Injection Question?

[SuzanneT]

The injection instructions that came with my Enbrel say to pull back on the plunger to make sure there is no blood before you continue with the injection. I had my friend at work who is a diabetic give me my first injection on Wednesday. He said that he never bothers to do this - he just sticks it in his stomach and injects away! The nurse in my doctor's office said the same thing - that there was virtually no chance of hitting a blood vessel with these short needles. What do you guys think? Do you worry about it? Or just plunge it in full speed ahead? I'm going for my training tomorrow and doing the injection myself. I'm a little squeamish, but I think I can do it! If I can't, then I'll have my DH do it, as he has no problem at all with it. I'd like to know that I can do it myself, though. If he's out of town (occasionally), I don't want to have to depend on finding someone else to do it! :)

[seedoubleyou]

Hi Suzanne: I'm not a bio patient (yet, anyway), but I CAN tell you that as a nursing student, I was instructed NOT to aspirate when administering sub-q injections (like insulin, as you mentioned, and other injectables such as heparin). We DO aspirate with intramuscular injections.

As well, I've witnessed a board participant/long-time Enbrel user administering his injection, and he doesn't aspirate.

Having said that -- if memory serves, I believe I've read posts on the board here by some users indicating they have on occasion hit a blood vessel??

(Gee, I hope I didn't confuse you more!! :rolleyes: )

Best of luck. Funny thing, I'm not needle-shy and I've never had a problem giving someone else an injection, but I kinda wonder how I'd do, SELF-injecting!?!

[MrsSooners74]

As a former user of Enbrel and Raptiva I have come across this issue when I first started both of these medications. Basically, the first time I started Enbrel I followed the directions "by the book" and found it more difficult to pull back on the plunger to see if there was any blood withdrawl.... The couple times that I did try to do it I acutally pulled the whole needle out. So I what I would do is squeeze the skin on my stomach where I was going to inject and just stick it in... I have only had maybe 2 times over the past 3 years where I have hit a tiny blood vessel... Just gave me a little site reaction and of course I was bleeding from the site for a couple of minutes... but I was really fine! I also gave my husband his Raptiva shots for awhile and never hit a one on him..... (At one point I was doing 4 25 mgs shots of enbrel a week and never had a problem.) My husband now can give himself his own shots (so proud of him!!!) About a month ago he got a little nervous because as he injected the medicine he got a little bubble on his skin and when he took the needle out it started to bleed and some of the medication came out..... I think he hit something also but within a day you couldn't even tell that there was anything there... The first time I injected myself I didn't think I could do it... The Physicians Assistant was showing me what to do and the first thing I did was turned my head to the side and closed my eyes. when I was about to stick it in and she yelled out " YOU NEED TO SEE WHAT YOU ARE DOINGQ!!!! My hands were shaking pretty bad too but once I did it... I really said to myself " thats it" The first time is always a little scary but once you get passed that you will be an old pro!!!!!! Good luck to you... if you have any questions PM me anytime!!!!!

[jdeldrid]

I used to do the whole pull back on the plunger thing (as instructed), until I actually hit a vessel. Boy howdy could I tell, no aspiration required. I was bleeding like a stuck pig into the syringe. Since then, I've been fairly confident that I could tell easily, and haven't bothered to check/aspirate.

[lpagano]

I also never pull back, if you hit something you will know it as jdeldrid said. I just jab and plung. Also, I am a big chicken when it comes to needles and I did just fine, after the first time it is no big deal. Good luck.

[SuzanneT]

Cat - that's exactly what the nurse told me!! That an injection into the muscle was different, and that you did need to aspirate (thanks for letting me know what the word for that is :) ) I don't think I'm needle-shy, but when they take my blood, I always look away............. ummmm, maybe I am needle-shy, lol? You'd think after having to give blood every 2 weeks when I was on Soriatane I'd get used to it! Nope :(

MrsSooners - Yes! I bled a lot when he gave it to me in my arm the other day. I finally had to put a bandaid on it to make it stop bleeding. I was at work and didn't want to ruin my sweater! :( Okay, maybe the thing that's freaking me out about the whole thing is pulling back on the plunger!!! I don't think I'll have a problem sticking the needle in, why the heck is pulling the plunger back making me nuts?

