Hi Heather,

Glad that you found the information useful.  Go back and read the Injection Tips, but in the meantime I've got some questions.

Are you using the Autoject?  If so, are you continuing to press harder after you've released the spring button?  No need to push the Autoject too firmly against the skin.  If you do, you will increase the likelihood of creating welps.

If you are injecting manually, experiment with your injection angle.  Be sure to get the medication well into the fat layer without hitting a muscle.

Another thing to consider, warmth helps to increase circulation.  It could be that the icepack following the injection is causing the medication to stay localized longer, thus encouraging a welt to develop.

In my opinion, you're doing fine with the injection schedule.  Give to take an hour is just fine, but be sure not to miss any injections.

After awhile, I stopped getting so many site reactions.  It was almost like my body decided to stop reacting so much and just gave into the idea of a daily foreign chemical invader.  I only get the stinging now if I inject into a location which I've been avoiding or overlooking.  (Here's a secret, I'm much less strict with rotating all 7 spots than I was when I first began.)

Hang in there.  It does get much easier for most people.

heatheliz

5/26/09 3:02pm

Hi Lisa,

Thanks for the tips, they worked!  Being more gentle with the autoject, not pushing down so hard and not keeping it pushed down after pressing the button has really helped.  I have also stopped doing any heat or ice altogether.  My site reactions have gotten a TON better.  The issue I am still having is swollen lymph nodes in the groin, they came on after the second injections in the thigh.  I am having them biopsied per my neurologist.  Both the neuro and shared solutions seem to be a bit concerned about this...what have you heard on the subject?

Thanks!

Heather

Sharon

6/15/11 6:42pm

Hi, it seems as if there are no more places on my body for an injection.  I have been injecting Copaxone since 2006, and I have either bruises or lumps everywhere on the 7-site cycle.  Sometimes, while the needle is in the fatty tissue, a dimple? appears.  There are permanent lumps on each of my thighs.  Some days, I get so down and weary, looking for a site.  The truth is, I'm terrified.  Just me?  So sorry to be the voice of gloom, but injecting hasn't gotten better for me, or maybe I'm experiencing a symptom, namely, mood swings, depression.  Listening.