Giving yourself a needle

[Cordillia16]

I've been on Humira for months now, syringes, and haven't been able to give the injections to myself. My poor dad has to trek out every two weeks to do it until....
I found the secret to giving myself a needle. A nurse at the hospital gave me an Emla patch. You apply it about 45 minutes before you're about to give yourself the needle and it numbs the area entirely. It seems my only problem about injecting myself with Humira was the initial puncture of the needle and this eliminates the fear. Hope this helps someone else in the same boat as I was.

 

[MikeinBklyn]

Are you able to get the pens? It makes injecting easier.

 

[Miss Underestimated]

Bactine will numb your skin, also. I keep a bottle around, just in case.

 

[Cordillia16]

hey Mike,
I tried the pens at first and they hurt 10 times more than the syringes. couldn't stand them. the syringes hurt less, but i still couldn't get over inserting it myself. these patches are perfect for that.
i've never heard of bactine. sounds like it does the same thing.

 

[Manzyb]

I couldn't do the pens either!! The loud click it made always freaked me out!!

The initial puncture of the skin never bothered me, it was always the stinging that the medicine gave me when it was going in! ouch.. makes me shudder thinking about it!

 

[MikeinBklyn]

I guess I just got used to it. I know that it will sting, but what the heck, it's not really that bad.

 

[izzi'smom]

I hardly feel the puncture, nor does my daughter...but the burn makes her scream (and me wince...it *does* hurt!)
We just ice it first, though, instead of EMLA.

 

[Miss Underestimated]

I'm with Mike. I'm a real sissy, but I just do it and get it over with. I'd probably shake if I had to insert the needle - better to let the pen just go "click" count to 10 and I'm done.

 

[Desiree49]

The clicking sound freaks me out. The anticipation is worse than the actual shot.

 

[Miss Underestimated]

Yeah, that's why you just go do it real quick, don't think about it.

 

[MikeinBklyn]

Yeah, that's why you just go do it real quick, don't think about it.

Exactly. Don't think about it or hesitate......just click it!

 

[bambam]

Yeah, that's why you just go do it real quick, don't think about it.

That's my biggest problem with Humira. I always think too much about it and it takes me forever to fully press down on the pen. So it becomes like "okay, press it now... I mean now... do it now..."

So now I have my Mom press the button for me because I was psyching myself out so bad that I was messing up a lot more than I ever have. Which I like a lot better because then she doesn't hesitate like I would so I get it over with quicker.

 

[Cordillia16]

Did anyone get those practice pens from their doctor where the little white guard pops out and nothing more? I didn't think it was much practice for a needle that hits you really hard. Who are they trying to kid with that thing anyways!

 

[NoNameNoFace]

Did anyone get those practice pens from their doctor where the little white guard pops out and nothing more? I didn't think it was much practice for a needle that hits you really hard. Who are they trying to kid with that thing anyways!

I started humira today and those pens are really sore, I got two in my stomach and 2 in my legs! was very sore.

The nurse done the first one for me, showed how to do the 2nd, I just couldnt do it to myself, had my mother try it and I couldnt let her do it either, just couldnt

Them practise pens are pretty useless, dont prepare you at all!

 

[KWalker]

Oh man, bad times with the pens lol. More than half of the times I did it myself I would click and then not commit so the medicine would be shooting everywhere in the room because I pulled it away haha. If I had to go back on Humira it would definitely be syringes.

 

[Miss Underestimated]

It stings for about a minute after I inject. I guess I have a high pain threshold - it's not pleasant, but I just do it.

 

[marjaw]

Did my first Humira pen today. Previously on Enbrel with syringes but a nurse talked me into the pen for Humira. Iced it first and no problem. Didn't feel a thing.

 

[TeresaPro]

fricken frack i must be a big baby then cause the really sting me..i know i know..10 sec's and it's done, but man why must they sting so bad!! And it takes alot for me to push the damn thing too. Hubby did the last one for me, and i howled but it was better than sitting there for 20 min trying to do it..

 

[Mark in Seattle]

Why would the syringe be better than the pen? What happens if the medicine goes shooting across the room? Can you somehow obtain more medicine to replace the portion that shot across the room?

Is it an option to just go visit the nurse each time and have them give the injection for someone who has a hard time with self-injection?

 

[izzi'smom]

Mark - the pen is an auto-injector...if you fail to commit it will shoot the meds out anyway. With the syringe you have to push it yourself. You can control the rate of administration (push until it begins to burn, pause, push again) and administer it more slowly to reduce pain upon injection.
I think you can have a nurse come to you for teaching purposes...I can't see why you couldn't go to an office each time to have it done. I am glad we don't have to, though-between my daughter and I we would be going weekly-it is so convenient to do at home!

 

[bambam]

Is it an option to just go visit the nurse each time and have them give the injection for someone who has a hard time with self-injection?

When I first started and for the first two years of doing it, I would always go to my GP and have a nurse there do it for me, so that is a possibility. However, when I started doing the injections myself, it really wasn't that bad and was a lot easier than I thought doing it would be.

 

[Miss Underestimated]

fricken frack i must be a big baby then cause the really sting me..i know i know..10 sec's and it's done, but man why must they sting so bad!! And it takes alot for me to push the damn thing too. Hubby did the last one for me, and i howled but it was better than sitting there for 20 min trying to do it..

Feel free to complain - I hear it helps relieve stress. :ybiggrin:

 

[Mark in Seattle]

Has anyone ever had to go back to the pharmacy and ask for a replacement due to accidentally spraying out all of the medicine? I wonder how the pharmacy of the manufacturer would react to that. I can totally see myself botching a load of meds like that. How could anyone pay out of pocket for a refill?

 

[Miss Underestimated]

You call the Humira help line, and they'll send it to you.