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Copaxone Injection into Muscle
I just want to say to everyone who does the intramuscular DMDs (Avonex and ?) that I really feel for you. Does it always hurt like crazy?
This evening while doing my first MANUAL inject of Copaxone on my own, I hit my thigh muscle. OMG - the pain!! My leg is still quivering and it happened maybe 45 min ago. Apparently, I don't know how to measure my invisible "fat." I went straight in and hit something. Then, serious pain radiating all over my leg & up into the side of my hip, and shaking all over. I called Shared Solutions and left a msg and she called me right back. Yep, they said that it sounds exactly like a muscle injection. My main worry was, whether or not there was going to be any serious side effects from injecting it into a muscle. I've also had the post-reaction heart attack symptom 6 months after starting and I wasn't looking forward to a repeat.
I hope that doesn't happen anymore. Now I think I'm going to be needle shy and afraid to inject manually again. And this was supposedly their solution to help me with my injections since they've been so bad lately. I think my words right after I did it was, "I'm NEVER NEVER going to inject in my legs EVER again!"
-Kelly
This evening while doing my first MANUAL inject of Copaxone on my own, I hit my thigh muscle. OMG - the pain!! My leg is still quivering and it happened maybe 45 min ago. Apparently, I don't know how to measure my invisible "fat." I went straight in and hit something. Then, serious pain radiating all over my leg & up into the side of my hip, and shaking all over. I called Shared Solutions and left a msg and she called me right back. Yep, they said that it sounds exactly like a muscle injection. My main worry was, whether or not there was going to be any serious side effects from injecting it into a muscle. I've also had the post-reaction heart attack symptom 6 months after starting and I wasn't looking forward to a repeat.
I hope that doesn't happen anymore. Now I think I'm going to be needle shy and afraid to inject manually again. And this was supposedly their solution to help me with my injections since they've been so bad lately. I think my words right after I did it was, "I'm NEVER NEVER going to inject in my legs EVER again!"
-Kelly
Just hit my quadricept muscle tonite, pain and spasms are awful, nite ruined laying down with ice pak on my leg
I have found if I do my Avonex into the upper part of my thigh barely feel it - I was amazed at how easy it is - If I do lower say 5 or so inches from my knee it hurts like crazy - made that mistake once! LOL!
Thanks Mary & Tammy. Yes, it is difficult to find a good place right now.
I haven't been able to inject in my left leg for quite a while per my old primary doctor & shared solutions. I have such bad reactions & there's a left over large lump next to a big indentation. Instead, I had been injecting extra times into my arms.
And like Paula brought up, now I have lipoatrophy in my right arm. My legs are so small (especially now), it's just so painful to do the injections in them.
Mary, thanks for the injection guidance. I think I really need it. The bevel up is something to keep in mind. And, based on my body, 45 degree angle for the manual inject would suit me best.
Thanks,
Kelly
I haven't been able to inject in my left leg for quite a while per my old primary doctor & shared solutions. I have such bad reactions & there's a left over large lump next to a big indentation. Instead, I had been injecting extra times into my arms.
And like Paula brought up, now I have lipoatrophy in my right arm. My legs are so small (especially now), it's just so painful to do the injections in them.
Mary, thanks for the injection guidance. I think I really need it. The bevel up is something to keep in mind. And, based on my body, 45 degree angle for the manual inject would suit me best.
Thanks,
Kelly
Having used both meds (and experienced what you are talking about), I really don't think the Avonex IM shot is as painful as an accidental Copaxone in the muscle. I'd get out the ice pack.
Tammy
Tammy
I can certainly understand being gun shy after that experience Kelly. Bravo! to you for going ahead with the next injection.
You must be injecting 'naked' these days if you are pinching the skin, eh? Whatever skin you are able to pinch together represents double the amount of skin + subcutaneous fat your needle needs to penetrate to deposit the Copaxone in the correct place.
If there is an inch between your index finger and thumb, your needle should be 1/2 inch long and it should be inserted at a 90 degree angle all the way to the hub.
Anything less than an inch of pinch would require a shorter needle, lower number on the autoinject2 or a 45 degree angle to hit the target tissue and still insert to the hub. You could also insert at a 90 degree angle but not insert to the hub. It is difficult to maintain a partial insertion depth however when you are manually pushing the plunger for a self-injection (in my experience and opinion).
