Hello,
My mom got diagnosed with ET a few months back and just got started on Pegasys. She had her first injection today by the nurse in her upper arm. I understand that is a legitimate subcutaneous injection site, but from reading the posts here, it sounds like the most common site is the stomach. Anybody take this in their upper arm like this? Could this reduce the efficiency of the medication? Thanks in advance!
No it won't alter efficiency. It is just easier to inject around stomach/hip area when you have to do it yourself. Do not inject within 2 inches around the navel though, there are a lot of blood vessels around that region.
Thanks for the reply! We'll make sure to avoid that region when we have to start injecting ourselves.
Thank you for that little nugget. I wish I had been told about that earlier because that is just about where I do it every time. No wonder it usually hurts!
Hi, I inject in stomach and alt sides each week . I also use EMLA cream on the site beforehand . Don’t feel a thing ! Brilliant . Been on Peg for a year and feeling great . I was needle phobic and went to surgery at first but decided to do it myself and not looked back . I inject at 8 o’clock in eve and go to bed at 10 ish . Sleep well. I used to take paracetamol in case felt unwell at first but no side effects so stopped . Hope this reassures you . Good luck 😊
Hi depending on how often you inject you may have to vary it. I inject into stomach fat, avoiding visible viens and I get large red spots on injection site. When I mentioned this to consultant she tapped her right thigh, stomach and left thigh. So now I inject right thigh and stomach. When I tried left thigh I messed up injecting - the only time in 15 years. Being right handed that site was difficult to do. Injecting into fat is painless. Good luck.
Stomach or upper leg for me. I’ve found upper leg the most comfortable 👍
Thanks for the reply! Merry Christmas!
Hi there,
Pegasys Interferon is a long acting drug and needs to be injected into the subcutaneous layer of fat, This is good at retaining it so it leaks out slowly and gives us a regular dose (this allows us time between injections). Most of us have the thickest fat on our stomach so injecting there is good for this reason and also it is easy to reach. Of course though it is the patient's own decision and they should do what they find comfortable. I find that this layer of fat is less likely to bleed than areas where the fat is thinner, so that is another reason I choose that area. I was told to make my injection sites in a triangle shape, moving round each time. This reduces the chances of one area of skin being overburdened and developing problems. Reassure your Mom that having to inject seems really strange at first but it quickly just becomes part of your routine. I hope everything goes well for your Mom - she is lucky to have such a supportive and helpful daughter.
Good luck and best wishes,
Purr-cat
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