According to a recent study, Copaxone (glatiramer acetate) lessens MS-related fatigue more than the interferon-based disease-modifying therapies (Betaseron, Avonex or Rebif).
The study, which was conducted in Russia and presented at the meeting of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS), showed that the interferons had no significant impact on fatigue after a year of treatment.
However, participants on Copaxone had a 20% reduction in fatigue according to the Fatigue Severity Scale and a 34% reduction in fatigue according to the Fatigue Descriptive Scale. Both scales are designed for people with MS to self-rank their fatigue and the impact of fatigue on daily living. Participants in this study were considered to have "severe" fatigue.
Patients on no treatment at all showed a slight increase (worsening) of fatigue after one year.
Bottom line here is not that everyone on interferons should rush to change to Copaxone in hopes of completely eliminating fatigue. The study was small (63 participants). I can also tell you that I am on Copaxone, and - trust me - I have plenty of fatigue and it does interfere with my life. However, these results may be a piece of information to include in your equation when trying to decide which therapy to start (or switch to).
Read more about MS-related fatigue:
What a crock of BS.
There is no such thing as MS.
The condition is really CCSVI and it can be fixed with the Liberation treatment.
Wow Clay, Tell us how you REALLY feel.
Very inappropriate and rude.
Hey Clay…Suck it!
I know quite a number of MS Suffers that have ZERO blockages in their veins…yet continue to battle daily with very severe MS relapses. I would love for you to have the balls to stand in front of any one of them and tell them that MS is a crock and doesn’t exsist.
Quit holding onto unproven unsubstaniated hope! CCSVI may be real for some…but that does NOT mean that MS isn’t real for others.
How dare you come here to a place where MS patients seek our information and support and throw hateful garbage like that around!
Please leave…you WILL NOT be missed!
lets forget about clay, for a moment anyway, and talk about the copaxone and fatigue study. I am wondering about the study and what other factors could have had a bearing on the decrease in fatigue. Hours sleep per night, excercise, other alternative treatments like visualization and meditation? and the study is so small.
I am also on copaxone. Thankfully i have no ongoing issues with fatigue. There was a time i was expereincing what i thought was MS related central fatigue, but upon a closer look, determined i was not eating enough. Upped my calories and the fatigue is about gone, unless i dont get enough sleep.
there are so many factors that can come into play. i guess any treatment choice is largely an act of faith.
Clay
I would like you to stand up and tell my 2 children and my husband that they lost their mom, wife to a disease that doesn’t exist. I think your comment was completely ignorant unsubstantiated and heartless. If that is the kind of insight you have to contribute go share your info with a roach it seems you would have the same intelligent thought pattern!
I struggle with the fatigue a lot with my MS. and I agree with Tom, sometimes you can do things like up your calorie intake and CLOSELY monitor what you’re eating and it can really alleviate your issues. I started doing this to train for my first MMA fight. I eat only lean meats, chicken, fish, veggies, and fresh fruit, and then I train 5-6 days a week and almost immmediately noticed a change in my fatigue. And Clay I dare you to drive your ass to chicago, I will beat the living sh*t out of you. Your head is so far up your a$$ as it is that it shouldn’t hurt too bad when I actually make that a reality. You’re completely ignorant and a disgrace for a human being.
I also take copaxone and still suffer from pretty severe fatigue. But it’s nice to know I probably don’t want to switch therapies, makes the decision an easy one for me.
Clay might have been out of line with his delivery but I’ve gotta say the replies he got were amazing—filled with bad language, threats and a ton of hatred. I believe the CCSVI theory and treatment is real, maybe the people that do not get help from it have other issues (misdiagnosed [maybe they have Lyme Disease], allergies causing restenosis, sticky blood syndrome, etc…). Their needs to be more research done but in the meantime the liberation treatment seems like the best option to try to get some relief. That’s just my opinion I know there is A TON OF MONEY TO BE MADE if people are sick with a incurable progressive disease like MS, those who makes the billions are maybe keeping quite?
Ditto. I’ve been on Copaxone for almost ten years, and although I credit it with stopping my major attacks, I suffer with severe fatigue.
I had regular severe exacerbations until I started the Copaxone, and have not had any in ten years.
I started Copaxone in 1998 and I noticed that it did help with the fatiigue for the first few years. I went off due to pregnancy in 2002.
I must insert here that I think the important thing to remember when measuring fatigue is how varied it can be for everyone, even for each individual with MS. I may complain about my level of fatigue, but another person with MS may wish they had as much energy as me, or I may see someone with more than me and so on. I have a fairly full life, with 3 kids and work, and I think I do pretty well overall – I try to keep a positive attitude and find something to make me laugh everyday – but the fatigue sure can wreak a day without notice at any time.
I stopped the medication for a while in 2002/3, convinced after the birth of my son that the MS had disappeared but unfortunately my fatigue level was worse during that time than it was/has ever been compared to when I am on therapy. I just know that for me, the fatigue feels different on therapy vs. off therapy – it’s hard to adequately explain.
Some days I’m just tired, no matter what. And some days I’m blown away by having good energy. I know that diet, adequate sleep, and exercise are factors that do usually greatly help, but even those things cannot always hold off the type of fatigue that only MS can bring. MS fatigue must be classified as a weapon of mass destruction.
