Topic: Who Here Injects / Has Injected Their Own Bicillin?
canbravelyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9785
posted
Hi,
So I'm kinda sorta considering trying it...who here has done this on a regular basis? Did you inject into your hip? My homecare nurse has suggested thigh, which I haven't heard of within the Lyme community so far.
With best wishes,
-------------------- For medical advice related to Lyme disease, please see an ILADS physician. Posts: 1494 | From Getting there... | Registered: Aug 2006
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CaliforniaLyme
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 7136
posted
Everyone I know has injected into their bottom or hip never thigh! I have injected IM BIcillin into Lymies locally who are afraid to do it themselves or just think it would be better done by someone else. It's no big deal!!!
You stick the needle in and press the plunger down and use an alcohol wipe on site first and after too if you want! And then you can either rub the site (I didn't do that, people do that themselves*)! or not. There is often a knot which forms at injection site. Some people say rubbing it stops or helps the knot not to form!!! You don't inject into veins- avoid the veins!!!
Pre-IV myself I was terrified of needles*)!*)! My husband has BAD diabetes and has to inject himself a total of FIVE times DAILY!!! So 1 shot of IM BIcillin a week???? Easy street next to him*)!*)!*)!! (I always try to think of who has it worse to make myself feel grateful!*)!!)
Best wishes, Sincerely, Sarah
-------------------- There is no wealth but life. -John Ruskin
All truth goes through 3 stages: first it is ridiculed: then it is violently opposed: finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer Posts: 5639 | From Aptos CA USA | Registered: Apr 2005
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canbravelyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9785
posted
OK SmartyPants,
Insulin is very fine, and is injected subcutaneously.
The Bicillin that I've been receiving in my posterior muscles is thick, viscous, and requires pump a little bit in...wait...pump a little bit more; otherwise...pain!!!!
I think though I am strong minded, it might be somewhat tough to administer this 2wice a week where I can't really see what I'm doing, you have to RELAX the muscle somehow, while you're lying down, twisting slightly to reach one's backside?
Let me know,
-------------------- For medical advice related to Lyme disease, please see an ILADS physician. Posts: 1494 | From Getting there... | Registered: Aug 2006
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posted
Hi. I've been on Bicillin shots for about two years now. At first, the shots were very painful. I learned to give them to myself. I'm only able to give them to myself on the right side hip and buttocks, so occasionally, when that gets very sore, I inject into my thigh. You need to know what you're doing and exactly where you're injecting to ensure the area is safe from nerves and blood vessels, and there's enough muscule to absorb the liquid Bicillin. Some IM injection sites cannot hold the entire shot. Find a nurse or medical practioner to teach you or google IM shots. Hurts like heck in the butt at first. The thigh is much more painful and you'll be limping some, but it works there if you absolutely must inject there. You might want to try Anbesol on injection site before injecting yourself. Now that I'm used to the shots, I can just put them in, and move on. I'm late stage with seizures, dimentia and all that stuff that comes along with late stage. The Bicillin works well for me, but if I stop it for even two weeks, I'm so bad that Alzheimer medications or anything barely work for me. Good luck..it might hurt some and take some adjustment, but it's definitely worth it!!
quote:Originally posted by canbravelyme: Hi,
So I'm kinda sorta considering trying it...who here has done this on a regular basis? Did you inject into your hip? My homecare nurse has suggested thigh, which I haven't heard of within the Lyme community so far.
With best wishes,
Posts: 1 | From maryland | Registered: Oct 2007
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posted
I take Bicillin too. My husband injects into my hip. If I have to do it myself, I do it in my thigh. There is NO problem administering in the thigh. Not the most pleasant thing...but, it works.
Posts: 27 | From Dallas. TX | Registered: Aug 2006
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david1097
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Member # 3662
posted
It would be Very difficult to inject your self, unless you inject it into your leg. The leg is not recommended by the manufacturer, I am guessing because it could hurt so much it would be hard to walk.
The drug manufacturer recommends that it be injected in the butt. The problem is that you need to make sure you are not injecting into a vein. You do this by pulling back on the plunger to see if you find any blood. I guess you could do this with a mirror but I have my doubts.
I have injected my self with IM B-12 dozens of times but I have to get someone else to inject the Bicillin. The neddles are teh same length but the Bicillin is a larger bore due to the thickness of the fluid.
For me, the bicillin doesn't hurt during the injection nor for about a day after. When I get to two days it is pretty sore then clears up at day 3. This is particualarly true when injecting the same side two times in a row. Alternating sides plus having to move the injection site each time would further complicate the do it yourself approach.
hats what I have found... for what its worth.
Posts: 1184 | From north america | Registered: Feb 2003
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David95928
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3521
posted
I've been injecting Bicillin three times a week for four years, in the butt alternating sides. It's not too difficult to do if you stand in front of a mirror and still doable without a mirror. It would be easier if someone else did it for me but my partner is a wimp about such things. You do get used to it and I rarely have enough soreness to notice unless I think about it. Dave
-------------------- Dave Posts: 2034 | From CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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david1097
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posted
David,
How do you see the blood when you test for it in the needle?
