Hi All

I had steroid treatment back in October, 1500 mgs over two days, and about a week after I noticed I had developed a case of oral thrush.

I have tried all the over-the-counter-products, plus starting eating plain yogurt and taking a pro-biotic.

My mouth has not gotten any better, in fact it's worse. I am currently on prescription anti-fungal tablets (nizoral 200mg)for it.

Out of curiosity, I googled 'copaxone and oral thrush' and discovered it's a side effect. Has anyone else experienced this?

I'll be ringing the Copaxone 'my support team' in the morning, but I would love to hear if this side-effect ever goes away.

Thanks in advance

I've never taken Copaxone so I can't help you there but I have had some experience with mouth problems due to drugs (not illegal ones - what where you thinking?... ). Have you tried gargling with bicarb?

Seriously - put a heaped teaspoon of bicarb in half a cup of water and gargle 2-3 times a day. It tastes like crap but it does the trick.

Thanks for the tip! I'll be sure to try it tonight before bed. I've had this for about 6 weeks now and it's really getting aggravating!

Me Again!

My husband reminded me that I have been complaining of a funny taste in my mouth since August, where no steroids were taken.

So, I reviewed the Copaxone Prescribing Information and found that 'oral moniliasis' aka oral thrush is a common 'Gastrointestinal' side-effect of Copaxone. I've made the decision to come off it, to see if that speeds up the healing process.

If anyone wants to see the Prescribing Information sheet, just let me know. I have it saved in PDF format.

Deanna

I had a whole bunch of bizzarre issues with copaxone as I have said before, and whilst I don't recall thrush being one of them, It doesn't sound like it would be a stretch. Perhaps you can have a chat to one of the MS nurses about it, they may know a little more :)

Hi Deanna,


I have the thrush problem - but at the other end :(. /methinks as thrush loves sugar it may have something to do with the injection being in a mannitol base, - this may also explain some weight gain too.

However irritating (@@#) this symptom is I don't think I'm prepared to go off it - it is not like PML - and both your thrush issue and mine can be fixed by simple means. The alternative is nothing, interferons, possibly estriol - and tysabri is not really an option.


I thought you were still taking the estriol until you went away? I am going to see what the Copaxone support team says, and I'm back to the GP again. Yogurt works sometimes, the pellets too, but only for a little while.

Oral thrush is very common in immune compromised people - have you spoken to your GP about it?


I googled OT and the Mayo Clinic suggests:

Try warm saltwater rinses. Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 milliliters) of salt in 1 cup (237 milliliters) of warm water. Swish the rinse and then spit it out, but don't swallow.

Other options are anti-fungal tablets and lozenges.

Helen.

Hey Helen

Because I stopped the copaxone to try to speed up the treatment of the thrush, I've come off the estriol as well. I suppose I could continue the estriol for 1 more week, but the studies have only been on those taking it with copaxone, not on its own.

I'm undecided whether or not I will go back on the copaxone after 30 days. My neuro has asked me to participate the oral drug trial, but the issue there is, will I get the drug or the placebo?

Thanks for the rinse recipe, at this point I'll try anything. I'm already taking funglin lozenges 4x a day and nizoral 200mg tabs 1x a day.

Will keep you posted.

Hi Deanna,


I rang the My Copaxone Support nurses - they didn't have any solutions only they were aware of both oral and vaginal thrush as side effects. She took the batch number of the needles and is going to lodge a report, however it is not just this batch that is implicated. I said to her that I could not understand why they put a drug in a sugar base (that's what mannitol is) for an immune compromised population. Problem is they couldn't change this without running a whole lot of clinical trials again .....

So I am off to see my GP again on Friday to see what's left to take in the candida drug area, apparently there are a few nasty options that upset the liver. Then there is the naturopath version of living a life completely yeast and sugar free. Last case scenario would be to see my neuro and perhaps go off Copaxone for a month to see if I can clear it. I really don't want to do that - don't want to invite a relapse. Yogurt does work however it is SO messy! And you have to keep doing it.

Will keep you posted too, am going to do some more searching - if I come up with anything else for the OT I'll post it.


Helen.

Hi Helen

Sorry, I should have mentioned that I spoke to Wendy at the my Support Team @ 9am this morning. She told me she wasn't aware of 'oral thrush' as a side-effect, but once I told her the medical name 'oral moniliasis' she found it on her product information sheet.

I am currently taking Fungilin lozenges 4x a day along with the nizoral 200mg tablets.

I have 19 days to kick this thing LOL