Fulvestrant Injection tip

[DinNorCal]

Hope you all had a marvelous Christmas. I wanted to share a tip that I actually saw on this site. I’m on about my 3rd month of Fulvestrant injections. Last month I had one of my first bad experiences with the injections. When the nurse started the first side it stung very badly, so she stopped and tried again, eventually she had to get another batch of Fulvestrant due to some needle issue. That injection site was very sore and left a huge bruise and tenderness for quite some time. The good new is, today I had to get my next injection. I mentioned to the nurse that I had read about using a smaller needle and this made the injections less painful. I was surprised when she said, “ let’s try a smaller needle this time.” It was AMAZINGLY painless. I did not even feel the needle go in. It does take the nurse longer to administer the medication, but my backside was grateful for the sensitivity of the nurse to try something different to ease my discomfort. I am hopeful that next month I get the same nurse, because she said she was not sure other nurses would use a smaller needle. Thanks to whoever mentioned this smaller needle idea. 😅

[Snowcone16]

Cross my fingers....just had second round and not bad. Got the advice from here about making sure injection is room temp or warm. Nurses have been good with knowing it. The advice I got was “use seat warmer on way home to help dissolve the shot”....I’ve been doing that too. I also used a heating pad when I got home. 🤗

[DinNorCal in reply to Snowcone16]

My fingers are crossed for you Snowcone. I also use my seat warmer on the way home. Figure it can’t hurt.

[Gwennie123 in reply to Snowcone16]

What a great idea. The seat warmer

[nstonerocks]

Thanks. Last two times one very bad injection each. One was a big bruise, the other looked like a round burn or cellulitis. I am going to show the nurses the pictures of what happened and go over tips for better injection. They should be inserviced how to do this, it is not a standard injection.

[DinNorCal in reply to nstonerocks]

Best of luck on your next injection. NO more bruises, lumps or excessive pain!

[laurac1014]

I may be adding this to my arsenal soon so I’m glad to be hearing of these tips ! 🙀

[nstonerocks]

And I am pretty stoic with physical pain. It was rough.

[youngfarm]

My oncologist has med techs warm injection syringes under their arms or I warm them. The actual injections are given simultaneously by two techs and it is a slow process due to thickness of fulvestrant. My backside is seldom sore and, if it is, lasts for no more than a day. They believe warming helps greatly when giving the injections.

[Nelsonyong]

Great to hear that your nurse willing to use smaller needles. I've shared my mom experience with smaller needle here in Malaysia many times in this forum. Good that finally someone benefited from it. Take care

[DinNorCal in reply to Nelsonyong]

Nelsonyong, I believe it was your comment that I read about the smaller needle use. I’m grateful you shared. Blessings.