painful injections

[jillc39]

I really hate to moan because I am so grateful for getting a shot of B12 every two weeks. BUT I find the injections SO painful. The nurse will only inject into my arms (she says she is not qualified to inject anywhere else!) and although I have been going for sometime now I really nearly fainted from the pain when she injected me on Monday. Any words of wisdom (or sympathy)???

[EllieMayNot]

I self inject into the thigh and sometimes it hurts terribly and sometimes the pain is nearly non-existent. It got to the point that I would get afraid to inject and that made it even worse! So, now I tell myself, "this will be one of those times when it won't hurt" and I work hard to convince myself. Then, even if it did hurt, I am not all emotionally wound up going into the process. It does help me to go through the process much more easily and faster as I am not hesitating the entire time leading up to the jab. I guess I am really just playing mind games with myself but I find it effective in helping get through the injection. Hope you find whatever works best for you!

[tvellepern in reply to EllieMayNot]

How did you get the Rx? I am willing to inject but need my doctor's Rx to get it.

[EllieMayNot in reply to tvellepern]

Although my GP has prescribed methylcobalamin which I have to get from a compounding pharmacy (I'm in the US), I have to pay about $10/1000mcg that way. So, I have been sourcing from Germany. The shipping is expensive but if I buy in quantity I end up paying just about $1/1000mcg. I bought the hydroxocobalamin from Bodfeld: bodfeld-apotheke.de/ (if I buy hydroxocobalamin again I will purchase from mycare.de as their shipping to the US is cheaper than Bodfeld) and I just recently placed an order for methylcobalamin from Arnika whose info can be seen in this post: healthunlocked.com/pasoc/po....

Arnika has both 1000mcg/ml and 5000mcg/ml ampoules of methylcobalamin. Haven't received my order yet, just placed last week and they say it takes up to 2 weeks to get to US customers.

I told my GP that this is what I was going to do because I need to inject daily and cannot afford the methylB12 prices from the compounding pharmacy if I inject daily. She was perfectly fine with my choice, she'd rather I have the injections as often as needed.

Hope this info is helpful.

[Nackapan]

I also give every 2 weeks tiny the surgery

I personally have found an ice block like you use in cool bags held over areally of arm whist in waiting room helps. I was getting some nasty bruises. Also try different nurses anf ask thrm ti di thrm slowly. Try and relax tour arm on a table . I had a bad run then last one dine by an Hca for the first time as she'd just been trained up didn't hurt.!! When a doctor dI'd it she pushed my flesh to make it firm in a big roll. That one didn't hurt. You notice I remember the ones that dont. How long have you had them 2 weekly?

[Lurcher-lady in reply to Nackapan]

I had one nurse who really hurt me...twice. The others were fine and I don’t hurt myself, so I guess some are just not as careful.

[mountainice in reply to Nackapan]

I find slower is worse

[Nackapan]

I chant to myself . I will get better and will make improvements every day. ...that's me though. I find every injection slightly different. When I had a run ofor some very painful ones from the same nurse I avoid her now😯such a nice woman too lol

[Patjamber]

I don’t think it matters where you have the injections. The sting comes from the fluid. I was told the name but foggy head me can’t remember. I have a nurse who does it extra slow and that helps. I do it in my thigh after a bath or shower when the skin is warm and inject slowly. Strangely my right side dosent seem as bad as my left. Weird but true x x

[Nackapan in reply to Patjamber]

My left arm is trickier too and has bruised the worse. Perhaos the muscle is better in our favoured side and csn take more?

[Miss-guineapig in reply to Patjamber]

That sounds interesting Patjamer as my husband does my injections and I tell him to give it really quick...as quick as saying 1,2,3,4. I feel if it stings , better to sting quick and get it over with! It's a sore injection and there's no easy option xx

[mountainice in reply to Miss-guineapig]

Had a nurse last week who jabbed in, fast, hardly felt it

[Miss-guineapig in reply to mountainice]

Yes, Definately the way to go I think xx

[tvellepern in reply to Patjamber]

How did you get the Rx?

[Nackapan]

Perhaos you can buy some of that ' magic ' they use for children. Local anaesthetic if it's getting you down?

[Nackapan in reply to Nackapan]

A cream

[ProfessorMcGonagall in reply to Nackapan]

It’s called EMLA cream I think.

[EaroleNeen in reply to ProfessorMcGonagall]

we call it "wimpy cream" (sorry!) and if it helps with tattoos I guess it will work wonders with an injection x

[ItsJustMee]

Is it the actual needle you find painful or the serum being plunged in?

I find the serum going in sometimes feels like being punched in the arm but other times it's totally fine.

I don't know if I'm correct or not but I think it may have something to do with speed of pressing the plunger, when care is taken and they do it slowly it doesn't seem to hurt so bad, so maybe ask for them to go slowly on the plunger and see if it's same for you?

If it's the actual needle itself going in that hurts you could try numbing cream, apply it about an hour before your injection.

Other than that the only other thing I can think of is maybe ask for someone else who is qualified to inject in the buttock or thigh and see if that feels any easier?

