A.J. Walker

Multiple Sclerosis etc

Copaxone

Not on the drugs yet. I suppose there’s no immediate rush but it would be good to get started and run with it. Literally perhaps.

Yesterday I received some information on MS including a pamphlet on
Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) which will be my first MS drug. Many people end up on one drug for some time (often years) before changing to another and another. I dare say that is likely to happen to me too. Besides, the advances with MS seem to be happening quite regularly. It could be one tablet that tastes of strawberries and cream by the end of the decade. Possibly.

I’m not looking forward to the injection part of it. It would be very strange if I was. The recommendation is to rotate the injection points through up to seven different parts of the body. These are: the belly, the upper thighs, the back of the arms and the upper hips. Repeated injections in the same place should be avoided for at least seven days. The pamphlet says that for the upper arms - and I dare say the hips - it would be best to do it with someone else there. Which is all well and good if you don’t live alone. Anyway with only an injection three times a week I guess I can just stick with the belly and the thighs. I can’t miss any of them.

Injection Spots
Injection areas (not sure why the figure is about to draw a couple of revolvers)

Not yet sure how the ‘three times a week’ thing works. Every two days with a day off? Or is it every two days so that it’s three times a week the first week and then four times a week? I guess when I speak to the nurse next week (yep, another call) I’ll learn all that.

I can’t start taking Copaxone until a) it’s actually prescribed for me and b) a nurse shows me physically how to do the injections. That is not going to be a fun appointment is it?

Onwards and upwards.
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