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    #16
    newbie.... all the nurses told me to use heat before as well. but icing really does seem to be better. i like the feel of the heat more, but i will do anything to make the pain better.

    since i've been using ice before and after, i have not had near the pain. i can handle it much much better now. before, i was ready to give up!

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      #17
      heat vs ice

      The nurse told me the heat was to plump up the fat cells to make the injection easier, and then ice after to ease the pain/swelling/bruising.

      But if ice works for you before and after, good for you!

      So far I haven't used anything, but I think I will switch back to manual for a while...seemed to work better for minimizing site reactions.
      Prob MS 9-14-04; Dx PPMS 9-16-11; RRMS 12-15-11
      Ampyra 10mg 2xday
      Copaxone 1/20/12

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        #18
        lump like an egg on my thigh

        i am on day 4 of injections using the autoeject. First 3 days not even a mark today wowzer!!! A huge lump on my left thigh. Have to wonder now am i doing this right??? Do you us a 45 degree angle on the side or do you use a 90 degree angle and shoot straight down when doing the thighs??

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          #19
          Originally posted by down but not out View Post
          i am on day 4 of injections using the autoeject. First 3 days not even a mark today wowzer!!! A huge lump on my left thigh. Have to wonder now am i doing this right??? Do you us a 45 degree angle on the side or do you use a 90 degree angle and shoot straight down when doing the thighs??
          With the autoject you always shoot straight in (90 degrees). The 45 degree angle thing is only if you're injecting manually and don't have enough subcutaneous fat. I still haven't had any large lumps (more like bee sting size), but I would guess that's more likely if your injection is not deep enough (in the skin instead of fat).

          Your training nurse should have helped you determine good autoject number settings (depths) for each injection area, but you might need to experiment a little. In my case I ended up subtracting one from all her suggestions before I got the best results.
          1st sx 11/26/09; Copaxone from 12/1/11 to 7/13/18
          NOT ALL SX ARE MS!

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            #20
            sorry should have been more specific..meant the angle of the thigh not the autoject itself.. I went in on the side of the thigh yesterday but went straight down on my other thigh today and had no reaction so will do it that way from now on..my nurse advised to go from 5 to 6 if i get a reaction but as yesterday was the only time will leave it for now..also per advice from here I kept the autoject straight up after removing cap and then straight in.

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              #21
              I always get terrible lumps when I do my legs, so I have stopped giving them in the legs.

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                #22
                My suggestion - gain weight! I've never had an issue with site reactions. I am probably 40 lbs. overweight, so I think it helps! (At least that is my story, and I'm sticking to it )
                Brenda
                Adversity gives you two choices in life: either let it make you bitter, or let it make you better! I choose the latter.

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                  #23
                  My lumps were far worse if I didn't get it far enough under the surface of the skin. You don't want to go too deep, but maybe a smidge further in that area?

                  Trial and error on your body is no fun at all.

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                    #24
                    I never inject my outer or top thighs. If I can't pinch an inch its a no go. I tried ice this am- much better!
                    Newbie

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                      #25
                      Yay!!...Newbie.
                      I was also reading on another thread and someone said that part of the reaction is because the medicine sometimes touches the skin (normally when using the autoject). I never thought about that, but I believe that is true. When my husband does my shots manually, I don't get the itchy, redness, burning as much. I used my autoject for my stomach and when I was done and pulled away, a drop of the medicine hit my skin. Now I have the itchy, red, burning skin. Hmmm.....interesting!

                      I'm tempted to let him start doing all of my shots manually. (I'm too much of a wimp to do it without the autoject!)

                      Trial and error!!

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                        #26
                        jennyvan- I have heard that too about the med touchig the skin. MY nurse from SS told me I didn't need the suggested cotton ball and to just "grab a napkin if you start to bleed". I now think she's nuts!
                        After reading another post (maybe the same one you read I now keep my needle facing UP and set my auto-ject a bit deeper everywhere. That combined with the ice has improved my experience so much! I should've known heat wasn't the answer- it's an MS'ers enemy!
                        Newbie

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                          #27
                          Newbie.... I'm so glad you're finding something that works for you. I've realized that doctors and nurses can only tell you so much. It really takes someone that is actually experiencing it first hand to give you tips.

                          I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't found this site. It really has saved me! My injections are soooooo much better now since using the tips I've learned here.

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                            #28
                            So even with ice I did end up with crazy itchy lumps. But, strangely enough, I got a new batch of Cop and ... problem solved! Weird..
                            Newbie

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