Scared of the progesterone shots!!

LauraH · Post by **LauraH** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 8:56 pm

Hi everyone -
I am new to IVF and to message boards in general. I have been reading them some & feel like they are a good place to turn for advice.
I will be starting my first IVF cycle at the end of this month. Although I am not looking forward to the other shots, I am really scared of how big the needle for the progesterone is in comparison. Has anyone had them who can tell me it's all going to be fine???
Thank you!
Laura

Kabillion · Post by **Kabillion** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 12:09 am

They don't feel any different to me. Maybe because they are injected into my bum which is not very skinny. After a few weeks, I have experienced soreness and bruising which is due to sticking the same area for a long period of time. Anyway I can barely feel them so don't worry.

patientIVFpatient · Post by **patientIVFpatient** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 2:58 am

I too was so scared of the progesterone shot. I was also on Repronex which has the same intra-muscular needle--so double the amount of scary shots.

But, they are nothing. Sometimes [especially on my right side] it stings a little when its taken out, but a papercut is worse.

I lie flat on the couch, cover my head with a pillow, and I cover my ears [don't know why--just seems to take me away more] and close my eyes and breath slowly---some of the shots I hardly feel and I have to ask DH if it is done. It was sooooo scary in beginning, but NOT PAINFUL at all---and that makes the fear go away after one or two.

Today we actually hit a bloodline and had to take it out and start over. It blead alot, but no pain. And I don't have much cushion. One of my biggest fears was that he was going to hit a bone!! I don't understand how the needle goes in there without hitting by bone!!!

It does start to show and get bruised after several pokings---and remember I had pokings from Repronex too, and I am just starting to get bruised [now into 2nd week of progesterone]. They seem to bleed more not too--but I think that is overpoking too. The muscle is achy, like a hot ache, but not pain.

LauraH · Post by **LauraH** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 2:37 pm

Oh my gosh, Thank you both SOOOO much for your replies. I'm sitting at my desk at work, nearly in tears with relief! It means so much to hear from people who are going through it!
Thanks again, and best of luck to you both!

PebblesUK · Post by **PebblesUK** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 4:21 pm

Hi Laura

Please don't worry about it. Do you know you definately have to take them? I was just taking the pessaries but they weren't working enough so I'm now on Gestone injections and will be until the 12th week of the pregnancy. I am a diabetic and my diabetic needles are 8mm. I take that 4 times a day no problems. You can imagine what I felt when I saw the Gestone needles which are 30mm!! Surprisingly they don't seem to hurt. The nurse told me to rest my knee on a chair and wiggle my toes as dh is injecting. This stops the muscle from tensing and cramping. Seems to work. I do ache though. But hey, it's not forever!

Best of luck

Jo
xx

racquel · Post by **racquel** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 4:30 pm

Hi Laura - the shots were the scariest part for me as well! I don't know if you've received your meds yet but when mine arrived I about fell out of my chair - they send 18.5 guage needles for drawing the liquid - now that is a SCARY needle! But then you get a smaller (thinner) 27g needle for injection, still a scary looking needle but it's not as bad as it looks.

After a bit of trial and error my DH and I came up with the following routine which works well for us....

1) I lay down so my muscles are relaxed. We ice the injection shot just to numb the skin which is where all the nerves are
2) DH holds the shot under his arm to warm the liquid (makes it go in easier)
2) I take deep breath and when let it out he gives the shot - he's learned to push the liquid in slowly and evenly so it doesn't sting
3) he rubs the injection site to help distribute the liquid - helps avoid a "knot" the next day
4) I sit/lay on a heating pad for awhile, again helps avoid a knot

We also rotate injection sites ... depends on which cheek has less bruises and soreness haha. Really it's not as bad as you imagine it will be. We're on week 4 and only 2 more to go! How long will you be getting the shots???

Take care, Racquel

Ghost · Post by **Ghost** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 4:10 am

Don't know about the needles, but I can say that the progesterone injections are the most effective delivery, much better than the suppositories and oral administration.

anita67 · Post by **anita67** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 2:37 pm

don't worry about the injection. it's not too bad. remember to ask your DH to push the med in slowly. it made a big difference in my case. the nurse told me to walk around for 15 mins or so to let the med circulate a bit. now i am done with this cycle the only big complain i have now is that the skin itches quite a bit over the injection sites.

LauraH · Post by **LauraH** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 7:28 pm

Thanks again everyone. I am so much less scared now! I should be starting the shots any day now - waiting for my cycle to start, then I start with the Gonal F & Menapur. the progesterone isn't until the end & I will be taking that for quite a while (IF I get a BFP). It's hard to imagine that I will after so many BFN's with IUI.
Raquel - do you know if you are having twins????

Scared of the progesterone shots!!

Scared of the progesterone shots!!

PIO shots

Advertisements