I have to be away next week for work and need to give myself the shot for 2 nights. I am freaking out a bit because one nurse told me it's possible. Another nurse and a doctor keep telling me how difficult it is. I understand that it's not as easy as the ones in the stomach but I find it hard to believe that I won't be able to do this. I've received the shots before from DH. Admittedly, the size of the needle is scary but I'm not squeamish. They have me so nervous that I'm going to be away and need to give these to myself. Help.
Anyone given themselves the Progesterone shot?
(32 posts)(18 voices)- Started by n.kanella ago.
- Latest reply from jauelk.
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Many many of us have done the shots ourselves. We are just much more self sufficient than the REs give us credit for. Some of us do the IMs in the thighs, others in the butt. BUt no one I know of has ever gone without a shot.
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Yup! I do my own, until I start becoming sore, then DH takes over giving me the shot, usually after a week.
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I let DH give me the first one and even if he hadn't been leaving town that day that would have been his first and only.
Its both easy and less painful doing it yourself (just as I found the Sub-Q shots to be). The oil is thick and pushing it in at a speed that is comfortable is way easier if you do it yourself.
After DH gave me that first painful shot I thanked God he had to go out of town (too hesitant on the input and too fast on the injection of the meds). I didn't have the nurses example (she told DH how to administer while I was in ER) so I went to youtube to seek out a video. (My first PIO was even done left handed
)Piece of cake.
NO ONE is as sensitive to giving the needles as you will be and in the end it hurts less if you do them.
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Thank you so much for you encouragement. I never questioned whether I'd be able to do this until the nurse and dr starting making me doubt myself. I'm hoping to be able to do it in the butt b/c I think it will be less painful but if I can't do it for one reason or another, my thigh will have to do.
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I was able to do it myself with the help of EMLA cream - it numbed the area.
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I did all of my sub-q and IM shots for all three cycles I've been through. I try to stand in front of a full-length mirror for the IM ones, that seems to help. And I'll stick the PIO in my bra for a few minutes before to warm it up (it seems to thin it out a little).
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Don't shoot up in the thigh ... unless you do not plan on using that particular leg for the next day
Stick to the bum. It is easy to do and you might even prefer to do them all yourself after this. I felt I had more control and I only ever gave myself one lump the entire time.
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I agree with all of the other posts. You can do it and you will probably prefer to do it yourself afterwards. I also used Emla and it helped but if you are not squeamish at all you probably will not need Emla. I also stood in front of a mirror. I am not super flexible anymore and I managed just fine. Like I said, after that I did all of my own injections even though DH was very good.
Don\'t be discouraged by your RE and the nurse. You can do it. Someone from these boards even put a video on youtube showing how she did the shots. If you search on youtube "how to inject pio" a couple of videos will come up. I do not know who created the videos but maybe you will find them helpful. Good luck!
Robi -
Thanks again for all your posts.
BTW, do you need a prescription for emla cream? If not, can you get it at any pharmacy? -
Good ol' ice cube works just as well as any of the numbing creams I tried. And it is much cheaper!
G/L!
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You do need a prescription for Emla. See if your RE will write one for you. I had one RE who was wiling to do so and another who would not. Good luck!
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i did all my shots myself including PIO and everyone at my RE's office kept looking at me like i had 6 heads when i would mention it. it isnt that difficult to do once you get the hang of it. the first time i had to do a IM shot i practiced twisting around and finding a comfortable position that i could hold long enough to slowly inject the meds. i practiced with a syringe of saline with the cap on so i could hold it up to my skin and apply pressure without actually sticking myself. then once i found a position that was halfway comfortable i went for the real deal. i would also draw yourself a target circle. sometimes it is hard to judge where you are shooting when you are twisted around looking at it half sideways.
but trust me it can be done.
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You should be just fine. I used to faint at needles, but last Christmas gave myself PIO shots for a week, twice a day in the hip. I did have to stick to the right side, I'm right handed and couldn't do it with the left hand, but I didn't get too sore.