I was on Copaxone for nine months and it never helped my fatigue. If anything, it made me worse and almost killed me (yes, this is true). The only things that have helped with the fatigue have been low dose naltrexone and 4-AP. I would be interested to hear who really funded this study (i.e. Big Pharma).
I think the responses to Clay are very appropriate, considering his comment.
Yourverity, you just insulted and put down people with your response. If your going to get upset by what other people had to say to Clay…maybe you should be more respectful to others yourself!
As for whether Copaxone helps with my severe fatigue…I really don’t know.
I just got diagnosed with MS and was thinking about taking copaxone. My dr and I thought it would be best for me. Do those of you who do take copaxone have the reaction to their skin that is disclosed? Also, I’ll be getting married soon and while there are no talks of children yet – sometimes plans change. I know that you have to stop taking the medication once you find out but did any of you have any issues with stoping the medication to have a child? I know everyone is different but just curious.
If copaxone does help with fatigue I will gladly welcome that.
Is it too cynical to suggest that a lot of these studies conducted by the pharmaceutical companies are an attempt to boost their stock prices?
I’ve been taking Copaxone since I was diagnosed in ‘06 with very few side-effects if any from the start.
Most recently my neurologist, from some flare-ups that had been coming in quicker succession, thought it may be worth looking at Rebif, as I may be moving into secondary progressive MS. Rebif was extremely dehabilitating compounding the fatigue exponentially. Side-effects from the start and didn’t stop until I went off it after 6 months. I went back on Copaxone to resume a much better quality of life that, while it may have more frequent flare-ups as I go forward, I can function each day, get out of bed, get out of the house, shower, make myself food, etc.
Of course, everyone is different in their reactions to the drugs but my experience with Copaxone has been outstanding.
Good luck to all.
All I have to say is those people (=how many of the 63) that have less fatigue are very lucky.
My comment? It’s all in their head!!
I have noticed that my fatigue has let up some since starting on Copaxone 20 months ago. I was previously on Avonex for 9 years and towards the end of that time, I was going home at lunch to take a nap to be able to get through the rest of my work day. Unfortunately, its really hard to gage if it’s specifically the Copaxone or a combination of medicine, exercise, eating right and overall improved MS symptoms. I guess with a disease like this and so many unknown variables, I’ll just be thankful for the improvement however it comes.
I am also on Copaxone and have moderate issues with fatigue. I do know that 7 to 8 hours is required of sleep or my day is horrid as far as cognitive actions. Anyhow, take care and be well as you all can be
I’ve been on Copaxone for 3 years and don’t experience as much fatigue as many with MS. However, I do have to be very careful about getting enough sleep, eating right, and drinking enough fluid. Any of those factors being out of line can increase fatigue for me. Also, if I have a fever or am sick, I do get a lot of fatigue. I have more fatigue now than prior to my MS diagnosis.
I felt like such a slug in the morning, so I have enrolled in a exercise bootcamp with my doctor’s permission. I figured getting some blood flowing to my brain would help, and I am a lot more awake in the morning now.
I also take Wellbutrin which was recommended to help or prevent fatigue as well as treat my depression.
So it is hard to say why I experience less fatigue with others, maybe Copaxone has something to do with it, maybe not….Will be interesting to see what larger studies show.
well for me i couldnt tell if it helped fatiuge or not. i have been on it for 3 years doing-ok- so i have to agree with diane- or they got better like we do for a while, and they thought it was the copaxone.
I’m on copaxone and still have fatigue sometimes really bad. The only therapy that rid me of fatigue was tysabri. I had unending energy back then. I stopped because it was nearly three years that I was on it and didn’t want to take a chance with PML.
14 years ago i was bitten by tick . i had the red circles on my leg. everythingwent down hill since. diagnosis was fybromyalgia , many times. i,m wondering if their wrong and something can be done? I,m 74 now and have tried many things ..nothing but questions???
I’ve been on Copaxone for a year now. Life goes on but it’s nothing like before I got sick. I used to enjoy doing martial arts, rock climbing, kayaking, and snowboarding, but nowadays I’m just happy if I can toss the ball with my boy. It’s hard for people that don’t have it to understand just how you feel when you are having symptoms. My vision will go out, and you just feel triple jet lagged all the time. The worst part is when you are that fatigued and you lay down but can’t go to sleep. Insomnia is a constant problem for me which doesn’t help with the fatigue.
For anyone about to start Copaxone I can only tell you that overall I’m content with it. A shot everyday isn’t fun but the side effects for the shot for me aren’t that bad. Usually there is some swelling at the site that goes way a few hours later in most cases, and I haven’t experiences any of the panic attacks that some people get when they do the shot. There is a pretty nasty burning sensation for about 15 minutes after I do the shot, and you have to make sure you aren’t putting the shots to close together by moving them around your body like they tell you to. If you do two or three in the same general area that area gets really tender and will stay that way for a while. Best of luck to anyone going on Copaxone. It seems to be working for the most part for me. I’ve only had a few instances of major issues since being on it, but even on the drug I have had trouble with my vision and fatigue a lot. The cognitive cloudiness is still very much there, but as long as I stay out of the heat and don’t get to stressed out the balance issues and passing out spells have greatly subsided.