Afraid of Injections

Sher8 · Post by **Sher8** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:31 pm

I am new to the board and felt this may help my anxiety as I enter the word of IVF/ICSI. We have male factor infertility and my husband goes in for sperm aspiration in the next two weeks. Then my part. . .the injections. I am really nervous and hoping it is not too bad. Do the injections need to be taken the same time every day?

Sher8

Dolly · Post by **Dolly** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:45 pm

Hi there, welcome to the board. I'm sure you'll find it an invaluable support - I know I do.

When I first started out I was petrified about the injections (and I have a real needle phobia) and I have to admit now that it really isn't so bad.

I know that my clinic like you to have you injection around the same time every day (ie if you have it the evening one day - you can't then have it at lunch time or morning the next day). I usually have mine after work anywhere between 6pm and 9pm.

When do you start? Keep us posted on how you get on.

You'll see from my notes below that I have done this a fair few times (unfortunately!

) so if you have any questions - fire away!

good luck

Dolly

lumi · Post by **lumi** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:48 pm

Hi, I am new too but have been through ICSI and now my first frozen cycle.

It is amazing how easy the injections become. They are like second nature after a few days! If you have a dial up pen it is easy to inject but do get a nurse to go through it with you as the tricky part is getting the right dosage. However, once it is in the right place you can leave it there. Using a syringe is very easy, probably easier than dial up pens! I was very nervous at first - in fact I was shaking so much the first injection of the FET that I dropped the glass vial on a glass table and it shattered! However, I had another vial so it wasn't a problem.

I liked to inject before breakfast so I was doing it at the same time each day. I think the main one to get on time is the late night injection - but there is only one of them each cycle!!!

It won't be long until you are like me - i'm on an agonising 2 week wait for my test on Monday

Good luck with it all......Lumi

Brandi · Post by **Brandi** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:48 pm

My fresh advice is this:

Yes! Do them at the same time every day.
Use a heating pad on the site afterwards to relieve the pain.
Lay down when receiving them in the bum.
Take a deep breath and control your breathing.

Trust me when i say i am the biggest baby when it comes to needles. 5 years ago i had menengitis and the amount of needles you are poked with will reduce you to infancy. The worst shots so far are the progesterone. Those come with the same advice above but warm them up with body heat first.

Good luck. So you know, I am pretty new on here too and the ladies have been tremendously supportive and are so smart about this process.

Positive thoughts always,
Brandi

Sand · Post by **Sand** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:53 pm

Hi there Sher8. First of all, Welcome to the site. You'll find lots of support and info here.

I, too, really don't like injections. Some clinics use the auto pens, some use the small insulin type needles. Mine use the needles, and honestly, they're not too bad. My partner injects me. I never thought I would see the day, as he has a real problem with any needles. It just shows what you can do when really pushed.

It depends on your protocol (there are several different ones ...). Some girls downreg by injection, some by sniffing a drug. If by injection, Yes, this does need to be done within a certain window during the day.

The second part of the cyle is stimming. This is another injected drug, in addition to the downregging injection/sniff.

After ET (embryo transfer) some girls then inject during their 2ww (2 week wait until test day), whilst others use pessaries.

I know it sounds like lots of needles, but it's amazing how quickly you get used to them. Honestly, It's not as bad as it reads.

Sandra x

Sher8 · Post by **Sher8** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 4:58 pm

Thank you for all your kind suggestions. As with anything new, I tend to enter it with a little anxiety. I will keep the end result in mind throughout the process.

My husband goes in for sperm aspiration next week and we plan to begin our first treatment in April.

brinilass · Post by **brinilass** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 5:06 pm

i will be starting the injections in appro 6-8 weeks, im also nervous about this...needles dont usually bother me, its just the fact of injecting myself

im sure its something which will become second nature once we get going.
i thought they would be dial up pens and not syringes though!

love kelly xx

Sher8 · Post by **Sher8** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 5:11 pm

I got syringes for some of the injections and the dial up pen for others. Ask your doctor if the dial up pen is available.

Sher8 · Post by **Sher8** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 5:13 pm

I also just saw your message about quitting smoking. I quit a month ago. I only smoked 4-5 a day, but it was still tough. My doctor said that smoking cuts the success rates in 1/2! That is all I needed to hear.

kimbo · Post by **kimbo** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:07 pm

hi,

welcome, im new too but am in my 2ww. just to let you know the injections are fine, i was told to do them at the same time which i did at about 9.30pm. You will quickly get used to them.

lumi · Post by **lumi** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:29 pm

There is one excellent advantage about self injecting - loads of admiration and praise from DH!! He was so proud - never been treated so well!!

randa2006 · Post by **randa2006** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:34 pm

Hello,
Just wanted to reiterate the point someone made about warming the meds before injection - makes a HUGE difference in comfort. Of course you don't want to take them out of the frig too long before because they are supposed to be kept refrigerated for a reason. We took ours out of the frig about an hour before injection time - big difference, trust me!
I also had both pen and needles. They told us to use the fatty part under your belly button area or in the back of your upper arm. I bruised a bit toward the end. Really wasn't bad at all though. We also said a little prayer before each injection.
Hope that helps! Best to you!

ogr1 · Post by **ogr1** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:42 pm

i hated needles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

but i did fine for all of my shots.. some of the needles where pretty long and dh had to give them to me unn the upper part of my bottom. andwe did have to have them at the same time..

i am glad that you have foundthis forum..
it is the best..

taylorjools · Post by **taylorjools** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:58 pm

Hi Sher8 & Kelly

- well done for giving up smoking. I gave up when I had my back operation in 2000 for nearly a year but started again when I went back to work (GRRRRRRRRRRRR)

just gave up for good last weekend (I was a 40 a day girl, enough said I already feel guilty enough) I've decided this is it, never again, and apart form the health issues (try surfing on "smoking and fertility" takes about 30 seconds to get the point) we are "broke" and need all our money for baby making...

Funny thing, at the GP this morning I could smell smoke on him! Just think only after a week - I had no idea he was a puffer!!!

when I had the IUI I used to drag dh into the bathroom with me every morning at 06.30, before I got the train to London and made him watch me do it! (poor baby). I used a spring loaded injector, it kind of goes "ping" when you press the button, I called it my "ping Ding" (Ding means thing in German), and injected in my thighs. Had a few bruises and it does hurt a bit - but as already said get the meds to room temp and it's much better. In the big picture of things it's nothing - just think how bad period pains can be and that's a million zillion times worse

.

Love and kisses and welcome

JulieT

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