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Thank you all again....my confidence is restored.
I alreay told the nurse that I want them to draw circles on me just to be safe and to take the guess work out of the equation. I had them do that in the past because I didn't want to take any chances with DH guessing. I am going to be home with DH the first few nights so I think I'll try doing it myself the first night with DH around in case I have issues. One of the nurses, who did say that she thought I could do it based on the fact that she had patients who had done it before, did say that it might be easier to give it to myself based on whether I was right or left handed. so I will probably do it on the same side. I'm sure I'll be fine but you guys made me feel much better. Thanks again.
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i am right handed and i was definately shaky with the left hand at first. my first two shots (trigger and my first PIO) i did on my right side, then i started to alternate. after a while even lefthanded it was a non issue.
oh and one last tip i did mine standing up although i think some ladies have mentioned laying down to be more comfortable. i tried that but for some reason could get good leverage laying down. in any event i found it easiest to stand on the opposite leg than the side i was injecting with my injection side foot resting on top of the foot i was standing on. it kept me from unconciously tensing the side i was trying to inject. and i leaned on the wall with the hand i was holding the needle with. that really helped when i was injecting with my left hand. it helped me keep stable.
i went from being a complete needle phobe to being able to draw and shoot up faster than a heroin addict.
sorry for the novel, but i felt so discouraged when ppl kept telling me i couldnt do it so i like to share all my tips. best of luck.
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i went from being a complete needle phobe to being able to draw and shoot up faster than a heroin addict. .Oh, too funny and too true!
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I know this sounds silly, but you should look it up on youtube. I can't remember the threads on this board, but I have seen several different women post links to their posts on youtube where they demonstrate doing PIO themselves (or having someone else doing it for them).
Good luck.
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I just wanted to let you all know that I am back from my business trip and had no problem doing the shots myself. Actually injecting the oil was the hardest part. I thought perhaps I was not pushing straight which might have been causing the problem but had my dh do it for me yesterday (after I injected the needle myself - it is less painful to inject it myself) and he had as much difficulty as I did. I don't remember it being so difficult to inject the last time maybe the oil is thicker this time. Who knows.
Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I was successful and thank you all again for your support and comments.
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I am also self-injecting and have had no problems with it.
I found that when the weather started to get colder, it got harder to inject. I now fill a little bowl with hot water and put the vial in the water for about ten minutes before drawing it up, and that has helped quite a bit.I only have two weeks to go and have started a count-down. I taped all of my remaining needles to the bathroom wall and pull them down one at a time until they're all gone.
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Hey, if anyone is still reading this thread, I am one of the women who made a ton of YouTube videos to help others out. Here are the links:
Husband injecting PIO:
youtube.comSelf-injecting PIO:
youtube.comGonal-F:
youtube.comMenopur (3 seperate videos):
youtube.com
youtube.com
youtube.comLovenox:
youtube.comGanirelix:
youtube.com"Fun" sampling of my IVF meds:
youtube.com -
That's you!?! I've watched so many of those over the years. thanks!
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Cool! I love your additude, and the way you try to help others. Good Luck.
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Sunshine-great video! I love your dog!
n.kanella-Congratulations on doing your injection! You should be really proud of yourself.
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Hello-
I am going to start an antagonist cycle in March (my first cycle). I have done several IUIs, and given myself a sub-q trigger in the stomach a few times. That was not a problem for me. I guess the stims I will use will be sub-q?
Like pps, the nurse told me that I could not give myself the PIO/IM shots.
I am not confident that dh can give me the IM shots. He went to get blood drawn a year or so ago, and went from sitting in a chair to waking up on the floor. Dead faint. He cannot even drive after getting b/w done. I went to give myself a trigger in November, and he got woozy just being in the same room with me. I worry that he will wuss out when it comes to the IMs. The nurse told me PIO will be given (willing that the cycle is successful) every day, for 11 weeks. Does this sound right? She said I could hire a nurse to do it for me, but who in the H-E-L-L has money for that, after paying for IVF?
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