Hi all!
I am nearly 5 months into Copaxone injections and wanted to share a few tips of things I wish I had known when I started.
So, I am a needlephobe. Yeah. I figured I'd get over it, and I guess I kind of did. I am a lean man, which I never thought would be a bad thing, until I had to take a daily sub-q shot.
2 weeks into injections, I had to ditch the Autoject. It just didn't work for me. It hurt. I couldn't get the depth right (even at 4 for all sites on a lean person). And mostly, I was scared to press the button! Sometimes I'd sit there for 20 minutes before finally pushing it, then I would jump and the needle would come out and I'd have to shove it back in quick before all the Copaxone came out.
So, I switched to manual injections about 2 weeks in. Yeah, for a needlephobe it was scary. But here's how I did it, and here's what I learned:
1) Pinch good. I do it nice and tight. You don't need a lot of skin in that pinch. I found the tighter I pinched (within reason, don't hurt yourself) that the prick of the needle hurts less.
2) Before you take that cap off...push the plunger. It will make it slightly easier to begin the plunge once you're in.
3) Needle orientation is important! I didn't realize the needle has a shape |/ Since you go in at a 45 degree angle, you'd think you want the pointy side to go in first...I found it hurt less if the other side went in first. I know, sounds wrong, but it hurts me less.
4) Don't look if you're a needlephobe. I get the needle where I want it and in the right orientation, then don't look while I poke. Once I've poked, I make sure I am in all the way, then plunge, then look away while I pull it back out.
I found that I wanted to be able to do my shot just about anywhere, like if I was out to dinner, or with friends. So, I do my shot with no hot packs or cold packs. It took some getting used to, but I found I didn't need them after awhile.
And YES, there will be a period where the injection gets itchy, and YES, believe people when they say at 4 months it goes away. I didn't believe it, but then it just cleared up for me. Now I hardly ever get welts. Maybe a little redness. I do have a lump for about 2 days at each site, but nothing major.
I've also shaved my stomach (ah yes, a guy) as the abdomen shots would get very irritated with my hairy belly rubbing against the injection site. It feels silly that I do this, but I know it helps.
I have gotten that terrible post site reaction they tell you only 13% of people get. And yes, it's terrible! You'll know right away if you've gotten it. Your head will get hot before the plunger is all the way in. I then got a rapid heartbeat, and breathing. I mistakenly laid down. You're supposed to sit up. It kept up like that for about an hour until it calmed down. But then I had the chills for about 2 more hours. After that a rushing feeling for about a day. This is what happens when you happen to inject into a vein. It's supposedly rare. My neuro thought I was just getting sick. Hmph. I read all the documentation, and know what's up. I called SS and told them too.
Anyway, I hope that helps someone out!
T.
I am nearly 5 months into Copaxone injections and wanted to share a few tips of things I wish I had known when I started.
So, I am a needlephobe. Yeah. I figured I'd get over it, and I guess I kind of did. I am a lean man, which I never thought would be a bad thing, until I had to take a daily sub-q shot.
2 weeks into injections, I had to ditch the Autoject. It just didn't work for me. It hurt. I couldn't get the depth right (even at 4 for all sites on a lean person). And mostly, I was scared to press the button! Sometimes I'd sit there for 20 minutes before finally pushing it, then I would jump and the needle would come out and I'd have to shove it back in quick before all the Copaxone came out.
So, I switched to manual injections about 2 weeks in. Yeah, for a needlephobe it was scary. But here's how I did it, and here's what I learned:
1) Pinch good. I do it nice and tight. You don't need a lot of skin in that pinch. I found the tighter I pinched (within reason, don't hurt yourself) that the prick of the needle hurts less.
2) Before you take that cap off...push the plunger. It will make it slightly easier to begin the plunge once you're in.
3) Needle orientation is important! I didn't realize the needle has a shape |/ Since you go in at a 45 degree angle, you'd think you want the pointy side to go in first...I found it hurt less if the other side went in first. I know, sounds wrong, but it hurts me less.
4) Don't look if you're a needlephobe. I get the needle where I want it and in the right orientation, then don't look while I poke. Once I've poked, I make sure I am in all the way, then plunge, then look away while I pull it back out.
I found that I wanted to be able to do my shot just about anywhere, like if I was out to dinner, or with friends. So, I do my shot with no hot packs or cold packs. It took some getting used to, but I found I didn't need them after awhile.
And YES, there will be a period where the injection gets itchy, and YES, believe people when they say at 4 months it goes away. I didn't believe it, but then it just cleared up for me. Now I hardly ever get welts. Maybe a little redness. I do have a lump for about 2 days at each site, but nothing major.
I've also shaved my stomach (ah yes, a guy) as the abdomen shots would get very irritated with my hairy belly rubbing against the injection site. It feels silly that I do this, but I know it helps.
I have gotten that terrible post site reaction they tell you only 13% of people get. And yes, it's terrible! You'll know right away if you've gotten it. Your head will get hot before the plunger is all the way in. I then got a rapid heartbeat, and breathing. I mistakenly laid down. You're supposed to sit up. It kept up like that for about an hour until it calmed down. But then I had the chills for about 2 more hours. After that a rushing feeling for about a day. This is what happens when you happen to inject into a vein. It's supposedly rare. My neuro thought I was just getting sick. Hmph. I read all the documentation, and know what's up. I called SS and told them too.
Anyway, I hope that helps someone out!
T.
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