One fellow here had reported problems at his injection site, due to Firmagon (Degarelix). I have these injections monthly in my stomach area, and I don't have such big problems; so last week, I asked my nurse, "What are your tricks?" She said:
1) Pinch the skin of the stomach using index finger and thumb. Pinch about 2 inches of the skin and inject into it. (I lie on my back, so her pinch pulls the skin upward, opposite gravity). This makes the pain of the pinch is much worse than the pain of the injection!
2) Do a quick injection. She's usually done in a few seconds.
Typically, I feel irritation on the stomach injection site for a few days, but it's as a bee sting. It goes away in a few days.
I'm hopeful this helps the other fellows having trouble.
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Firmagon is monthly and creates a painful site reaction that lasts days...forms a hard mass below the skin the slowly dissolves (months) and stretches the abdominal skin and difficult to lose the site stretch after. Much different than Lipton shots.
I found the best tip...is stop using Firmagon. I switched to Orgovyx (new FDA approved oral with same effect as Firmagon). The 2-3 days of pain, the monthly appointment and the more pronounced side effects of hot flashes and lethargy just were not worth it. Drug cost support programs are available.
To add my experience with getting approval for Orgovyx: I too am on Medicare but do not have Part D plan, so I receive no drug coverage under Medicare. My supplemental insurer is BCBS. I was able to get coverage for this drug thru them but not without some effort. You must first submit a request for pre-authorization (PA) signed by your doctor. The folks at Opdivo will help you with this. Once the the PA is denied you have to file an appeal (again, Opdivo folks will do this for you). As a result you should receive approval for a monthly script good for one year, at which time you repeat the process. Mine was approved fairly quickly with a requirement of a $10 copay per 30 day supply thru Orgovyx's premium supplement program. While you’re awaiting approval Orgovyx will give you 2 month of the drug for free. I received my long-term script approval before I ran out of my first 30 day supply from Orgovyx. It’s a cumbersome process but well worth it to give up the monthly, painful shots from Firmagon or Lupron. For me the side effect are no different except that Orgovyx offers a lower risk factor for CVD. Hope this helps.
John I wish I had your sense of humor! If I did, I might actually have some friends! Saw your comment elsewhere about helping your Uncle Jack off a horse. Amazing! Have a perfect week!
There's more...1) The needle should be at a 45-degree angle, 2) The needle withdrawal should not begin until after 60 seconds after injection, 3) Having an ice pack on the injection site before and afterward. All of this is in the instructions manual from the drug manufacturer.
Nice work New Age. Thanks! The information was there all along, as you say!
My first shot was firmagon one month. It took my PSA right down. Then I was switched to Lupron. I think firmagon is more costly but superior. Monthly shots of any type are to me a great pain in the you know what .
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