If you use a 45 degree angle remember to keep the bevel up (as a comfort measure). The bevel is the angled end of the needle. Bevel up is the open side of the angle facing away from your skin.
Remember, if you feel pain you can always withdraw the needle a little before continuing to inject if you think you may have started too deep. The needle doesn't hurt on the way out and it's better to get a little in the wrong spot than a lot :)
In another thread I agreed to write up some tips for subcutaneous injections. I won't get to it right away but wanted to see if I could offer you something now. I hope you will be able to return to at least some of your forbidden sites some day. It is very hard to avoid problems when you can't rotate sites often enough. It has to be extra hard for you with the weight loss you have had recently. I sure hope THAT has slowed down by now.
You are a trooper girlfriend and one of my MS heros!
Mary
You must be injecting 'naked' these days if you are pinching the skin, eh? Whatever skin you are able to pinch together represents double the amount of skin + subcutaneous fat your needle needs to penetrate to deposit the Copaxone in the correct place.
If there is an inch between your index finger and thumb, your needle should be 1/2 inch long and it should be inserted at a 90 degree angle all the way to the hub.
Anything less than an inch of pinch would require a shorter needle, lower number on the autoinject2 or a 45 degree angle to hit the target tissue and still insert to the hub. You could also insert at a 90 degree angle but not insert to the hub. It is difficult to maintain a partial insertion depth however when you are manually pushing the plunger for a self-injection (in my experience and opinion).
If you use a 45 degree angle remember to keep the bevel up (as a comfort measure). The bevel is the angled end of the needle. Bevel up is the open side of the angle facing away from your skin.
Remember, if you feel pain you can always withdraw the needle a little before continuing to inject if you think you may have started too deep. The needle doesn't hurt on the way out and it's better to get a little in the wrong spot than a lot :)
In another thread I agreed to write up some tips for subcutaneous injections. I won't get to it right away but wanted to see if I could offer you something now. I hope you will be able to return to at least some of your forbidden sites some day. It is very hard to avoid problems when you can't rotate sites often enough. It has to be extra hard for you with the weight loss you have had recently. I sure hope THAT has slowed down by now.
You are a trooper girlfriend and one of my MS heros!
Mary
It took me about 15-20 min to talk myself into injecting last night. I had pulled my skin up to put the needle into it, then I let it down. When it went down, I saw that the needle wasn't flush against my skin, so I pushed it in more. I think this is where I screwed up - well, that, and injecting straight in, instead of at an angle. I guess I won't forget that again.
Sorry about your injection mishap ... Don't worry about us Avonex users, we don't feel pain such as you've described. We are instructed to inject at close to a 90 degree angle into certain regions of the thigh, and I presume subQ shots are much different angles and maybe different regions.
When I would hit muscle in my arms, the pain was considerable and would radiate to my wrist.
The angle of the needle when you manually inject is significiant, from what I am remembering. But I never gave up the autoinjector, so I can't tell you from first hand experience.
good luck,
L
The angle of the needle when you manually inject is significiant, from what I am remembering. But I never gave up the autoinjector, so I can't tell you from first hand experience.
good luck,
L
When I was on that, I also hit a muscle in my arm using the auto inject. The pain was awful!! Lasted at least a day, I could hardly bend my arm. I had already stopped doing my thighs, and then was scared to do my arms.
I feel for you...it hurts, bad.
Michelle
I feel for you...it hurts, bad.
Michelle
Wow that must have hurt.
I always injsect to the side of my muscle. My SS nurse told me never to inject where the muscle is. I still get reactions but not like you described.
Dont stay away from your leg area because thet could cause lipoatrophy in the places you chose to do it in place of your legs.
I have never done the self inject and hopefully I won't have to. I hope you feel better soon.
Paula
I always injsect to the side of my muscle. My SS nurse told me never to inject where the muscle is. I still get reactions but not like you described.
Dont stay away from your leg area because thet could cause lipoatrophy in the places you chose to do it in place of your legs.
I have never done the self inject and hopefully I won't have to. I hope you feel better soon.
Paula
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