Copaxone is a prescription drug that’s used to treat multiple sclerosis (MS). It can cause side effects that range from mild to serious. Examples include injection site reactions, weight gain, and chest pain.
Copaxone is used to treat the following conditions in adults:
The active ingredient in Copaxone is glatiramer acetate. (An active ingredient is what makes a drug work.) The drug comes as a liquid solution that you inject under your skin.
Keep reading to learn about the common, mild, and serious side effects that Copaxone can cause. For a general overview of the drug, including details about its uses, see this article.
Some people may experience mild or serious side effects during their Copaxone treatment. Certain side effects are more common than others. Examples of Copaxone’s more commonly reported side effects include:
- injection site reactions, such as:
- pain
- itching
- swelling
- redness
- discoloration
- lumps in the place where you have the injection
- flushing (temporary warmth, redness, or deepening of skin color)
- rash
- shortness of breath
- chest pain*
* To learn more about this side effect, see “Side effects explained” below.
Most side effects reported with Copaxone are mild. Examples of mild side effects that have been reported with Copaxone include:
- injection site reactions, such as:
- pain
- itching
- swelling
- discoloration
- lumps in the place where you have the injection
- rash
- flushing (temporary warmth, redness, or deepening of skin color)
- shortness of breath
- palpitations (feeling like your heart is racing, pounding, or fluttering)
- nausea and vomiting
- weakness
- infection, such as the common cold or the flu
- anxiety
- pain in your back or other parts of your body
- sweating more than usual
- weight gain or weight loss*
* To learn more about this side effect, see “Side effects explained” below.
In most cases, these side effects should be temporary. Some may be easily managed, too. But if you have any symptoms that are ongoing or that bother you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. And don’t stop using Copaxone unless your doctor recommends it.
Copaxone may cause mild side effects other than the ones listed above. See the Copaxone prescribing information for details.
Note: After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks side effects of the medication. If you’d like to notify the FDA about a side effect you’ve had with Copaxone, visit MedWatch.
Serious side effects that have been reported with Copaxone include:
- skin damage at the injection site*
- immediate post-injection reaction*
- chest pain*
- liver problems*
- allergic reaction*
* To learn more about this side effect, see “Side effects explained” below.
If you develop serious side effects while using Copaxone, call your doctor right away. If the side effects seem life threatening or if you think you’re having a medical emergency, immediately call 911 or your local emergency number.
Below you’ll find answers to some frequently asked questions about Copaxone’s side effects.
Are there any long-term side effects of Copaxone?
Yes, some side effects of Copaxone may be long term.
For example, it’s possible to have skin damage in the places where you inject Copaxone.* While this isn’t common, it can cause permanent pitting of the skin in those areas. To help reduce the risk of skin damage, you should use a different injection site each time you inject Copaxone.
If you have any other side effects with Copaxone that don’t go away, talk with your doctor.
* To learn more about this side effect, see “Side effects explained” below.
Will stopping Copaxone cause withdrawal symptoms or other side effects?
Stopping Copaxone won’t cause withdrawal symptoms. (Withdrawal symptoms are side effects that can occur when you stop taking a drug that your body has become dependent on.)
If you stop treatment, you don’t need to do this gradually like you do with some medications. But stopping Copaxone might make your multiple sclerosis (MS) relapse, causing your symptoms to come back or get worse.
If you want to stop using Copaxone, talk with your doctor first. They can advise if stopping treatment is the right thing to do. They can also discuss other treatment options with you.
Is hair loss a side effect of Copaxone?
No, it’s not known to be. Hair loss is a possible side effect of some other MS treatments, such as interferon beta-1a (Avonex, Rebif), interferon beta-1b (Betaseron, Extavia), and teriflunomide (Aubagio). But hair loss hasn’t been reported in studies of Copaxone.
Talk with your doctor if you’re concerned about hair loss while using Copaxone. They can investigate the possible cause.
Do side effects of Copaxone differ depending on the strength (20 mg/mL or 40 mg/mL)?
