humira injection

XxxHollyDollyxxX

hello my name is holly and i am 19 years old and have psoriatic athritis i have been on humira injections for about 7 months and i honestly don't no how to cope im so frightened because i no its going to hurt but it is the only medication that has helped me so if anyone has any ideas how i could prepare or distract myself from the injection itself please let me no
thank you

tkachev

Hi Holly,

It is good news it helps you. I do find the injections can sting at times but it seems worse for me when there is air in the syringe. Can you just gently expel some of the air out before hand and I'm sure they show you how in the instructions. I also inject in the stomach and pinch an area of flesh first, then stick the needle in, release the flesh and then carry on with the injecting.

Hope that makes sense!

Elizabeth x

marrianne

Hi Holly,Well the main thing its helping you to keep well ,Sorry your so scared and still dont feel confident,I wonder if you could explain to the rhuemy how you feel ,maybe someone competent could do them for you or your g/p .....they usualy have a nurse on hand if you live close please keep in touch and let us know how you go on take care of your self to Marrianne

phoenixoxo

Hi Holly,

Sorry you're having a tricky time with your injections. I'm on Enbrel, but I've been on Humira too. It goes without saying that we're all different, but I find that injecting my legs rather than my tummy is less painful. I prefer to go slowly rather than apply the standard 'sharp scratch' favoured by nurses so it feels little more than a pinprick. And the stinging sensation can be helped by scratching your other leg, for example, as this tricks the brain into focusing less on the injection, so I've been told. Or, following up on Marrianne's suggestion, perhaps you could arrange for a district nurse visit through your surgery?

Hope things get easier soon,
Phoebe

XxxHollyDollyxxX

hi guys thank you all for your advice il take all of it on bored im on the pen and my boyfrened dose the injection for me the nurse sed it probably hurts me because im very skinny from a wight problem due to previous medication but im putting on weight now so im hoping that will help and i will try my best to relaxe some more and thank you marrianne for all your support and everyone

marrianne

Hi Holly,Hope your feeling better ,your sounding better re the injections ,Thanks to boyfriend and your being brave ,I would feel exactly the same and keep tucking in I am so glad you are coping really well with that to dont forget to post as we care what happens and also on the young persons forum Marrianne

cthornley

Hi Holly
Where do you inject? - I was told originally it hurt less in the stomach however I have a completely flat stomach (stealth boast :oops: ) and find that the top of my thigh is far better as there is something to inject into.
Do you let your pen/ injection warm up to room temp (take it out of the fridge 10mins or so before you use it)? This should help it not hurt so much.
I keep the little wipe thingy in the fridge until I need it so it’s a bit colder when I use it, so its a tiny bit numb when I inject.
Try not to focus on the injection, try to do it when you are relaxed either sat on a comfy chair or sitting up in bed. I used to have a terrible needle phobia before I was diagnosed and if you told me at 18 that I’d be injecting myself now I would have laughed at you. But after the billions of blood tests I’ve had over the years I seem to have taken to it ok. I sometimes do tense up before I inject but I really force myself to relax when I do it by taking deep breaths and focusing on something else – telly or radio is always on when I do it so I’m not just focussing on the needle if that makes sense.
I’m sure you’ll get better at it
Chrissie

dreamdaisy

Hi, I do empathise with this as my first humira jab (done by a nurse who had never done one before) was a total shocker. That made me all the more determined to do it for myself and although it is not pleasant I get by. I too have the pre-filled pen (the lack of control of the rate of the jab is irksome) and like Chrissie I take it out from the fridge to warm through - I give it about 20 minutes. Being a nicely flabby middle-aged woman I use my stomach area (there are fewer nerves there) and oddly enough have discovered that if I am in a temper when doing it it all goes so much more smoothly! I was in a vile mood on Monday morning so did it straight from the fridge. It was fine, no twangs or stings - evidence of mind over matter perhaps?

If you do inject into your thigh make sure the muscles are relaxed - do it sitting, preferably on a bed with your legs out straight; if you do it standing the muscles are under tension and that can increase pain levels. Hats off to the boyfriend for playing his part - my husband stays with me if I'm feeling wobbly about it, then makes me a cuppa. I usually do my injection last thing at night so I can go straight to bed but I was too tired on Sunday to consider it, hence Monday. I wish you well and I hope it is helping you. Keep in touch. DD