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Copaxone site rotation ?

deleted_user
deleted_user
Hi Everyone-
I know I have not been around at all lately and for that I do apologize. Life has been crazy busy for me. My girls have activities everynight, plus their homework, plus I started and am coaching a jump rope team at their school. I am also hard at work on the PTU at school, and the reverse raffle (if anyone knows of a business or individual that will give a good raffle item PLS let me know)and the capital campaign at church to build the kids a new gym and new meeting rooms/ classrooms. I have been feeling great. I just need to be sure to get alot of sleep at night and try to fit in a quick nap during the day. Really being tired is my only complaint. Lucky me, I know.

Now my question:
I am on Copaxone. And I like it. I dont want to switch drugs. I dont think I could handle a bigger/IM shot and I cant deal with flu like symptoms. BUT... the only spot I "like" to do my shot in my belly. I always hurt myself when I do another spot, I get huge brusies and I bleed and it just plain hurts. My Dr has helped me set my autoinjector, so I know the right level for each site... doesnt help. I tried just self injecting... cant do it, I dont have the stomach for needles. I have tried hot packs and cold packs before and after, tylenol before and after, having my husband to the shot for me... nothing helps.

WHY do I have to rotate sites??? Cant I do do my shot in a different part of my belly each day???
Thoughts??

THANKS!
deleted_user
deleted_user
one thing that helps me is making sure that the alcohol is totally dry before injecting(heard that here).also i'm heavy and i found by experimenting with going deeper really cut the pain alot.i don't know why the deeper is less painfull but it is.it's made a huge difference on the burning after the shots
Laughter
Laughter
Have you talked to shared solutions for any Ideas? they are helpful if that does not work let me know I am pretty good at it.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Hi,

I also just use my abd or bottom and don't have problems.
SS has never been a great help because they don't TAKE this drug. If you would start getting big bruises or hard areas I would change sites.
Hugs
deleted_user
deleted_user
Mom24princesses's,
I rarely do my arms anymore. When I did Avonex (Intermuscular with a VERY long needle I only used my thighs an tried different locations on them. If you're not having problems, I don't think it is critical.

One thing that did help me to remember where I need to do it was a person who said to picture a circle overlaying my body and pick sites successively around it (like left arm, which I often skip, left of abdomem, left butt, left thigh, rt thigh, rt butt, rt abdomen, rt arm (again often skip).

Isn't this soooo fun.

Larry
CASMIRA
CASMIRA
I think it's because of the skin indentations that occur if you don't rotate.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I know that if you don't rotate, you would get these bumps inside your skin. I know when I took Copaxone and injected the medicine in the thigh, I used to feel the "inner welts" when I would decide where to inject. I don't know, and don't think, that your belly is THAT big for you to be able to take injections ONLY there, because it is every day, but, when I took Copaxone, I used to ice before, making sure the spot was COMPLETELY numb, and also making sure that the alcohol dried completely, and I thought the hips weren't so bad. I mean, I agree with you when you say that you can't tolerate the arms, because I still can't tolerate them, but, I think it is important to rotate because I haven't taken the Copaxone for 3 months now, and I still feel every sing spot I injected the medicine by those "inner welts" I was describing earlier. I hope this helped and good luck to you!-Lisa
deleted_user
deleted_user
I'm new to Copaxone, but for what it's worth...with any injections (this is what I teach my patients) if you don't rotate sites regularly you will eventually see breakdown of the skin and underlying tissue, as well as decreased absorption of medication as the fatty tissue and smaller blood vessels break down. It might take a long time for this to happen, but eventually it would. I hate rotating sites, especially using my arms, they bleed, bruise, and hurt badly, but I force myself. I also like the abdomen best, least pain and smallest welt. I don't get a ton of pain on my hip area, but I get a HUGE welt there. I always set autoinjector for 10 on the butt.
I'd think you could get away with skipping one or two areas if it's that bad, but you should try to at least grab a good backup site to your tummy. Have you tried upper butt instead of "hip"?
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