Jaye, how funny! I haven't heard "Boy Howdy" in a coon's age :) So... where were you giving yourself the injection when this happened? Your stomach?
Sue

[jdeldrid]

Actually, that was the last time I injected into my thigh. When I talked to the nurse on the enbrel phone line to get a replacement dose, she suggested that my stomach might be easier (it's about the only place I have excess fat). She was absolutely right.

("boy howdy" is from some deep dark part of my long lost southern vocabulary, apparently. I don't think I've said/written it in years, but it seemed appropriate in context)

[MelissaC]

No need to aspirate on a sub q injection. The abdomen is a very good place to self inject as it's an area you can see, you can easily pinch and it's a great place to absorb because of the adipose tissue (fat). Just try and rotate your injections ites. Don't hit the same place everytime or you'll develop scar tissue and it (the medicine) won't be absorbed as well.

[Mybadgenes]

Hi Suzanne,

I inject insulin two to three times a day Plus a weekly injection of MTX all in my little fat tummy. I do use short needles even with the MTX. I make sure that I move around to different sites and occasionally do hit a small vein that will bleed out a little but not much. My rheumy told me recently that I could even use the area above the waist line which I never have. Do you think she noticed there was fatty tissue there too? :) :)

If I have a small bleed I just apply the wipe or cotton ball and hold pressure for a moment.

Good luck....you can do it!! :)

Juanita

[ouchyk]

Sue,

I've never pulled back the plunger...bad me. :o That's great that your DH is willing to help you. My DH runs away when I pull the needle out of the fridge ...

I wonder what they do with the new pen injection system? No muss no fuss?
I think it's a shoot and run type of deal...Maybe you could ask for it next time you order?

The upper arms is one place that I forgot about, I use to shoot there, I had someone help me it's hard to pinch up there and shoot at the same time lol...

I use my tummy for the most part and rotate around that area.

You're doing great!

Karen

[Tottenham]

I am on raptiva and was on embrel ....make sure there are no bubbles aim at a 45 deg angle stab and push the plunger..

[SuzanneT]

BOY HOWDY!!!!!!!!!!!! :) I DID IT!!! :)

Yippee, injected myself in the stomach! I can do this!! :) It didn't hurt like the one my friend did in my arm at all! My arm was really sore for a day after that, but this was nothing! Wow, I was worried about absolutely nothing, this was a piece of cake! I can't even see now where it was. The only problem was the reaction from the bandaid the nurse put on :(

Thanks, guys for the support and for making me feel better:) My daughter looked in the fridge tonight and added up the $$$ for my Enbrel, and said "Wow, I hope the electricity doesn't go off!"

Jaye, I had a friend in college who used to say "Boy Howdy", and every time she said it I used to crack up:)!!! Thanks, you made me smile :)

[cakp12]

Congratulations!!! Hope it works well for you

[FlakeyMatt]

BOY HOWDY!!!!!!!!!!!! :) I DID IT!!! :)

Yippee, injected myself in the stomach! I can do this!! :) It didn't hurt like the one my friend did in my arm at all! My arm was really sore for a day after that, but this was nothing! Wow, I was worried about absolutely nothing, this was a piece of cake! I can't even see now where it was. The only problem was the reaction from the bandaid the nurse put on :(

Thanks, guys for the support and for making me feel better:) My daughter looked in the fridge tonight and added up the $$$ for my Enbrel, and said "Wow, I hope the electricity doesn't go off!"

Jaye, I had a friend in college who used to say "Boy Howdy", and every time she said it I used to crack up:)!!! Thanks, you made me smile :)

Glad to hear!!!!!!!!! It has been my experience that most people are quite surpised at how easy it is to give themselves these injections.

I also always tell people that whatever inconvenience the injection may be it is NOTHING compared to the pain/discomfort of p/pa

Good Luck F.M.