Progesterone injections

Hi all. I’m on a frozen transfer cycle and rather than pessaries this time, it’s been suggested that I have intramuscular progesterone. I know that these are painful injections. I’m training my other half to do them- just spent part of the afternoon teaching him with an orange. Anyone had any experience having them-I’m a bit nervous of them?

[DianeArnold Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Hi Zoe_waning. Try not to worry. You could try melting an ice cube on the spot to help numb the area before injecting. Or you could ask your GP for some Emla cream. This is put on in a blob like a marble, but do not rub in. Leave it for half and hour and the lignocaine numbs the area. Wipe it off and off you go. You need a clear dressing to cover it while waiting. Doc will write those up too. Hope this helps and good luck! Diane

[Daisy-Mae]

Hi there, I had the exact same and I got myself into such a state over it all. All I can say is please don’t panic and it’s honestly not as bad as you think it will be. Inject quite high up in the muscle not in the fleshy cheek bit and give it a big rub afterwards.

If you look on my posts I asked the same question and panicked a lot and people replied with really helpful advice.

Good luck xx

[Hidden in reply to Daisy-Mae]

Thank you so much!

[Asweetpea]

I have to have these and am trying not to get stressed. Also I am going to have to teach myself as hubby is m away for a week with work!!!! Oh and am terrified of needles.

Deep breath and think about the end result and the whole reason we are doing this to ourselves!!!

[Hidden in reply to Asweetpea]

Oh I feel for you. If you live in west London, I would volunteer to come do them for you! Thank you for your support. Xxx

[Asweetpea in reply to Hidden]

Lol thanks so sweet of you. I am only in south east London so not too far. Haha

I have some friends nearby so should be ok if I freak out tooooo much doing it myself.

Good luck to you hope they go ok.x

[Sarah_S]

I'm on these at the moment and I don't find them too bad at all. The needle is very fine and goes in easily, and the fluid doesn't sting like some injections. That's my experience anyway. I'm doing them in the morning, with a pessary at night. I find it easier and pretty painless after a shower x

[Hidden in reply to Sarah_S]

Thanks- the needle looks pretty hefty although normal for an I.m injection. I’m medically trained and we were always told that intramuscular were one of the most painful. Better just get my big girl pants on

[Sarah_S in reply to Hidden]

Oh maybe I've got it wrong then - I inject mine into my stomach in the fat layer, so maybe mine are different and not intramuscular? Sorry for wrong information! x

[Hidden in reply to Sarah_S]

No worries! It’s the support that counts! I mentioned being medically trained because sometimes having an idea beforehand isn’t helpful

Good luck to you xxx

[RidleyNL]

Just want to hop on and say really good luck with this! So glad you’ve had reassurance above as my experience with them wasn’t great tbh 😢 but everyone is different and I heard the numbing cream is helpful. I was doing mine through winter and we actually found that warming up the vial of fluid before injecting helped the most with the pain, so that’s an option if you need it. Definitely rubbing after and keeping moving as much as poss to dissipate the medicine is best (even if you don’t feel like it!). Did your clinic give you a solid argument for using these over pessaries? Am curious as mine couldn’t offer any concrete evidence at all so I am going back to pessaries next round. Wishing you the best and I am in NW London if you ever fancy a catch up about the wonderful world of Ivf in person haha x

[Hidden in reply to RidleyNL]

Thank you. Good tip re warming. There isn’t much concrete evidence for injections over pessaries. I bled before my test date last time so I was happy to try another progesterone delivery system- blood levels are higher with injections but whether this translate should to more success is debated.

If this round doesn’t work and I don’t like them then I would probably reconsider too!

[RidleyNL in reply to Hidden]

Yes that’s what my consultant told me - injecting means the progesterone is delivered more directly into the blood stream - but then I was subsequently told twice by another junior doctor on his team that there’s no concrete evidence and that ‘some doctors just prescribe the injections to make themselves feel better’. Hearing that when I was feeling dreadful from them was a little 😫🤯🤬 to say the least. Yet another ringing endorsement for the clinic being so joined up.. ANYWAY!! We’re refusing them next round because as my husband quite rightly said, surely the stress and pain of them far outweighs any benefit (for me at least). If you are west London, I wonder if we are at the same clinic...? Keeping everything crossed for you that you find them a breeze and have more success 😬

[lucylou3]

Put the vial down your bra for an hour or so before injecting, helps loads!

Good luck! xx