Going Rogue
After going through a period of plenty of missed shots, I have decided to just stop taking Copaxone altogether. I actually was going to finish what I have left, which is five syringes in the fridge in the house, and I'm not sure whether there's a box outside in the fridge in the garage or not, but I guess it doesn't matter. I gave myself my last shot three weeks ago.
I know.
Am I going to pay for this with relapses? Your guess is as good as mine. My intuition is telling me no.
I believe I am fully segued into secondary progressive MS and am no longer having relapses, per se. Any time I have been down for the count in the past two years I could attribute to either too much heat or an infection. Unlike many people, I have never had bad injection site reactions. Other than the stinging for about twenty minutes post-injection, I've not had problems with the shots.
Still, my gut tells me it's time to quit.
So I did. If there are shots in the garage, they can wait, in case I reconsider. I see my neurologist on September 20. I wonder what he's going to say, or suggest.
Good Night, TTYL and Be Well,
I know.
Am I going to pay for this with relapses? Your guess is as good as mine. My intuition is telling me no.
I believe I am fully segued into secondary progressive MS and am no longer having relapses, per se. Any time I have been down for the count in the past two years I could attribute to either too much heat or an infection. Unlike many people, I have never had bad injection site reactions. Other than the stinging for about twenty minutes post-injection, I've not had problems with the shots.
Still, my gut tells me it's time to quit.
So I did. If there are shots in the garage, they can wait, in case I reconsider. I see my neurologist on September 20. I wonder what he's going to say, or suggest.
Good Night, TTYL and Be Well,
I do not know what to say, the same as I have before. The injections have helped me improve over 15 years now..I know all MS is different and it is your decision to do the best for you.
ReplyDeletekim
ooo! My partner in crime! We'll hold hands on this journey together. I just quit too.
ReplyDeleteI have about a box left. I thought well, I could take them but that's hurting ME. I will either give them to my BF with MS or see if the local free community center will take them. If not...then I will NOT feel bad about putting them in HAZMAT. I mean better HAZMAT than moi....
But I will try to give them away first.
We begin together. =)
Me, too! Me, too! Now there's three of us -- and that's just on MY blogroll!
ReplyDeletePeace,
Muff
Kim, I'm happy that it is working for you. :-)
ReplyDeleteSherry, do you know of an MS support group near you? Perhaps someone there could use them.
Muff, we are the trendsetters! May we live long and be well!!
I am still in the relapsing remitting stage and I too have stopped my Betaseron injections. I feel better since I stopped, but haven't had an MRI so I am not sure if I am hurting myself or not. I just don't know how much they were doing for me. I am praying for all of us. We can only hope that we have made the best decisions. I am quite sure I know how your appointment with your neurologist is going to go too. You have lived with your body all of your life, so you know!!!
ReplyDeleteSince I have never used the stuff -
ReplyDeleteI kept BOXES of the stuff for years after I quit...just in case, but even by neuro slipped and said (I paraphrase) "Why bother?
ReplyDeletepreceded by (I quote) "When was the last time you had a relapse?"
She also told me I would dwindle. I am healthier than ever and my MS had not gotten worse since 2004, when I stopped. Rehab would have helped me but Kraft and I could never hook up and the rest were just silly. Even ins, won't cover Copaxone once you are sec pro.
Webster, you gotta do what you think will be best for you. Whatever your neuro says, you are the one who has to live in your body. Although I haven't used Copaxone myself, at various times I tried Betaseron and Novantrone and Tysabri and, for me, none of them seemed to make any difference. So I quit. I made the best decision I could with the information I had, and I try not to second-guess. Really, if there is a right answer, nobody knows what it is.
ReplyDelete