The types of side effects seen with Copaxone are similar with both strengths of the drug. But certain side effects occur more commonly in people using Copaxone 20 milligrams per milliliter (mg/mL) than in people using Copaxone 40 mg/mL. The dosage for the 20 mg/mL strength is once per day, whereas the dosage for the 40 mg/mL strength is three times per week.
Side effects that are more common with Copaxone 20 mg/mL include injection site reactions, skin damage, post-injection reactions, and chest pain. To read more about these side effects, see “Side effects explained” below.
I’m deciding between Glatopa and Copaxone for MS treatment. How do the side effects of these drugs compare?
Glatopa is a generic version of Copaxone. It comes in the same forms and strengths as Copaxone. Glatopa and Copaxone can have exactly the same side effects.
Copaxone may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors that affect your health. Some of these factors are contraindications for this drug. A contraindication is a factor that makes a drug unsafe for you to use.
Talk with your doctor about your health history before you use Copaxone. Below are some factors to consider.
Allergic reaction
If you have had an allergic reaction to Copaxone or any of its ingredients, including mannitol, you should not use Copaxone. Ask your doctor what other medications are better options for you.
Alcohol and Copaxone
If you drink alcohol, ask your doctor how much is safe to consume when using Copaxone. Alcohol doesn’t affect the way this medication works. But it could increase certain side effects, such as flushing (temporary warmth, redness, or deepening of skin color) or nausea.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding while using Copaxone
It’s not known if Copaxone is safe to use during pregnancy or breastfeeding. It’s not known whether this medication can affect a developing fetus or a child who’s breastfed.
If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant or breastfeed, talk with your doctor about whether Copaxone is right for you.
Learn more about some of the side effects Copaxone may cause.
Weight gain or weight loss
Some people may have weight gain while using Copaxone, but this isn’t common. Other people may experience weight loss with Copaxone. Weight loss was rare in studies, and it’s not known if it was related to the drug.
What might help
If you notice a change in your weight while you’re using Copaxone, talk with your doctor. They can help you work out the possible cause.
For example, you might have weight gain if you’re less active than usual because of a relapse of your multiple sclerosis (MS). Taking corticosteroids to treat a flare-up of your symptoms may also result in weight gain. On the other hand, you might have weight loss if you have fewer relapses as a result of Copaxone treatment.
Your doctor can give you advice on maintaining a weight that’s healthy for you while using Copaxone.
Immediate post-injection reaction
Some people might have side effects within a few minutes after receiving a Copaxone injection. This is called a post-injection reaction. Post-injection reactions were commonly reported in people who used Copaxone.
You might have a reaction after your first injection. But it’s also possible to have this reaction at any time during treatment, even if you haven’t had problems before. You could also have a reaction just once or several times.
Post-injection reaction symptoms include:
- flushing (temporary warmth, redness, or deepening of skin color)
- anxiety
- chest pain
- palpitations (feeling like your heart is racing, pounding, or fluttering)
- fast heart rate
- shortness of breath
- tightness in your throat
- hives (itchy rash)
Most post-injection reactions are mild and go away quickly without treatment. But in some cases, the symptoms can be more severe and might need emergency treatment.
What might help
If you have symptoms of a post-injection reaction, contact your doctor right away. But if your symptoms are severe or feel life threatening, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
If you have a post-injection reaction, you should not take another dose of Copaxone until your doctor says it’s fine to do so.
Chest pain
Some people might have chest pain when using Copaxone.
Chest pain may be part of a post-injection reaction. This is a reaction that you can get right after receiving an injection of Copaxone (see the section just above).
Chest pain can also occur at other times during treatment, and without any other symptoms. These episodes of chest pain typically begin about 1 month after starting treatment with Copaxone.
Episodes of chest pain are usually mild and get better in a few minutes.
What might help
If you have chest pain while using Copaxone, contact your doctor right away. But if your symptoms are severe or feel life threatening, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
Skin damage at the injection site
Copaxone can cause skin damage at the injection site. The injections can cause lipoatrophy and, in rare cases, skin necrosis.
Lipoatrophy is damage to the fatty layer under your skin. It can leave dents or pits in your skin. Skin necrosis is death of skin cells. It can leave brown or black patches on your skin. These changes may be permanent.
What might help
To help reduce the risk of skin damage, it’s important to inject Copaxone exactly as instructed by your doctor. There are several places on your body where you can inject Copaxone. It’s important to rotate between these places as follows:
- Each time you inject a dose, choose a different place on your body than where you injected before.
- Keep track of the date and the place where you injected, so you’ll remember where you injected last.
- Don’t inject Copaxone in the same place more than once per week.
- Don’t inject into areas of skin where you already have scars or dents.
Talk with your doctor if you’re concerned about skin damage with Copaxone injections.
Liver problems
In rare cases, Copaxone can sometimes cause serious liver problems, such as hepatitis (liver inflammation) or liver failure. Liver problems can develop at any time during treatment.
Symptoms of a liver problem may include:
- jaundice (yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes)
- nausea and vomiting
- loss of appetite
- dark urine
- pale stools
- fatigue (low energy)
- bruising or bleeding more easily than usual
What might help
If you have symptoms of a liver problem, talk with your doctor right away so they can investigate possible causes. If your doctor thinks you have a liver problem that’s been caused by Copaxone, you’ll likely need to stop using it.
Allergic reaction
Like most drugs, Copaxone can cause an allergic reaction in some people.
Symptoms can be mild or serious and can include:
What might help
If you have mild symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. To manage your symptoms, they may suggest an over-the-counter antihistamine you swallow, such as Benadryl (diphenhydramine), or a product you apply to your skin, such as hydrocortisone cream.
If your doctor confirms you had a mild allergic reaction to Copaxone, they’ll decide if you should continue using it.
If you have symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling or trouble breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms could be life threatening and require immediate medical care.
If your doctor confirms you had a serious allergic reaction to Copaxone, they may have you switch to a different treatment.
Keeping track of side effectsDuring your Copaxone treatment, consider keeping notes on any side effects you’re having. Then, you can share this information with your doctor. This is especially helpful to do when you first start taking new drugs or using a combination of treatments.
Your side effect notes can include things such as:
- what dose of drug you were taking when you had the side effect
- how soon after starting that dose you had the side effect
- what your symptoms were from the side effect
- how it affected your daily activities
- what other medications you were also taking
- any other information you feel is important
Keeping notes and sharing them with your doctor will help your doctor learn more about how Copaxone affects you. And your doctor can use this information to adjust your treatment plan if needed.
Copaxone can be an effective treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS). Some people may have side effects such as injection site reactions, but these are typically mild and short-lived. Most serious side effects of Copaxone aren’t common.
If you have questions about the possible side effects of Copaxone, talk with your doctor. They can help you decide if this drug may be a good option for you. Here are some examples of questions you might want to ask:
- Is Copaxone safe for me if I have a heart condition?
- Can I take Copaxone if I have a liver problem?
- How do Copaxone’s side effects compare with side effects from other MS drugs?
- Does Copaxone raise my risk for getting infections?
- What could happen if I get pregnant while taking Copaxone?
To learn more about Copaxone, see these articles:
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Q:
What can I do to ease injection site reactions from Copaxone?
AnonymousA:
Take Copaxone out of the refrigerator at least 20 minutes before you plan to give yourself an injection. This will allow the drug time to get to room temperature, which can reduce discomfort.
In the meantime, apply a warm compress wrapped in a cloth to the injection site for 5 minutes. This will help to relax the tissue in the area where you’re injecting Copaxone.
Make sure to inject the drug as instructed to reduce discomfort. If you need help with the correct injection technique, refer to the drugmaker’s instructions.
After injecting Copaxone, apply a cold pack wrapped in cloth to the injection site for up to 1 minute.
You can also reduce injection site reactions by rotating injection sites. This means to inject into a different area of your body when it’s time for your next dose of Copaxone. Never inject Copaxone into the same site more than once per week.
It’s also important to avoid injecting into sites that have scarring or dents. This can worsen an injection site reaction.
If you have more questions about injecting Copaxone or you’re experiencing injection site reactions that won’t go away, talk with your doctor.
The Healthline Pharmacist TeamAnswers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.