Humira injections...I find that they are nasty little injections that sting quite a bit...

[rab333]

I always get a local reaction ( to a greater or lesser extent) that lasts for about a week...does anyone else feel the same...

[Gina_K]

You must take the injection out of fridge for at least half an hour before use. I find if I keep it on my person (in my bra) for half an hour it does'nt hurt at all. Do you do that??? It should also be put in at a right angle, either in your tummy or thigh and count to 20. Mine has hurt occasionally, and left a bad bruise one time, I think the needle was damaged, but how can I prove that, very unsightly bruise on tum , for 10 months, jeepers it really hurt too. All others have been fine. Try getting to room or body temp never jab from fridge.

Good Luck Hon,

[aston]

yep i warm it up too, and also if you press a little harder it does sting but you dont get the reaction, i used to get a red itchy patch after i injected but i don't now. You usually bruise if you have caught a vain, which i did last week and have a huge bruise on my leg. If you use the pen it doesnt need to be put at right angles just the pre filled syringe does. I use the pen as im scared of needles!!!

[rab333]

Thanks guys...I use the pen...stupidly I used to do it straight from the fridge but then nurse told me to let it stand for 30 mins or so...I find it still stings but not as much...I am not brave enough to inject my thigh so always do it in my abdomen...I always get a red itchy patch to a greater or leser degree...I will try putting it in my bra( only joking) ...but maybe I should try it down my pants for a bit...

[swoodge]

Also dont do it straight after you have used the little cleansing swab as that also could be the sting! Allow to dry then inject and it helps or if you are at home use dont really need to use it its only for unsterile areas ie hospitals, that what my nurse told me so i stopped using it and kept it for after as i tend to bleed a little after so i used it as a wipe for that. Hope it helps not sure about keeping an injection in your pants!!!!!

[Hidden]

Hi Rab,

Much the same as everyone else, I'm on Cimzia and still learning as only started recently. Advice from my nurse still fresh in mind, as with what the others said, take out of fridge. Also I don't use the wipes either as my nurse told me same, I do straight after my shower so skin all clean anyway. I can't do on my tummy as not enough fat (not always a good thing evidently!) and do find easier on thighs.

Good luck and will tell you if I learn any new tricks x

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Sorry forgot to say, my friend on Humira and she said the pen was much sorer, she has since changed to pre-filled syringe and said it is much better for her x

[rab333 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Cptjen

all little tips are good to know...I have tried leaving it out of fridge...I have tried it with the steri-wipes and also without but more times than not I get a horrible little sting and then the red itchy area for a week or so...so was just trying to find out if this was the norm or am I doing something wrong...

[Ozzy in reply to rab333]

I also get a bad reaction to this, so much so in my thighs that I would get a red burning rash from my knee to the top of my leg lasting a week. I now only inject into my stomach, but its still is painful when the injection is about halfway in, but I don't get quite such a servere reaction. This is after leaving it out of the fridge for 30 mins and waiting 5 mins after using the swab. I spoke to the doctor about this but she disregarded this.

[rab333 in reply to Ozzy]

Ozzy

Sounds exactly the same as me...the nurse suggested I try injecting in the thigh but the thought of it puts me off and I did think if I got a bad reaction it would be painful to walk...

[Hidden]

I know when I was reading up on Humira and Cimzia before I started anti-TNF, the vast majority of the Humira info said there are commonly injection site reactions, much more than with Cimzia by comparison - although I gave myself I right egg sized lump yesterday,no idea what I hit but was bloody sore!

Might be worth mentioning it to your nurse though. Have a look on the NRAS.org website as I'm sure there is a whole bit about what reactions are normal and what is not.

X

[rab333 in reply to Hidden]

Yeah...I did notice that local reactions are commom but once I got a really large painful , itchy red area...it sounds like its par for the course and I suppose I willl get used to it...

[Shelley1701]

I had the syringes first and was fine with them then they changed them to the pen and I find they hurt. I hate that 'bang' noise aswell when you press the end. More than once its made me jump. I take mine out of the fridge about 45 minutes before and the nurse advised against using the wipes as they can make your skin hard over time. I don't like injecting my thigh because that hurts like hell! Don't always get a reaction, they have gotten less over time. Used to itch like mad but I rarely get it now. I wish I could go back to the syringes.

[rab333]

Shelley

I sort of dread when it comes time to do it...it's only a short injection but I hate that noise too and it hurts more than any other injection I have ever had...I haven't injected my thigh yet and I don't see a time when I will be tempted to either...

[Ozzy in reply to rab333]

I was taught by the nurse to inject my thigh as I do not have strong enough fingers to pinch my stomach, so now my daughter injects me until she goes to college in September. I tried to explain to the nurse/doctor that it is not the injection that hurts but the drug itself. They said that it would lessen after a while but this has not happened. The only injections I have had anywhere near this painfull were morphine in my leg when I had my daughter. I am off to the hospital now to see a new doctor as mine has retired. So I see what gems I find out this time as I been having flare ups since January and it has now spread into my hips