RRMS is worsening, or (as I suspect) I'm holding my own. To the newbies out there just diagnosed or starting on Copaxone, take some comfort in knowing you are not alone by a long shot. I mentioned before a cure in the works; Google Dr. Paolo Zamboni. Think we're about to see the end of MS. | F | 49 | 8 months 20 1X day | 8/9/2010 | 2 | rrms | fatigue,hugh lumps,itching,dizziness,unable to wallk 1/4 mile cant stand the heat,depression,anxity attacks,before i was able to work in my yard,go shopping but not now. | F | 54 | 7 months 20mg 1X day | 8/9/2010 | 4 | RR MS | Early days but mild side effects such as redness, delayed itching and lumps etc. I had no side effects for the first week, my ms nurse said this was due to steriods still being in my system | I have no long term disabilities after many relapses (one severe) prior to copaxone. It's too early to say if it will prevent attacks but fatigue wise I'm feeling better than I have for years. | F | 35 | 2 months 20 1X day | 8/1/2010 | 4 | Relapsing remitting MS | Swelling at site and itchiness for a few days after | At first, Copaxone was my Waterloo. I was covered in hard lumps and red patches and the itching and swelling just did not seem to dissipate. But I have now perfected my technique and all is good and happy - no more lumps and only minor itching. Have a bath before injecting, keep the injection out of the fridge the night before and stick a small plaster on the site straight after injecting. Move around after injecting to increase circulation and do not wear clothes that will rub the site for 24 hrs. This is possible by having a strict rota for injection sites. There are a total of 10 injection sites and this will give each site enough time for recovery. | F | 41 | 180 days 20 1X day | 7/17/2010 | 1 | ms | pain,swelling,itching,bruises,hot to the touch | I was very dissapointed that my body rejected the copaxone.Going to try avonex.I am not crazy about a bigger needle & flu like symptons. I did not have any side affects until after 3 months. I was getting used to the pain. | F | 44 | 3 months 30mg 1X day | 6/16/2010 | 4 | RR Multiple Sclerosis | I was diagnosed with MS last year after I started having tingling in my legs, they thought it was a herniated disk until they did some tests and found the 4 leisons in my brain and spinal cord. By the time I found the right doctor to run the right tests and diagnose the problem I could hardly use my legs and was in intense pain. They sent me to a place where I had steroids infused into me for a few hours a day, after a few days I regained the feeling in my legs and after I came down off the high levels of steroids I was much better. My neurologist and I went over a variety of MS drugs and although I did not want to do a daily injection, I couldn't imagion having the flu all the time, which is a common symptom of other drugs like Rebif and Avonex. Copaxone has worked well for me this past year, I have not had a relapse and have very few symptoms from the medication. The only issues I have are the lumps and swelling at the injection site and occassional pain during injection. The last se | To those who are just getting diagnosis, having a diagnosis alone can be a huge weight off your shoulders if you let it, for the first time in 7 years I feel good because I know what is wrong with me and I know that I am not crazy. I've leard to embrace my illness and not let it embrace me. | F | 23 | 1 years 1X day | 6/13/2010 | 5 | MS | Injections sites would sting at the time, and then be itchy for days afterwards. Witch hazel gel helped. But this only lasted for the first few months. Occasionally get a stinger now, but it's rare. Always warm the syringe in the palm of your hand for a few minutes so that the liquid is at body temperature before injecting! A couple of times have experienced the "panic attack" symptons they warn about. Went very hot (to the extent of having to strip off - couldn't cope with anything touching me) and felt a bit sick. However, this resolved within an hour. | No relapse or progression (that I know about anyway) since I started. The neuro says this is because my MS is mild (two relapses 1 and 5 months before starting). Who knows, and who cares? Not about to risk it! | F | 41 | 4.5 years 1 1X day | 6/12/2010 | 1 | MS | site