Glatiramer User Reviews & Ratings (Page 5)

• Wom...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 16, 2019

Glatiramer for Multiple Sclerosis "I was fine with the shots with and without the injector with Copaxone. I could take a shot. Bam, do it, go on with life. Now my shots are at times just paralyzing with the burning and pain and the welts. I can feel every place I've taken a shot for the last 3 weeks and still have welts in some areas. Copaxone was so much smoother."

• Ana...
• October 13, 2010

Glatiramer for Multiple Sclerosis "I've been on Copaxone for 2 years, and symptoms have gotten worse. I guess there's a reason the side effects make it so appealing to everyone. My doctor is finally changing it to another medicine, unfortunately due to severe liver side effects. I am in so much pain and fatigue every day, I've lost so much of my life, my job, my social life. Trying to overcome this monster."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 2, 2012

Glatiramer for Multiple Sclerosis "I chose Copaxone because of the liver problems that people have from the oral medication. I have been on Copaxone for 2 months now. I have had site reactions like swelling, redness, and itching. I have started using the heat before and a cold pack after my injection, which has helped. Recently, I have had some problems with numbness in my right side from under my arm down to my toes and a burning sensation from my calf down to my toes. It is probably a flare-up. I will stay on the injections until my neuro tells me to stop. Shared Solutions is great, and they are very helpful."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 28, 2017

Glatiramer for Multiple Sclerosis "Diagnosed MS 2/2015; problems started 12/2014. 1st Tecfidera: @4-5 months, many side effects, horrible flushing, medicine worse than MS, t-cells plummeted. 2nd Copaxone: @2 months: hypothermia (one time very serious), and infections; @9 months, mammogram showed calcification. Pre-filled needle is thick and painful; syringes are poorly made and slip, causing pain; big lumps at injection site. 3rd Wahl's protocol (level 1 w/supplements) and Radical Remission protocol: all symptoms resolved, am better now than any time I can remember. I look forward to MRI next month, will be about 1 1/2 months off meds at that time, and 11 months on Wahls & Radical Remission lifestyle."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 17, 2022

Glatiramer for Multiple Sclerosis "So I have been on Copaxone for about 3 months now. The injection site was bad. I got big welts and bad itching. That has gone down quite a bit. But now, as of a month ago, I have been having a very fast heart rate and having a hard time breathing at times. Also, I'm cold all the time now. Never had a problem with that before. I don't feel like doing anything. I'm always tired. And the shaking, stomach aches, back aches, and numbness in my face and hands all suck. I have also, in the last month, been having a problem with anxiety. I have never had anxiety before. I did all kinds of blood tests and a chest X-ray because I thought there was something wrong with my heart. But everything keeps coming back normal. So it has to be from the Copaxone. I'm thinking I'm gonna stop the Copaxone for a week and see if my symptoms improve. I can't take all of this. This is not me. It is driving me crazy."

• Stu...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 18, 2017

Glatiramer for Multiple Sclerosis "I was diagnosed with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) in 2009. Started Copaxone 20 mg. Used auto inject. Had injection site lumps, itching, bee sting-like reaction always. The skin began to atrophy. Had the immediate post-injection reaction (IPIR) too many times to count. Can't breathe, flushing, back spasms, terrible headache, chest pain. Was switched to 40 mg because of lack of injection sites a few years later. IPIR was THE WORST I've ever experienced. Stopped taking it for about 6 weeks. No exacerbations since my diagnosis. While off the meds, I started having more nerve pain. My MS doctor said to switch back to 20 mg. I had a bad reaction last night with freezing, shaking, and joint/muscle pain for an hour. I have 4 injection sites left to use: hips and flanks. Don't want liver trouble from other meds. Stuck."

• jer...
• July 31, 2009

Glatiramer for Multiple Sclerosis "I have been on 3 different MS medications. Avonex was the first, and I loved it. My husband gave me the shots. I had to stop because of insurance reasons. I later went on Betaseron, and I loved it too, no problems with my MS on either one of them. I had to stop it because I got a blood clot in my left leg in January of '09, and my doctor said it could be from the Betaseron based on side effects, so she put me on Copaxone. It is the most painful of them all, where I take my shots from one week till the next. I am still in pain."

• Cyn...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 29, 2016

Glatiramer for Multiple Sclerosis "I was diagnosed with MS a few months ago. Glatopa was the first drug prescribed. The auto-injector makes the daily injections easy to tolerate. I was on it for approximately one month before having an extreme adverse reaction that started immediately after an injection. It started with a strong metallic taste in my mouth, loud rushing sounds in my ears, and extreme dizziness and loss of motor functions, followed by crushing chest pain and shortness of breath. The most severe symptoms lasted for 10-15 minutes, the chest pain for over an hour, and the breathing problems for well over 2 hours. I believe I blacked out for several minutes at the onset of the reaction. I am currently not taking any MS medication."

