Well that was fun!

BettyMac
BettyMac Member Posts: 201
edited 21. Jul 2018, 08:39 in Living with Arthritis archive
Cold sore having healed, yesterday was my first dose of Benepali.

I’m used to injecting myself with methotrexate but the device for the biologic is a bit different and I found I couldn’t do it.
Cue husband - who did his best but pushed too hard and jiggled the needle.
It was so painful that I yelped and told him to stop before the 15 seconds were completely up. I don’t think I got the full dose.
The pain went very quickly and the site was fine afterwards.

I woke up a few hours later feeling a bit wheezy and had to use my salbutamol for the first time in years so guess I’ll have to keep an eye on that aspect.

Any tips on making it a painless technique?

Comments

  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    BettyMac wrote:
    Any tips on making it a painless technique?


    Keep your husband well away :wink: Mine has been known to administer my nasal inhaler in a way which implies he thinks the entire thing has to go up my nose :roll:

    Sorry, I can't help but do monitor the airways thing. I think it's been a bad summer, anyway, for those of us who need inhalers - high pollen and no rain to dampen it down. If in doubt ring your rheumatology helpline. Breathing is quite useful :wink:
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • jennand
    jennand Member Posts: 131
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Betty, didn’t the nurse come out to teach & observe you? I started my Erelzi 9 weeks ago. The Healthcare at Home Nurse was brilliant. She gave me all the information about the injection and then showed me how to administer it with a dummy pen first. Then she observed me do my own first one. The following week she came back to observe my second one. Now at this point I will confess that I am a retired registered nurse and as such have given thousands of injections, many of them to newborn, wriggling babies. But it’s a different kettle of fish when you have to give one to yourself. The pen syringe makes it very easy. I find if I hold the pen vertical with both hands over the area ( leg or abdo) and press down firmly but not extremely, start your count. When I get to 10, there is a slight whirring noise, continue counting to 15 then remove the pen. I feel a stinging but not pain. Place a tissue firmly over the area for a minute or so.
    Pain is a very personal sensation. Most people with a painful disease become conditioned to it and just shrug off their “ normal” pain. But introduce a new pain and it hurts like hell. This may be why you felt it so much. Don’t worry, it will eventually ease.
    Not sure about whether the wheezing is associated but remember it is ideal conditions for asthma flares, so could just be that.
    Contact your suppliers advice line to speak to their nurse before your next injection is due.
  • BettyMac
    BettyMac Member Posts: 201
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    Hi Stickywicket - thanks for the response. I shall keep Mr Mac well away from the pointy things from now on!
    :lol:



    Hi Jennand - and thanks for the helpful advice.

    Yes, the excellent nurse did come out - but we were unable to do the real injection because of an erupting cold sore and it had to wait until that had healed properly so Monday was the first time.

    I’m used to administering the Metoject - and don’t really think twice about doing it now. It’s a nifty wee device.
    The Benepali device, however, works slightly differently and I had a bit of a wobble about it all, hence asking my husband to do it.

    I also spent my professional life injecting other people and prided myself on my painless technique - but I’m also a reformed needle phobic, hence some of the reason for the wobble. As you say, different kettles of fish.

    I think at some level I was also questioning the need for such a powerful drug when I’m actually feeling quite well, albeit on the back of a big shot of depomedrone in April.
    Common sense tells me that, having had three nasty flares in the last year, the new drug will be needed when the steroid wears off again so I’ve just got to wo/man up and get on with it!

    I think I’ll contact the HaH nurse and ask her to come and hold my hand for the next injection.

    The bronchospasm was very unusual for me; my asthma is very well controlled and I usually have no signs or symptoms. It settled but I’ve upped my steroid inhaler in the meantime and will mention it to the nurse when I see her.
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I've never had a painless injection at the hands of nurses or docs but I always tell them I never felt a thing. I've always thought their lives are tough enough with ungrateful, unpleasant and rude patients (which many seem to be simply because they are feeling unwell without me adding my two-pennorth of grumbles: ill-health is no excuse for bad manners).

    No way would I let my Spouse loose on the business end of my stuff, he has offered in the past but I made it very clear his job was to make a cuppa and steer clear of the sharps bins (to his mind opened things should be fully closed, he's written off two bins containing only one pen). I no longer waste my breath telling him, if he does it again he can organise the collection and delivery.

    It never fails to interest me how many ex-nurses struggle with doing their injections, stabbing others is a breeze but themselves? It is a different kettle of fish and maybe brings it all home in a way that swallowing tablets does not. Please let us know how you get on with the next one, I hope it is an easier and smoother process. Good luck! DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • BettyMac
    BettyMac Member Posts: 201
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I’ve been in touch with HaH to request another visit from the lovely nurse and am waiting for her to contact me.
    Alas, it looks like the next dose of biologic will be delayed because I’ve developed another bloomin’ cold sore.
    Phone call to the Rheum Dept on Monday, methinks - to see if they want me on something systemic to deal with the herpes virus which seems to be winding itself up to have a right good go at me.

    Hope you’re all having a good weekend.
    Thank goodness we got a wee bit of rain last night. Just another fortnight of the same needed to get rid of the Serengeti which is my back garden at present.
    The presence of squirrels and sparrows, rather than wildebeest and vultures, is the only thing reminding me which continent I’m on.

    🌞
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,697
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
    I hope the cold sores can be sorted. As if things weren't tricky enough...... :roll:
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright