I have been taking Copaxone since my diagnoses in 2005. I was like a lot of people. I am afraid of needles. Ya I will admit that I have to turn my head when they give me a shot...oh and I certainly can't look when they draw blood. I honesty start to feel week if the try to pop in a third tube. I know it's just in my mind but you can convince my brain of that. I have actually had to be given orange juice and wait 15 minutes before I felt I could walk without falling!! Needless to say I was afraid to give myself a shot. Luckily I didn't have to. My husband and son did them for me.
That was short lived. I found myself missing doses. My husband was at work and my son was asleep. I will admit I did think about waking him up a few times to give me the shot. Ha Ha
I figured it was time to put my big girl pants on and learn to give myself the shot. I ordered the auto eject thing. I read those instructions over and over. After wasting 3 injections into the air. I finally said screw it! I uncapped the shot. Wiped it with an alcohol prep and pinched a roll of fat (that was easy to find) and did it! After I was done I thought that was easy! So since then I have been doing it myself. It is so easy! I am now kinda embarrassed I was such a baby at first. Yes...I still have to look away when they draw my blood...I am not super woman!! Ha Ha!
I had side effects of huge lumps that would take a few days to go away. They were red and really itchy. It got do bad that I stopped taking Copaxone altogether. Since I have a heart condition as well. This was the only preventive MS medicine I could take. After about a year I was having MS attacks. I decided to take it again. My doctor said for me to try taking a Benadryl at the time of my injection. I tried this as well. Then about a year after that my husband had a brilliant idea. He has those from time to time. He said lets take the little bit of air out of the needle before we give the injection. It was that easy. Since that day I have never had another red, itchy lump. Nor a lump of any kind. I don't know why Copaxone doesn't tell us to do this in order go prevent the painful lumps. I know it wasn't just happening to me either. I have read other people complain about the same thing. I only hope they followed my advice. If you use the auto eject well but the bullet and face your fears! You can do anything you really want to do.

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Laura Poynter
8/24/2012 07:13:03 am

I just started back on Copaxone after 3 years. I had a total knee replacement in 09 and contracted MRSA. After 13 surgeries, I now have a new knee and a Malpractice lawsuit. Anyway, I too am afraid of needles. I use the auto-injector and have no problems doing it. However, I was getting the huge red, painful, itchy lumps. Come to find out, When I injected my stomach or hips, I needed to adjust how far the needle needed to go in. The nurse I talk to told me this. It helped a lot. I still take Benadryl before every injection. The only medication for MS that I can take is Copaxone. And I was just recently ready to start back up. Thanks for sharing this blog!

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