• Anonymous
• January 22, 2012

Glatiramer for Multiple Sclerosis "I was on Rebif for three years. I felt tired and dizzy all the time. My liver was greatly affected by the Rebif. I was afraid of liver problems, and after checking out other medications, I chose Copaxone. No liver problems. There is site soreness, but as time goes by, it is not so bad anymore."

• Dap...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 24, 2021

For Multiple Sclerosis "I was diagnosed with MS in 2008. I researched Copaxone. It was the best choice with minor side effects for me. I run 3 miles 4 to 5 days a week. My MD doctor is pleased with my stability and writes dispense as written. As of this refill, my insurance said I have to change to a generic. My system does not do well with medication in general, so when we found Copaxone, it was a Godsend. I have several phone calls to make because I don't want to switch and will fight like heck to stay on Copaxone."

• MS1...
• November 8, 2009

Glatiramer for Multiple Sclerosis "I have used Copaxone off and on for about 5 years. I don't like the injection site reactions, but they are small compared to some of the other treatments I have used. I was on Tysabri, and it was great. I felt normal as before MS for about 2 weeks every month and 2 weeks waiting for the next infusion. Due to liver problems, my doctor recommended I go back on Copaxone, but with injections every other day. I have done this for 2 years and no relapse."

• All...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 12, 2019

Glatiramer for Multiple Sclerosis "Copaxone didn't work for me. I had severe shaking episodes after administering the medication, and my doctor suggested that I might be having allergic reactions to the treatment. I'm in the process of selecting another one."

• Kar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 3, 2020

For Multiple Sclerosis "I was on Copaxone for three years until Cigna switched me to Glatopa. I was fine with both, just some injection site redness and swelling. Two months ago, I was forced to switch to Glatiramer Acetate. Out of nowhere, I went into anaphylactic shock right after my injection. My doctor believes it was because it was a generic. I have a very mild case, and the remaining drug choices have so many bad side effects. Just make sure you consider all the side effects. They say they are rare, but it does happen. I almost died and am considering taking a break from these drugs."

• Jus...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 3, 2019

Glatiramer for Multiple Sclerosis "I was diagnosed with MS in 2014, started Copaxone in 2015... 40mg 3x/wk. It was hard to get used to injections, but I got used to it after about a year, and I was at the point where I could just take a shot manually in the stomach or by the injector, and I could just carry on. Then my Tricare insurance decided to change to generic Glatopa. Since then, my shots have burned, and injection sites hurt weeks after. Noticed more numbness in legs and feet, and constantly cold. My Dr. is trying to fight for Copaxone, but I don't think she's gonna win. I can't afford $5800.00 a month for Copaxone. I'm going to request another MRI to see if there's any changes."

• dkp...
• January 22, 2012

Glatiramer for Multiple Sclerosis "I've been using Copaxone since Nov 2011. At first, the skin reactions were painful, and sometimes the sites on my legs are more sore than other sites. However, overall, it's better than Avonex, which I'd been on since 2006 (5 yrs). I don't feel as tired and don't have the flu-like symptoms. I use the autoject device, which works well. My only challenge is to remember to take the medicine in case I get out of my normal routine, such as after a dinner out, etc."

• Gre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 26, 2018

For Multiple Sclerosis "I was diagnosed in 2002 and put on Copaxone with no side effects and no progress of the disease on MRIs. This past January, I had to switch to Kaiser and was unable to get any meds until July-they would only approve Glatopa. I had, over the 6+ months, a lot of symptoms I had never experienced before, and was scared for the first time since being diagnosed. I have been on Glatopa for less than a month, and my mouth is numb and sometimes my lips, and I'm not able to speak properly at times as my tongue can't work properly. I also have tremendous mood swings and intense feelings of being overwhelmed, none of which I had on Copaxone. They don't have a neurologist that specifically treats MS, so I feel like my choice is nothing or Glatopa that may be doing me more harm than good. I wish there was more information on the difference with these drugs, as there obviously are big differences."

• msr...
• August 9, 2008

Glatiramer for Multiple Sclerosis "My doctor gave me my choices for what medicine I wanted to be on, and I chose Copaxone. I've been on it for 6 months now with little side effects. The biggest side effect I have is a skin reaction, and that goes away in about 20 minutes, and I haven't had another attack since I started it."