[Gambit62 Administrator]

do you know if she is injecting cold B12 - B12 at surgeries is usually stored in a fridge - it might help if the vial was brought up room temp - or warmed in the hands - before injection - also they may be injecting it too quickly which would add to the pain

[Dollery]

In my own experience, one of the key factors is the rate of injection.

If the syringe content is 'banged in', then your tissue must suffer traumatic distortion to accommodate the 1 mL. Instead, if once the needle is in place, the plunger is depressed gradually, then the B12 solution ought to be continuously removed from the injection site by blood flow - with consequent little distortion to the tissue.

I self-inject subcutaneously into fat, where perfusion is much lower than in muscle. In this case, I think the technique is particularly relevant. Having said that, you can still hit a nerve, in which case I reposition the needle by 2 or 3 mm.

Best wishes

[Sairbear1]

I find it helps to use distraction pain elsewhere! My daughter comes with me and squeezes & taps my feet, quite hard sometimes!

My first ever injection was in my arm & I felt like someone had smacked me with a lump of wood and I almost passed out! My nurse now injects into the buttock and she grips the muscle and injects very slowly and at the same time she sort of squeezes and massages the muscle during & afterwards. It does seem to help. Perhaps this would work on the arm too, I'm not sure but it's worth asking. I find the pain isn't from the needle, more the feeling of the liquid.

Try and keep your muscle as relaxed as possible, I know it's difficult when you feel so tense.

Good luck.

[JMN2017]

Hi jillc39

Have you considered self-injecting so you are in control of how the injection is given and the speed/force the plunger is pushed etc? I agree, the harder the pressure on the plunger, ie giving the injection quickly, will cause unnecessary pain.

When I inject, subcut into abdomen with 'orange' needle, I certain find it stings if I inject it too quickly so I just do it really slowly.

Getting the supplies isn't too costly, assuming you could afford to do it, of course.

Maybe you could arrange each appointment to see a nurse of your choice, then you wouldn't have the issue

Good luck and {{{Hugs}}}

[Tdoutsoy]

ρεu have problem with oral b12? I take solgar b12 oran and my b12 go to 980!

[RobinWat]

Hi .so sorry to hear that the injections are causing you pain. This has happened to me a few times recently as well. In talking it over with my practise nurse it appears that it could be down to brand of B12 used. Hope this helps.

[jillc39]

thank everyone for their tips - I shall try them all.

[_Rose]

Hi jillc39,

Sorry to hear you are experiencing so much 'discomfort', I started SI approx. 2 mos. ago and nearly gave up because of the pain - then I got some really good advice from this forum.

I began to warm the vial 1st (under arm or ...), also warm & massage the injection site,

I use Germolene as it's antiseptic and anaesthetic (OTC creams are weak - but may try applying it for 1 hr as suggested here), I now make sure there is no solution on the

'orange' needle I use as that apparently causing the stinging as does wet skin from the alcohol wipe (I've felt a difference).

I still hesitate a bit and have to remind myself to relax throughout slowly depressing the

syringe, but it is less painful now & often not a drop of blood, I can (disconcertedly at first ) feel the dose in my thigh and warm & massage it again.

I'm looking at revising and refining some of the equipment I use to apparently make it even less painful. SI is relatively inexpensive and at least one is in charge of the process,

I think some people here are given the supplies by their surgery, I may be wrong.

All the best,

Sincerely Rose

[Scothyroidy]

Get a strong clothes peg (the coil in the middle type) and put it on your ear lobe ten minutes before injection. Maybe use cotton wool pads between peg and skin .

[ACritical]

I let my arm dangle down. Also one nurse is better then another. Ask to do it slowly, tell them they are hurting you which you have been told , is not necessary, if they only take some time. Perhaps they want it to hurt so you stop coming and that is one off their books.😏

[15beansoup]

yes, it hurts, I have had every shot in my left arm because I can't move it for 3 days afterward. For me personally, I find the faster the better, but it also triggers vaso episodes where I pass out when any fluid hits my system. I was told by the nurses that it hurts because it's going into the muscle The same exact when I have the flu shot but it doesn't explain to me why some are more painful than others. I think it depends on if your nurse is having a bad day lol. No no just kidding they might see this and get me good next time lol

[Frankieluca]

I know exactly what you mean! I find them excruciating too, sometimes I think I am going to faint. I see several nurses when I have mine, and all of them in their turn have made them quite painless, but this is rare. I think it really does depend if they get it right when the put the needle into the muscle. I have found the higher/ closer they are to the top of your arm, it seems better. I really dread going, but know that after a few days I will feel the benefit.

[garretttimson]

You should try to do your own injecting using your thighs. I would also recommend not a full 1ml dose, but half cc / ml. I use the auto injector 90. Believe it or not, but doing my own, half doses, twice as often is best. I also believe that using hydroxocobalamin is less painful than cyano. unionmedico.com/product/sup...

[music501]

I have never had a problem with injections, as a kid they did me first to make others less anxious.

I've often thought if people are tense, and the skin gets tighter so the injections hurt more.

[harapara1]

Subcutaneous injection is better.Intravenously is totally painless.

[tvellepern]

How did you get them to agree to every 2 weeks? I am trying to convince my docs.