Dear Pete:
I came across this forum while doing a search to remind myself whether I had to keep the two pieces of the autoinjector together after pressing the "trigger." I registered in order to respond to your post.
I completely sympathize. I've been injecting myself for about
six weeks using the autoinject device. I've already started to dread it and have "accidentally" skipped some injections, although I'm now trying to ride herd on myself because, as you noted, one has to do what's necessary to control this horrible disease. (Which fortunately, I have only in a very mild form so far.) And I have no one to do it for me.
As for the injection itself, I try to do it as quickly as possible -- pausing to think only increases the anxiety. This is more easily said than done because getting ready to take the shot is always something of a production.
***Most important, I try to remember that the injection itself is usually no more painful than the feeling of having a rubberband snapped against one's skin. What are painful and irritating are the sting, the welt, the redness, the hardening of the skin underneath. It's hard not to associate the popping sound of the trigger and intense stinging, although it comes from the medication, not the needle.
I've called Shared Solutions a few times and although they are always friendly and helpful, I suspect they're giving me the party line. They claim that the stinging lessens in time, but over the past few weeks, it has been getting worse, not better. I've been told I can apply some kind of cortisone cream to relieve the itching, but they don't seem to realize that I'd be using it day in day out, which is not usually recommended.
I've also tried using the heating pad they sent me once for five minutes, followed by one minute of ice. As usual, I applied pressure to the wound for a few minutes with a ball of sterile cotton before using the ice. It didn't make a difference. Obviously, I need to try the heat and ice combo at least a few more times before giving up on them.
I was also told unofficially that the stinging might be lessened if I used soap and water to cleanse the injection site instead of the alcohol wipe, but that I should check with my doctor. I have an appointment to discuss that.
I've been trying to look on the positive side by viewing the after-injection waiting time as guilt-free web-surfing time, the dessert after the spinach. It's hard, but not impossible to type with only one hand because the other's applying the cotton ball.
I'm also trying to remember to experiment with settings for the autoinjector (I've been wary, because I don't want more discomfort than I already have.). One day I hope to work up to manual injection, although doing the nondominant arm looks hard. Even doing it with the autoinjector is a challenge.
Good Luck!
Post Edited (Member) : 5/26/2006 2:17:29 PM (GMT-6)