I've gotten my B12, syringes, needles, and alcohol wipes. I'm ready to start injecting!
Of course I'm panicking that I've bought the wrong stuff, the wrong sort of syringes, the wrong needles...
Oh anxiety, what did I do to you, that you have to bother me so?!
Maybe I'll start tomorrow...
what did you get? How can we help.
one way to combat the anxiety is to acknowledge your anxiety. Talk to it. Tell it that you recognize the issue and that everything is ok and you will handle it.
This totally works. Now you can focus on taking action. Tell yourself that this is what is needed to get better and that you CAN do this. Just take a deep breath and go through the steps in your mind.
It's ok to think about the What if... what if I hit a vein... what if... etc... but address each one.
Hitting a vein is not the end of the world. If you bleed after the injection, just sterilize the site with the alcohol swab, put on a bandaid (yes, I'm from the US, lol). Then enjoy the fact that you DID the injection and will start getting better.
I used to have to play music and take deep breaths while I did the shot. I would have to psych myself up. Now, I just do it. there are days I want to skip, believe me and times I wish I didn't have to do it, but I LOVE that we have a solution.
The shots have brought me from being bed ridden to very active.
Ask us anything here, you are in the best forum and society in the world for this. Then when you start getting better.... donate!
I got these ampules...
I'm not sure if I got the right type of needles, they seem to be very long, they're around 1½ inches (4 cm?) long (just the needle, not including the plastic bit)
I'm not sure if I should try sub cutaneious, or intramuscular. Intramuscular would be basically stabbing myself in the thigh, I have no idea how to do sub cutaneious! is that where you "pinch an inch" of skin and inject there?
I'm going to use my thigh as I inject Ozempic into my belly flab, and I don't want to do both in the same area (not that there's any Ozempic to be had for love nor money these days, thanks to some prat on Tik Tok)
Thanks for answering!
I do it my thigh. Plenty of it so I barely feel it lol.
Also, try Rybelsus, same thing as ozempic but a tablet x
I did the jab in my thigh.
I'm due to get my bloods done, I'll ask about an alternative to Ozempic
Thanks
If you use the search there us plenty of advice on how to inject.Step by step.
If you csnt find it ask again.
I coukdnt read much of your packet apart from its cyanocobalamin.
I do subcutaneous injections at home and get IM at the surgery.
Hope it goes well
I've read so many threads about self injecting, I've gotten discombobulated! I get the gist of it, but I'm suffering first time nerves, and wigging out that I've gotten the wrong syringes and needles!
I'm going to try this type of B12 and see how I get on. Before the change in the 'rules' about GPs injecting (they aren't injecting anyone these days), I had one type that worked brilliantly, then a different type that was useless. I've no idea what type either was...
Please reread the private message that I sent you 2 years ago ! est wishes !
I only have one size/type of needles, and from what I'm seeing they're not suitable for sub cutaneous use...
Hi Saoirse, I hate it so much too even after 3 years. I'm late with my self injection now as I have to really psych myself up.
I use one inch needles (orange) although my gp uses the blue; I inject into my thigh and have to really focus and take deep breaths as I do it.
Maybe just assemble everything and then reassess; slowly and one step at a time.
The needles I got are white/buff/whatever you call that colour. Injecting myself isn't a problem, I just wanted to know if I should go IM or SC. And from the looks of it IM is what I'm going to have to do
hi .. just sending you some encouragement.. I’ve been self injecting since December and was really worried at first just like you ., you soon get used to it and it’s actually really easy once you’ve done it a few times.. I actually found that getting the top off of the bottle was the hardest thing but have even mastered that now too .. you’ve made the hardest choice by buying it.. well done and good luck you’ll be absolutely fine
I'm really not worried about it, just wanted to know if I should inject IM or SC
We inject IM. The length of your needles doesn’t matter so much, as you don’t have to go all the way in, so the only ‘wrong’ length is ones that don’t reach the bottom of the ampoule (we had that!) but we use a different needle for drawing up anyway, as the drawing up one gets blunted when you unavoidably touch the bottom of the ampoule, and that would hurt if you used it for the injection.
What diameter are your needles, though? That’s what matters; not too thin to go in, nor unnecessarily thick. We use 23 * 1¼.
Is that 3000 on that packet? We used to use 1000, but now use 1500 as that’s all we can get. Ours is hydroxy, like the NHS uses, but cyano will do very well, though I hear it is more sensitive to how it is stored, and leaves the body sooner than hydroxy. No direct experience though.
But on storage, we are in for the long haul, with 100 ampoules, so 10 would be less of a worry there.
Soon, you will be giving yourself injections quite naturally, and getting back before breakfast!
The ampules are quite big, so I did need a long-ish needle for that part of the process! I got the thinnest needles they had in stock, not sure what size they are, the print on them is very small. All seems to be well so far, so hopefully I did okay with it!
watch the self injecting videos on YouTube l. Make notes, step by step of what to do. Have you someone who could be with you who can support you through the first one? Once you have done it you will feel so proud and realise it was easier than you expected.
I remember the lecture I got about injecting Ozempic (which is a pen style jab) and the nurse watching me very closely, and she was shocked - shocked I tells ee! that I was so casual about the whole thing, and jabbed myself first time no problem! 🙂
My 1st SI freaked me out after I did it, which surprised me at the time. Now it is easy & only takes a minute. I always hold the ampoule in my hand to warm it before injecting. Good luck.
After I gave my OCD a severe telling off, I was fine! Warming the ampule does help! 👍
Yup, you're right! Just a bit of over thinking going on. Why are you waiting? You're experienced at SI, I go into the top of my arm IM and find it works for me. Horses for courses isn't it? I've tried SC and wasn't a fan, although it worked as well... Good luck 😉
This was my first SI, I'm not scared of needles, or jabs, or getting blood drawn (which surprises the heck out of the nurses!!) it was more a case of my OCD telling me "you've bought all the wrong stuff you fool!!"
OMG I think I left the oven on!!
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