How to Significantly Reduce Humira Injection Pain

That's a great tip- thanks for sharing it. Hope you stick around and share more of your hints here for us- welcome!:)

Thanks for joining just to post this tip. Very helpful. I know as a doctor with UC you probably don't have a whole lot of free time but it would sure be nice to have a real doctor with UC as a member to bounce things off of once in a while. I imagine you would have a legitimate fear though of it developing into an unwanted second practice and since something different works in everyone it would be hard to have an online practice, not to mention you don't want to undercut what the other members' doctors are doing. I hope you continue to post once in a while.

I started taking Humira more than two years ago because I was having a flare about every 10-11 months requiring prednisone, beginning at 60 mg. My UC never extended beyond 30 cm (about one foot), so it was mild in its length. I had to use pred for longer than usual last time, with a side effect, and my doc didn't want me on pred that often over so many years (diagnosed in 1995). Multiple courses of pred is not a good idea. I started Humira April 2013 and have not had a flare since. I found the injections brief but quite painful, until I started using the topical anesthetic. It is imperative to let it sit on your skin, covered with tape, for about two full hours, to let it penetrate into the subcutaneous tissues. Putting it on for an hour or less won't really help. I originally tried a thigh injection and didn't like it. I mark my skin about one finger-length lateral to my umbilicus. After applying and covering the EMLA, I just put on a shirt and go about my activities, setting a timer for two hours. Then wipe it off and do your injection as usual. The last couple of seconds still hurt, but much less so. Overal I'd say it reduces the pain 80-90% if done correctly.
The only side effect I've had (assumed but not proven, since I take other meds), was a skin rash on my legs, with round red lesions. It gradually went away but took about three months. Otherwise, no problems.
By the way, I am a retired physician so I don't practice anymore.

When the nurse came to my house to show me how to do the injections on myself (she wanted me to do them which I was fine with) she said the top of the thigh while sitting down is generally less painful than in the tummy which for me is true cuz I had my first 4 loading doses done by a doctor (Progress insisted due to me having a history of allergic reactions to other meds) and they really hurt having them done on my tummy from the first one to the 4th one they all hurt, for me the thigh is way less painful and most times it doesn't hurt much at all, but she did say that icing the area first is helpful however I've never found the need because as I said they didn't hurt too much in the top of my thigh.

Leaving the pen sit out for at least 20 minutes makes a huge difference, the medication is at room temp and no stinging that way and the needle is so thin and short that it barely hurts me.