Hi,
Does anyone have any tips on how to not be so worried about injecting myself?, the needle isn’t painful at all it’s just the thought.
This is my 4th week on benepali now and I’m still struggling. I don’t want to give up on the drug. It has worked amazingly for me.
It’s so hard. I hate this disease.
Is it the pen you've got? It helps me that I can't see the needle. As it's going in, I visualise it "melting" away all the pain and stiffness in my joints, and try to think about myself doing an activity I couldn't do before I started taking Benepali - zumba for me! I find the injections sting, but always think that it's a small price to pay for the benefit it has given me. x
Yeah I have the pen, it doesn’t even hurt. I just can’t get myself to push it down. So frustrating!!, I feel like a completely new person. I wish I could just push the pen quickly. I normally leave my pen out for a couple of hours so I don’t feel the liquid. I find I can do more weight resistant training at the gym since I’ve been on this injection. Just so frustrating!
Thank you for your reply x
Cydney 96,
A helpful hint for injecting: Although you say it is not very painful, it does help for injections under the skin to lift a fold of skin between finger and thumb to pinch it a little. Then slowly introduce the needle at the base of the fold of skin that you have between finger and thumb. The theory is that your brain feels the pinch rather than the needle. It works for me and for animals!. Please believe me when I say the sensitive animals tolerate injections very well this way Even needles as thick as a pencil-led can be slid through the skin this way!!and do not react as much. It was my job until I had to stop in 2013 so I speak with experience! Even needles as thick as a pencil-lead can be introduced this way! Our tiny Humira needles are quite literally a pin-prick!
HTH?
Hi Cidney 96 , is it an all in one pen your using if so just grab your skin so it's bunched up then go for it, I take mine out of the fridge a couple of hours before I use it was stinging at first when I went on them as I was taking them out of the fridge and using them right away, I also alternate from each side off stomach to thigh each week, once you start it will become easier each week as you get used to doing it
Yeah it’s the all in one pen. I just find it hard to push it down. Sounds so silly. I leave them out for a couple of hours, otherwise it does sting.
Thank you x
I hate the injections as well but just say to myself just get on with it and I would count to ten while doing it. I also found the sterile wipes didn't help the stinging so I would wait until it was almost dry on the site. Is there anyone who can do the injection for you ?
Take care
Is there a specific worry that you have? I won't give any examples in case I create a needless worry 
(My MIL self-injects for B12 as she's so active that she could never manage a decent schedule with the surgery nurse. She had lots of worries at the outset but has relatively found the actual self-injection to be a piece of cake.)
No, not a specific worry. I just don’t like it 😂. I’m still getting used to it. I’m sure I’ll get there x
Have you seen the 5 second trick by Mel Robins? It works really well for these kinds of things. I may be switching to the injection soon and will use this technique x
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Ahh . . . veeery interesting, hope-always316. 🤔
Thank you kindly for bringing Mel Robbins’ "5-second trick" to our attention. 😌 🙏 ☺️
It’s brilliant 🌟 technique for self injecting 5 . 4 . 3 . 2 . 💉 . . . 👍👍
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The 5 Second Trick That Saved This Man's Life (23 minutes):
m.youtube.com/watch?v=PWE4h...
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5-second rule explained in 3 minutes:
Change Your Life in 5 seconds | 5 second rule by Mel Robbins |Book Review:
m.youtube.com/watch?v=GEdNN...
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More on:
• "5 second trick Mel Robbins" Google search results: google.com/search?as_q=5+se...
• "Mel Robbins" HU search results: healthunlocked.com/search/m...
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[On humorous ☺️ note 🎵 : Like to think of "5-second trick" as cousin to ‘5-second rule’ ( en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiv... , google.com/search?as_q=5+se... ) we apply to dropped food. 🤣 😋 😜 ]
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Here's some supplemental tips, Cydney96: Trypanophobia: Helping Patients Deal with Fear of Needles' 💉 : specialtypharmacytimes.com/...
Scrolling downward to 'Trypanophobia Mitigation Strategies' shows additional strategies, should you (or anyone) ever need them. [Have found various strategies useful at various times. ☺️ ]
Although you may not have a 'needle' phobia per se, the strategies are also applicable to injection pens, etc.
A few more techniques (not just for needle-phobes) in: 'Overcoming your fear of needles': thesf.org.uk/documents/Emot...
Hope these help, if ever needed. 🙏 🍀 🌺 🌞
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Hia
I have to inject, luckily I'm ok with using the pen.
As you say there is no pain and you're not even seeing the needle go in so it's clearly a perception physiological issue. Try to do it quickly just don't give your self time to hover thinking about it. It's mind over matter. As they say...If you don't mind it doesn't matter lol!
I no it can be hard with irrational fear. I have it with spiders. I know they can't hurt me but I still get scared. All we can do is try our best to fight the fear. Good luck!
D
You're lucky it doesn't hurt- it stings me so much! I take it out of the fridge a couple of hours before and find that the stomach is the best for me rather than the thigh. I did the thigh last night again after a few weeks in the stomach- it reminded me why I switched in the first place! What about getting someone else to inject for you?
Could you afford to have a session of hypnotherapy, or cognitive behavioural therapy? That could help you get past this stage.
But generally try not to overthink it. I was terrified of needles, and really struggled. The best for me was to get everything ready, then go and do something else. Then a while later I just march into my bedroom and do it without thinking, pausing, anything.
Meditate before your shot. There is an amazing app called insight timer. Lots of guided meditations for stress and pain and illness. I've now done it for 41 days consecutively, every morning on waking. It's done more to help me deal with this illness than all the medication put together. Try it and give it a good go, for a week or so. You might drift or get distracted but it's ok.
Hi, sorry to hear you're struggling, I started injecting humira six weeks ago and was so worried I didn't sleep the night before so I understand how you feel, what helped me was to do it first thing when I get up in the morning. I write down the instructions then concentrate on following them, do it really quickly without allowing myself to think about it, then have a treat ready for afterwards I.e. lovely indulgent bubble bath. Also my rheumy nurse said that if I couldn't do it I could come down to the hospital and she would do it as part of her clinic, is that possible for you? Please don't give up you can do this. Hope this helps.
Ive been injecting Humira since Feb and my stomach still does somersaults when I have to inject ! Im not afraid of needles as I have regular bloods taken so I dont know why I get so anxious. Once U was so worried (after several trips to the loo) I did the injection upsidedown - it went into my thumb !!! Quickly I released it but wasted that injection - had to wait a fortnight to do next one. I felt so stupid when I told rheumy nurse she said "you are not the 1stv& wont be the last". Ive never forgiven myself for doung something so silly.
Hi when I was using Humira (only for short time as I reacted to it ) I used ice on my leg before I injected this helped the pain A Little. Can you get someone else to do it for you either a family member or a district nurse or nurse at local Drs office?
When I was younger(14 or so) I had to do injections, even had to fill them thou my mom got that job because I just could not stand filling the needle((I could inject myself but not fill it I know it made no sence it just was that way)). I used to watch a show or movie I liked and then for the last 15 or so minutes I iced my stomach or thigh till kind of numb then in the last few minutes of the show I did the injection so I was distracted by the show when I did it(took a few times to get good at injecting without looking)). Good luck with finding your perfect or best way!!
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