• Mem...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 12, 2017

Glatiramer for Multiple Sclerosis "I've been on Copaxone since 2015. Tried Amryia brand, it was terrible, side effects. Copaxone was slightly annoying but not bad. Recently, I've experienced a relapse and had one 3-day intravenous therapy. Tried to take my Copaxone, and the nausea was unbearable with gagging and pain in my back. My doctor told me to take a break. I'll do that. Also, the flushing and itching seem to have heightened. I'm going to try in a week and see if the symptoms decrease, if not, I'm going to have to try something else. I'm taking turmeric and multi 5000 mg vitamins. My only recourse at this time... any suggestions?"

• cia...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 25, 2017

Glatiramer for Multiple Sclerosis "Started taking Copaxone 16 months ago - no major side effects until last two months. On two occasions, the MS nurse thinks I may have injected into the bloodstream - uncontrollable shaking and chills - my husband almost called an ambulance. The neuro wants me to start Aubagio, but I would like to trial the MS diet first on a 3-month trial. I don't know what to do!"

• Anonymous
• January 18, 2012

Glatiramer for Multiple Sclerosis "Was on Copaxone for about a year with little to no changes. Still had progressions and got 8 new lesions during that time. My neuro changed me over to Cytoxan IV for once a month along with the Copaxone. Have had no new lesions since being on this combination. She only uses Cytoxan for a year and then have to choose a new treatment option."

• Gil...
• August 20, 2017

Glatiramer for Multiple Sclerosis "Doctor and I, together, decided to begin Copaxone 40 mg after having been on Copaxone 20 mg for 6 years, Gilenya for 6 years (survived viral encephalitis after this drug). Almost immediately, my joints began to stiffen and became painful... so much so that lifting and using my hands is very difficult. It feels like I have arthritis in my joints. The nurse and the MS clinic informed me this is a 2.7% reported side effect. Now trying to detox my body."

• Cva...
• September 13, 2019

For Multiple Sclerosis "I've been on generic glatiramer for just about a year now. I have not had a relapse of my MS since being on it. I was just diagnosed a year ago, so it's hard to say if it's the drug doing the work or my body just not relapsing. I've been contemplating coming off of it, but I'm afraid to commit to that completely. As far as effects from the med, I get the site reaction. When I first started, it was so very itchy and painful, and now it's really not as bad. Sometimes I feel like I have a cough from it, and I get headaches, but I'm not sure if it's from the summer heat or the med itself. I had one post-injection reaction where my heart started pounding and I became flushed all over. It hasn't happened since. Overall, I guess I'm satisfied with the medication, and I'm kind of afraid to come off. I'm also somewhat afraid of possible long-term effects, even though most rave about the safety of this med."

• Pat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 24, 2024

For Multiple Sclerosis "I was originally on Copaxone when I was first diagnosed. It worked beautifully for several years. Then I started to develop lesions, and I had to switch to Rebif. I was on that for a good while, then my liver enzymes became highly elevated, so I was forced to switch to the generic Copaxone - glatiramer acetate. This time around was different. I started to have a reaction to the medication. I was getting warm, itchy lumps where I had injected. I went back to heating the area, took a Benadryl, and this did not help. My choices were either a pill (which in my opinion does not have a proven efficacy yet) or the glatiramer acetate. I chose glatiramer acetate, deciding the side effects were sucky, but I did not want to take a pill. If this is supposed to be the generic medication to the Copaxone, then why does it seem to be different? Would I recommend this drug - yes. It should be the first medication before moving onto the other medications."

• MSf...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 4, 2024

For Multiple Sclerosis "Glatiramer by Copaxone is wonderful. Glatiramer by Mylan is horrible. I have tried Mylan twice in a 4-year span. It didn't do anything but cause problems from A to Z. Copaxone is the only one or nothing! By the way, I used Copaxone for over 20 years with no problems that I know of, but I'm still here..."

• Lia...
• September 25, 2020

For Multiple Sclerosis "Cigna tried to switch me to the generic of Copaxone, and I fought it. I appealed it with detailed information of hospital stays and serious side effects with other oral meds I had tried, and Cigna approved my request for Copaxone. I do not tolerate generic medications well and am 66 with initial diagnosis after age 50. There is no demographic information on the effect of the generic of Copaxone on senior adults who use it, so I did not want to switch. Also, if the generic was the same thing, it would be called Copaxone. Generic drugs are allowed a 10% 'swing' in the fillers added to the actual medication, and that is where the problems usually come from. Generic is 'mostly' the same/similar but not the exact same medication as Copaxone."