It's come to having to self inject for the first time. Frankly, I am dreading the whole thing. I'm needle phobic and worried about the potential side effects, especially since I've suffered many from all those that went before.
I have tried the diets, fasting and supplements. Yes they help, really they do, my disease should be much worse than it is, according to my mahoossive RF and Anti-CCP numbers. I am lucky, I am still able to be relatively active, my pain is tolerable, but the RD is active and it is starting to take its toll. So, I have no choice.
Living in hope.... It all begins Tomorrow....
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Brushwork
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Hi Brushwork - I’ve just had my first Anti-CCP and RF numbers in 18 months, and they’re awful Like you, I’m relatively active etc., but I worry about the damage being done. Unlike you, who invested in diets/supplements etc., I’ve been off medication for 5 months, and done absolutely zero - so probs deserve those numbers!
I do feel for you, try and be positive, like AgedCrone suggests, believe you’ll be in the majority that have zero/few side effects. And I completely understand your views on injecting, but you’ll have someone to mentor you surely? Have you got an NRAS group nearby that could help? Anyway, sending you a big virtual 🤗, cheers Deb
Thanks for the positive vibes... I am trepidatious but optimistic too, or at least I am trying to be.
Have to say that my investment in supplements and diets has been minimal, as I have researched diets and created my own and only really bought vitamins and fish oil from health food shops. I never bought into miracle cures!!
If it’s any help, my new Rheumy said that in mild cases, Fish Oil (Omega 6 - must be the actual oil) is almost as good as Methotrexate - if that’s of any help. I can’t tolerate fat/oil so not an option for me, but could be helpful?
Yes, I’ve been taking it for a few years. It reduces pain but it’s not as good as methotrexate I’m afraid, though I couldn’t tolerate methotrexate for more than 6 months at a time. I always ended up spiralling into depression on it.
Hi Brushwork. Hope your new treatment works well for you. I found what you said about Methotrexate interesting. I'm on 20mg and have been so down lately. Like a black cloud continually sitting over me. Wondered about Methotrexate but nothing on side effects about mood changing.
I self-inject weekly using a pre- filled pen. I do it in my lower abdomen as there are less nerve endings than in the thigh. It is rare that I feel anything. I’m not needle phobic but I think you might be pleasantly surprised by how easy it is. Fingers crossed 🤞
Interesting - I inject in my thighs, I alternate them. Now I still have a numb big toe and get the odd Pringle type feeling in my right leg - feels like the nerve. With your comment I am now wondering if this is due to injecting in the thighs? Shall check with the nurse. 😌Thanks for sharing.
Well done you for even getting to the point of deciding to go for it. It’s a hard choice we all have to make.
But you can’t be more needle phobic than I was! It took me weeks before the nurse could persuade me to try. (In those days you went to a weekly injection clinic at the hospital, which was for people who were too disabled to manage to inject themselves, and the nurse would take you through the process of filling the syringe etc etc.)
Anyway I did it, and carried on injecting using a syringe for many years. And then the pen type of injection came in and they are a game changer! Really so easy, you don’t even see the needle, and they don’t hurt as long as you get the pen up to room temperature before you inject.
I inject both MTX and Enbrel now, and the combination has been so good for me. Yes I still keep to my healthy regime or diet, sleep, exercise and so on. But alone that is not enough.
Hi Brushwork - I felt the same with my first biologic. But it really was fine, when you know that your biologic is trying to help tame the beast of RA, knowing how fortunate we are to have access to such medication, and lastly if it doesn't help you can stop, helped me.
It’s once a week, fortunately, not every day thankfully. It just becomes your new norm. Try not to stress or become over anxious. Just relax, shoulders down, deep breath and all done. All the best with your new meds. 😌
True I did the research and fully understand the potential benefits as well.
Ever hopeful, but cautious. Don’t they call that pragmatic 😂
I have every faith in you. Set everything thing up keep to the routine deep breath . I started injecting methotrexate 5 weeks ago like you a bit apprehensive. Really surprised myself.🤞🏻lets us know how you get on.
Best of luck Brushwork. As others have said the pens are very easy to use and you have the support of the nurse your first time. I got myself into such a state the first time but afterwards I couldn’t believe how easy it was ( I wasn’t a member here then)
Looking forward to you telling us how well it went 😊
Try not to stress. I was really surprised at how easy the preloaded pens are. I have Imraldi.
I inject in tummy area below the navel as advised by my nurse. Absolutely no pain or discomfort. Remember to take the pen out of the fridge for 30 mins before injecting.
The thought some 16 years ago to inject myself filled me with horror.But 16 years later I still use the same regime . I mix my enbrel and inject into my thighs twice a week . The thought for me was always thighs could not face my stomach..I have learnt to know if there is a nerve below the skin just by touch with needle so move to another spot and alternate between legs.Good luck in your challenge. You'll get there...
My first mtx injection same... I went over to my coffee shop to get a coffee was speaking to one of the girls there about injecting. Not knowing she had diabetes . She said oh... I inject 5 xs a day... put me in my place... I'm in Humira injections now you've just got to train your mind... that's the trick.. an auto injector is easier than my mtx as that was just an injection. I ice my stomach for a couple of minutes... then whoomp all done... only takes a second
I just think to myself this will help me .. no more pain
.. replace a negative thought with a positive ... All the best ... you can do this ..... I did so anybody can
I feel your apprehension. I was due to start early August, but a 3 month long chest infection, 5 lots of antibiotics and 2chest xrays have pushed it back. Was due to start yesterday, but a uti has pushed it back again to week on Friday. Also apprehensive about injecting myself too.
Have no fear you will really be surprised just how easy and painless this is.Had my first injection of Rasuvo( methotrexate) and I too was very apprehensive , but happy to say it really was easy and was over before I knew what happened and I felt nothing.A very pleasant surprise !!Don't fret you will do great.
Hi brushwork I was the same hate needles and started to sweat etc the night before but these jags are not as bad as I was expecting so go for it you'll be fine
Fear not, I was like you I started injecting MXT with an open needle, and dreaded it, after several months I felt I was mastering how to inject myself, then I was told that the injections would be delivered by an epi pen. After being shown how to use the pen, it was a piece of cake, I inject into my leg just off to the right of the centre line of my leg, its so quick it does not hurt, all you have to remember is to have the glass window on the pen facing you so that you can see it change colour once it stops count to 5 and you are done, as you remove the pen a sleeve drops down and covers the needle, into your sharps box with the used pen wash your hands and that's it. All the very best, once you get the hang of it you will wonder what all the fuss was about. {Get all your stuff ready first wash hands and you will be on your way in less than 5mins}.
Hi Brushwork - I could not get on with self inject and felt I was just left to get on with it but I know other people who manage it well. Some people don't know that bio drugs do come in tablet form as in Tofacitinib and I have finally after trying several drugs take this. I am getting good results. I have been taking these strong tablets (I can only take one at night), they can give you a very sore throat my tip would be to take with milk if you can.
From my point of view I have had a few flare ups but nothing like what I was having before and the white hard spots caused by the baricitinib over most of my face are just a few now and again I am using my fingers to type a little and my knees have been good.
Keeping the weight down without much exercise is hard and I just keep on healthy eating and manage to at least stay the same weight.
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Like you, I’m relatively active etc., but I worry about the damage being done. Unlike you, who invested in diets/supplements etc., I’ve been off medication for 5 months, and done absolutely zero - so probs deserve those numbers!
I am using my fingers to type a little and my knees have been good.
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