injection welt, itching and burning | I was on Copaxone for 2 wks and I started to feel not right, I guess flu-like symptoms it went to full blown flu symptoms, nauesa, aches and pains, diaherra, no appetite, I almost went to the ER I felt sooooo bad....I have stopped using the med, my dizzness is extreme but I'd rather be on a perpetual rollercoaster than feel as bad as I did...need to do some more research to continue on some kind of therapy...nutrition and taking care of ourselves is one of the big answers | F | 49 | 2 weeks 20 1X day | 6/10/2010 | 5 | MS | Lumps, itching, bruising, burning. When I first started using Copaxone the needle would slip right into my skin, now it takes some pushing to get it in at certain places. I'm wondering if this is in my head or if my skin is becoming tough from repeated injections (I rotate injection sites like I'm supposed to). | I don't know if it's helping or not. I've only had two episodes of symptoms in my life. June 2008 and Jan 2010. Copaxone is the first therapy I've used. I like that it has few side effects and that 80% of users are still mobile after many years of living with the disease. I take my copaxone every day because I do NOT ever want to be in a wheelchair. Going to have my MRIs redone soon so I guess I'll find out if it's working! | F | 26 | 2 months 20mg 1X day | 5/19/2010 | 5 | M.S | The general swelling, itching, and bruising | Ditch the auto injector if you can. It does not hurt nearly as badly if your not getting punched with the auto injector daily. This medication works great for me only one relapse in 3 years. | F | 28 | 3 years 1X day | 5/18/2010 | 3 | SPMS | None to date other than "bee sting" feeling. | I have been on Avonex, Rebif, Tysarbi & Novantrone since diag 4/2001 & I never had any side effects fr any of those drugs; I just don't seem to be getting better. Giving Copax a try..what to lose? Hopefully there will not be any more progression. | F | 56 | 2 days 1X day | 5/7/2010 | 5 | M.S. | Stinging after injection was very bad at first..actually, horrible. But now, after nearly 2 months of being on it, the stinging only lasts a few mins and is much less intense | Seems like it is working well | M | 24 | 20mg 1X day | 4/29/2010 | 2 | MS | The typical welts, itching, pain, bruising all lasting at least one week each -- I get a lump with every single injection which are very large (about 2 inches in diameter). I think I might have an allergy to this drug. Also have the hyperventilating at times. | Everyone needs to understand that this is not a treatment for symptoms!! It's only supposed to lessen the possibility of new lesions. If anyone has fewer symptoms, it's due to being in remission, not because of the Copaxone. The drug company's own info states this. Okay, enough lecturing. I'm at an impasse about whether to quit or not. My neurologist says it's my call now, as nothing has helped the injection site reactions and they're getting worse with each shot. I can't take the beta interferons. It's scary reading these posts about the tissue damage -- makes me want to stop now! | F | 48 | 9 weeks 10 mg 1X day | 4/27/2010 | 4 | RRMS | Bee sting, burning, itching at injection site. Itching and welts seem to last several days. | I was diagnosed in February 2010. I have been on Copxone for 11 weeks which seems to be working great so far for me. I have no tingling in my arms and legs, no more pain in my shoulders and neck and my walking and energy level has improved. I am hoping to get more active and shed the 20 lbs. I gained the last few years, not knowing that all my aches and pains were from MS. The shots are becoming more routine, wish they did not have to hurt everytime but I am glad to know that it is helping. | F | 50 | 11 weeks 20 1X day | 4/21/2010 | 3 | RRMS | I have now used all 7 locations and, although certain locations hurt more than others, they all have hurt so bad I can barely move for about 30 minutes. I use the autoinjector which is great cause I can't even feel the needle (after using Avonex it seems amazing) but after about 10 seconds the pain starts and begins to spread. The legs are the worst for me and hurt for days. I don't have the itching or really all that bad of welts but the pain is just so unbarable. | F | 23 | 8 days 20 MG 1X day | 4/21/2010 |