Beta injection tips?

[hope32]

I've been on Betaseron since December, after about a year and a half on Copaxone (off and on; I had twins during that time so I was off it for quite a while).

The flulike side effects have finally gotten better just recently, but injection pain has been worse since I moved up to the full dose. And just recently, seems to have gotten even worse; I now have a few injection sites that have remained tender and painful for several weeks, and it seems like I'm drawing blood pretty frequently when I inject, too, even though I'm careful to avoid visible veins.

Anyone else have this problem? If so, do you have any tips that might help? I switched from Copaxone largely b/c of injection site reactions and was thrilled at first by how painless Beta shots seemed by comparison; hoping they won't always be as painful as they are now!

[Toomnyhats]

Have you called your Beta nurse about this? I have found them to be extremely helpful. I don't think I've ever drawn blood so your nurse might be the best person to talk to about that.
My nurse suggested moving my thigh shots for towards the outside to alleviate the injection site reactions. Didn't work, but now I don't see them as easily!
I gave up on the back of my arms, hurts too much. Guarenteed every time I had a shot there it would burn & be painful.

dx 10/08
Beta Babe since 12/08

[prgrbasa]

I agree, call your Beta nurse. Mine was always extremely helpful. When I was on Beta I had more problems with site reactions (and other side effects) than Copax, so I really don't have any helpful tips. Well, except for skip your arms. My arms never adjusted to the injections and it was just too painful. I've had that issue with Beta and Copax, so I think that area is just too sensitive for me.

[Bob698]

Indeed, call Beta first. Are you using the auto-injector? Are you very thin?
If its any help, I don't use the auto injector. I go really slow and find an injection site that doesn't feel painful as soon as the needle touches my skin. I also make sure the alchohol on my skin has fully dried before I inject.
Its possible you may be allergic to the albumin in the Beta or maybe you missed something the first time you did your shot training.

[hope32]

I did ask the nurse last time she called to check in on me (though not about drawing blood) and she didn't really have anything new to suggest. She did suggest at training that I skip my arms though (always a trouble spot for me with Copaxone) so I just rotate between the 5 other spots. That has been a nice change. I can ask her again and see; I was just hoping some people who have "been there done that" might have some advice for me.

[hope32]

And I think I might have to try doing them without the auto-injector. I meant to try that with Copaxone but ended up switching meds with me. This is the third different auto-injector I've had and maybe it's just me, but it seems like after a couple months they start injecting faster (too fast) than they did at first.

[lorib]

This is just my experience but I usually injected into my bottom. I would rotate those shots with my stomach, but when I injected there I'd have a kind of big red mark for awhile.

For advice, make sure the alcohol is dry or else it will burn when the needle passes through your skin. I liked doing the shots in my rear because if the site was red it didn't matter, but I never had any problems. I'm not sure why no one else ever talks about injecting there. . .