injecting mtx

joon51
joon51 Member Posts: 221
edited 5. Oct 2010, 12:10 in Living with Arthritis archive
Morning to all on yet another wet and windy day. I've got an appointment with my rheumy nurse on the 18th of this month, I am currently taking 25mg mtx, apparently she wants to discuss about injecting mtx, well we all have our phobias and yes needles are mine, even blood tests ( I am a Wimp) can't even look at a needle.

Is it a normal looking injection :?: or is it like those what diabetics use :?:

Are we expected to do it ourselves :?:

I have still not got a certain diagnosis, some kind of inflammatory arther when I started to cut down on the steroids my symptoms started to come back, do you think that might be why they want to try injecting :?:

Junexx

Comments

  • tillytop
    tillytop Member Posts: 3,460
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Joon!

    Normally I would expect someone to go on to injected mtx only if they can't cope with the tabs (I think injected meth is more expensive, so they try tabs first). If you are coping with the tabs and have a serious needle phobia, seems daft to ask you to inject unless there is another good reason for it. And, even if they will do it for you, it still means a weekly visit to your GP or hospital which could be a pain.

    The only other thing I could think of is that Dorcas has mentioned before that injected meth is more potent so maybe because you are on the max dose of tabs, they think you might get more benefit from 25mg if it was iinjected. Not sure if that's right, but just a thought.

    If the nurse doesn't come up with a good reason for changing to injected meth tho, I would be tempted to stick to your guns and say you want to stay on the tabs.

    Good luck for 18th!

    Tilly x
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    If you are needle-phobic then don't acquiesce. If you are not having any problems on the tablets then stay on them. One of the ideas behind injected meth is to try to avoid nausea, as the gunk by-passes the stomach. I do my own injections but I am not allowed to do the meth one - my hospital brews the stuff, much like this,

    p040.gif

    and then I have to go up once a week to be stabbed. It is a nuisance and an inconvenience. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • joon51
    joon51 Member Posts: 221
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Thanks Tilly thanks DD Something for me too think about, Like the brewing :lol::lol:

    Hope you feeling alot better DD.

    Junexx
  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,773
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi June

    I am a needle phobe too :shock: s050.gif

    EEEek!!

    ask her why she wants to torture you!!

    Love

    Toni xx
  • Wonkylegs
    Wonkylegs Member Posts: 3,504
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    HI JUne

    I feel for you as I know only too well the needle issue thing :oops: :oops:

    I always had a hatred of needles - long story - but have managed to get used to blood tests etc.

    MTX tablets were no good for me for two reasons - they weren't working well enough, and they made me really really sick. :(

    Changing to injections meant that I absorbed more of the same dose, and I experienced fewer side effects :D the difference for me was amazing, and for a while I felt my life was getting back to something that I could manage to think of as 'normal'.

    FOr the first year I had to go down to the hospital each week for my injections ..... long journey for 5 mins in the building, but that was ok.

    Then they taught me to self-inject ...... I managed, but it was never easy. FOr me, I receive prefilled syringes and have to put the needle onto the syringe, then inject. I don't have a problem with the practical bit .... just the sticking it into myself bit.

    I struggled on doing it getting more and more worked up each week,, until frankly I went to pieces, and would rather miss a dose than do the jab, which was silly and self-defeating really as my treament was hit and miss :roll: :roll:

    I talked to my rheumatology nurse and my GP, and we sorted out that I would go to my surgery each week and my Practice nurse (or my GP if the nurse is away) does my jab. she already did my bloods and it has worked out so well. She did have to have a bit of training first though.

    Now I find that the hospital are determined that they 'want me to regain my independence' :shock: :shock: and they are pushing me to start injecting myself.

    Having had some therapy recently I have learned that it is possible to receive therapy from a psychotherapist for just such a problem, and I will be asking for this kind of help if they really want me to do this, as I know from bitter experience that not dealing with the actual problem, and just trying to ignore it, well that didn't work for me :wink:

    SO, what i really wanted to say to you is ..... if there are good clinical reasons for moving to MTX injections, then there are ways and means of them sorting this without you injecting yourself.

    If you decide that you want to try it .... then you might want to ask about psychological help to overcome your fear.

    Hope that helps a bit .... and sorry it was so long-winded.

    WOnky
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