I just watched an injection video, and I'm starting to get scared. I know hundreds of women do this daily (not to mention diabetics and the like) and I'm sure once I do it once or twice, I'll be much less scared, but for now I'm scared. It's kind of funny because I'm not afraid of needles in any way. They don't bother me. I am used to being poked with needles, and I used to work in a dialysis unit where there were needles everywhere, all the time. But I jut prefer if it's someone else poking me. T cannot do it. He's a bit afraid. So, I have to do it for myself, and I'm a little scared.
Can you give me hints about injection sites? My instructor told me to only do it in the belly area, but the video says to shift around. What did/do you do? How about when you have more than one injection per day? Advice, ladies?
Life as an adoptive family.
My Story
- Rachel
- 4 miscarriages, 3 failed IVFs with PGD, 2 different sperm donors, 1 diagnosis of balanced translocation. Now we are the proud parents of a boy via domestic infant semi-open adoption. We had a failed match for kid #2 and are now matched again.
6 comments:
During my IVF cycle, I did Gonal-F on the left side of my belly in the morning, then at night I would do Bravelle on the left side and Menopur on the right. I would then stick my Lupron into my upper thigh, alternating left/right (before I started stimming, I just stuck the Lupron in my tummy). You just don't want to inject two different meds into the same place at the same time. No worries, you'll get into a little routine and do just fine!!
I did find that my right side of my tummy hurt more than the left -- also be sure to not stick yourself in a little vein. I can see some of mine just under the surface of my skin - if I missed the vein, I wouldn't bruise :)
Good luck!!!
I only did injections in my belly. (Except for the IM injections of course) Trust me Rach, the anticipation is the worst part. I am a huge needle phobe, HUGE, I promise it's not bad. You are going to do great.
hi, i am on my first IVF cycle too. i'm in the lupron stage now, and i've been poking all around my belly area, trying to go for a different spot each morning. i hit a vein only once and got a small bruise, but they haven't hurt at all. it's been a peice of cake. it may help that i have a little extra...cushion. not a whole lot but enough belly fat to pinch. i have found it hurt a little more when i got closer to the less fatty areas.
when i start stims, hopefully tomorrow night, i'll be doing 4 injects/day. i'll let you know if i find any good strategies for that!
Ok, by the end of my last cycle I was doing them myself. Initially I had hubs do them to be involved, but the man isn't good with tiny needles- though he is doing the IMs for me now in tush and his confidence is growing. Beer seems to help him with the needles.
When I did them myself- here is how I did it. To find the location on your stomach take your thumbs and fingers and stick them straight out- palm flat- and place your hands so your thumbs line up with your belly button and your index fingers touch. Everything in the open area below your thumbs and good territory for injections.
I did them in both my leg and stomach- to find the leg- place your palm directly on the top of your thigh- anyplace under your had is good area.
Once you pick a spot, it sometimes help to grap whatever extra skin might be there and form a roll. Since your shots are subqs- you don't have to worry about air bubbles or killing yourself- you can't really mess up in my experience. Take the needle and place it directly on the spot you want to inejct into then push-- you will feel a small pinch, but once you get past the dermal layer- it doesn't hurt.
Ok, so here are the small gotchas you might experience. If you are using Meno*pur, because it is a saline solution it may burn alittle going it. It's not bad and I prefered it in my leg where there was less sensation than my tummy. The saline is the reason it burns and there isn't much you can do about it- it's required for the med. We got pretty good about using as little saline to dilute the meds as possible. Bruising will happen because some places are more sensitive than others- just avoid that area for awhile and heat tends to mask pain- so having the area warm helps.
I had a nurse friend come over and watch me do a few of them til I got comfortable with it. Good luck with it!
I did it like Carey, I just took turns on sides of my belly. I found that too far to either side was more painful, but within a few inches in either direction of the belly button wasn't too bad. I think everybody's different, though. You'll figure it out.
After the first few times, you'll be a pro. Really. I promise. I never thought that I could do this, and now I could practically do it in my sleep. It just takes a little while to get used to the idea, thats all.
Good luck!
I only inject in my belly (not enough fat on my legs, but plenty in the stomach area!). The big tricks I think are (1) to warm up the medication a bit in your hand if you just got it out of the fridge (2) to insert the needle as FAST as you can, very fast = no pain (3) to not inject too close to the same spot close together (e.g. alternating quadrants) and (4) to try to stick to the area that are relatively fat. Good luck, it's really really not so bad.
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