Reducing the frequency of relapses with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.
Copaxone is a polypeptide mixture. How Copaxone works is not fully understood. However, it is thought to act by changing immune processes responsible for the effects of multiple sclerosis.
Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.
Some medical conditions may interact with Copaxone . Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:
Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Copaxone . However, no specific interactions with Copaxone are known at this time.
Ask your health care provider if Copaxone may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.
Use Copaxone as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.
Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Copaxone .
All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome:
Anxiety upon injection; back pain; chest tightness; diarrhea; ear pain; fever; flu symptoms or infection (fever, chills, sore throat); flushing; joint pain; loss of appetite; mild redness, pain, itching, or a lump at the injection site; nausea; neck pain; nervousness; pain; painful menstrual flow; rapid eye movement; skin nodules; stomach pain; sweating; swelling of the legs and feet; vomiting; weakness; weight gain.
Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); abnormal thinking; chest pain or tightness; continuing flushing and anxiety long after injection; dizziness; fast heartbeat; memory loss; pounding in the chest; severe pain, redness, or swelling at injection site; sweating; tightness in the throat; tremor.
This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your health care provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Contact 1-800-222-1222 (the American Association of Poison Control Centers), your local poison control center (http://www.aapcc.org), or emergency room immediately.
Proper storage of Copaxone :Store Copaxone in the refrigerator, between 36 and 46 degrees F (2 and 8 degrees C). Brief storage at temperatures between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C) is permitted for up to 1 month. Protect from light. Keep Copaxone out of the reach of children and away from pets.
This information is a summary only. It does not contain all information about Copaxone . If you have questions about the medicine you are taking or would like more information, check with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.