First Self-Injections

[fionasloane]

I had my loading doses Feb/March and was in top form for six weeks (I'd forgotten what it was like to have a spring in my step!). Then it went downhill. I was back on the sofa at six weeks, all my symptoms had returned by eight weeks. At this point I went to the doctor in tears and was given short shrift. She did say I could have my next injection at 10 weeks, but by then the tingles had turned to pretty bad pains in my hands and feet. After the injection I felt mentally better and the palpitations had stopped, but the instant cure I was hoping for didn't materialise. I waited two weeks to see if there would be incremental improvement, but then the pains in my hands and feet got so bad that it was keeping me awake that I decided to self-inject.

I'd had the supplies for about a month but I was absolutely terrified of it. I'm just not the type of person that buys random drugs off the internet and injects them. I tried twice - the first time not realising about the dot on the ampule and having broken glass everywhere, the second time getting to having the needle ready and just staring at it for ten minutes then giving up.

Some of the website/videos about injecting had been talking about pulling back the syringe to check you weren't in a vein and that seemed very scary, but then I read an article which said that there weren't any major veins near the thigh muscle into which I would be injecting so this wasn't necessary which eased my mind a bit. Also, I watched a video of a surfer dude inject his girlfriend with a very cavalier attitude which made me think that if he could do it I could do it.

I managed to inject last Saturday and was pleasantly surprised to find out I did not die. The pains in my hands and feet disappeared overnight. I still have tingling and numbness and injected myself again yesterday (after another two bum attempts where I couldn't get the air bubble out of the syringe). I'm sure it will get easier over time.

My husband has private health insurance through his work so I'm waiting on them to approve a visit to a private haematologist in Edinburgh.

[Lynne17]

Well done Fiona, no more progress for you yet then so gone to SI. I’ve not tried yet but have bought b12 ampoules but will get rest of stuff if docs come back and say definitely can’t have injections every 8 weeks (waiting to hear from neurologist). Good luck with the SI, glad to hear you’re felling better

[bdole2018]

Well done for managing your first self injection. We have all been there and it can seem overwhelming at first especially if you are under the effects of lacking b12 at the time. Don't worry; it gets easier with every injection as you will practice your technique. By the time you have done 100+ injections it becomes frankly monotonous! I've injected at home, at the homes of family and even whilst parked up in the car!

Yes; it is perfectly possible to do an injection whilst out and about in a sterile manner providing, you have all your supplies and sharps container with you. After waiting for 20 mins even my sense of hearing improved so it was probably a good thing before a long drive.

I had the advantage that I had had to learn intramuscular injections to administer emergency medication a number of times over the years. A midwife in the family helped me refine subcutaneous injecting which: Was essential given the frequency I had to do the b12 for the loading period. IM self injections are great for rapid uptake of b12 but you don't want to turn your muscles into pincussions.

Don't worry about breaking an ampoule; it can happen to anyone. I've broken at least 2 that I can remember. One of which was only a week ago after 6 months without b12 injections (big mistake!) I was more annoyed about wasting the b12 than anything!

[Frances55]

Hi fionasloane... I've been si every other day since last July and the only thing I hated was the initial stabbing... In May this year I bought a Auto injector from Denmark... I've never looked back.. I showed it to Martin Hooper at the Glasgow meeting last month.. He took pics of it, and was very impressed.. If you want to know more or want pics please let me know ☺.. All the best for the future ☺

[fionasloane in reply to Frances55]

Yes please! I've seen auto injectors before but I think they cost about £400.

[Frances55 in reply to fionasloane]

Mine cost €103 ( £85)... That included p&p and some syringes and needles to start off with... Go online and search UnionMedico/Auto-Injector.. It's a Denmark company... Can't seem to find a way of attaching pics.. sorry.. Please let me know how you get on... I'm in Glasgow...☺

[Frances55]

Hi there ☺... How are you getting on with si.... Did you have a look at the auto injector 💉.... Hope all is well ☺