Posts: 1184 | From north america | Registered: Feb 2003
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CaliforniaLyme
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 7136
posted
Hey CanNot-soBravey*!)*)!
People DO inject themselves in the buttock and hip - BUT the reason I know about it is as I wrote because I DO IT for people who can't!!! So I have never seen people DO it because I have done it FOR them*)!*)! One person in our local group pays a neighbor (nice neighbor!) friend $20 a shot to do it. Or you could find Lymies like me who do it for free because they want to help!! So those are other options*)*!)!
best wishes Bravey- YOU ARE BRAVE- you can DO IT*)!*)!! Sincerely, Sarah
-------------------- There is no wealth but life. -John Ruskin
All truth goes through 3 stages: first it is ridiculed: then it is violently opposed: finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer Posts: 5639 | From Aptos CA USA | Registered: Apr 2005
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David95928
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Member # 3521
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David 1097 wrote:
David,
How do you see the blood when you test for it in the needle?
Pull back on the plunger and look down. David 95928
-------------------- Dave Posts: 2034 | From CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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canbravelyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9785
posted
OK; I think I am going to try this; my homecare nurse has offered to teach me.
David of the self-injection:
How do you relax your leg when you're standing at the mirror? I guess you put most of the pressure on your other leg? Sounds exhausting. I would much rather do it lying down, but I'm not sure I'd be certain to see the blood if I drew it.
Also, how does one know if one is near a nerve? That is also dangerous.
And as Cavey points out: on the instructions on the package it states clearly that intravenous (injecting into a vein) of the Bicillin can cause death. Death. Not to play around with, for those of us working so diligently to return to joining the land of the living.
And Thank You Sarah.
-------------------- For medical advice related to Lyme disease, please see an ILADS physician. Posts: 1494 | From Getting there... | Registered: Aug 2006
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CaliforniaLyme
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 7136
posted
WoW, I never knew that- scary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I knew to make sure no blood vessel- vein- but didn't realize it was such a bad consequence!!!
Good to know- thank you Cavey & Bravey*)!!!
-------------------- There is no wealth but life. -John Ruskin
All truth goes through 3 stages: first it is ridiculed: then it is violently opposed: finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer Posts: 5639 | From Aptos CA USA | Registered: Apr 2005
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canbravelyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9785
posted
Yes: Bravey = Careful!
It's no joke...gotta be educated and certain!
With best wishes,
-------------------- For medical advice related to Lyme disease, please see an ILADS physician. Posts: 1494 | From Getting there... | Registered: Aug 2006
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lymebytes
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11830
posted
I just started Bicillin a month ago and I am told to only give the shot in upper outer quad of rear, nowhere else. You can risk hitting veins and nerves elsewhere. I give the shots to myself. I do them twice per week.
I am hoping to see dramatic change as many others have reported. We'll see.
David95928
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3521
posted
I just take my weight of the side I am going to inject, try to stay in the upper outer quadrant, aspirate carefully. That's it. I've drawn blood a few times so I pulled it out and started over. I've never had a problem with hitting too near a nerve. It's my understanding that the most dangerous risk is accidentally hitting the gluteal artery.I think I did get some of it into a blood vessel, not artery, once. It felt pretty weird but I recovered after a few minutes. Dave
-------------------- Dave Posts: 2034 | From CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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TheCrimeOfLyme
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Member # 4019
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I never injected into my thigh, just my hip. And sometimes my butt.
Look up intramuscular injections on google. You can download a few nursing manuals that give excellent instructions on these. I found one a long, long time ago and that is what I used to figure out how/where to do the shots.
I always numbed my hip with ice first ( not too much, you don't wanna freeze it all up in there, THAT hurts.. been there, done that ) and then just inject, aspirate and dispense it slowly. A quick withdraw, and rub your hip like crazy.
I never injected MYSELF. I had my then fiance do it for me.
-------------------- You want your life back? Take it. Posts: 3169 | From Greensburg, Pennsylvania | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
I only injected it once myself under the supervision of the nurse who did my shots once weekly. I injected it into my thigh. The nurse had me alternate every week between the thighs and the hips.
I don't think Bicillin really helped me.
~catwoman
Posts: 255 | From where we don't have Lyme disease | Registered: Jan 2007
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CaliforniaLyme
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Member # 7136
posted
CromeOfLyme- that reminded me*)!!! YES- you can use ICE or you can use EMLA cream to numb the area first. EMLA cream is prescription lidocaine cream- they also have over-the-counter sprays and stuff now which would work too I'm sure!!! ICE works well too thouGH*!)*)!!!!
p.s. Nice to see you Crime- been praying for you & yours-
-------------------- There is no wealth but life. -John Ruskin
All truth goes through 3 stages: first it is ridiculed: then it is violently opposed: finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer Posts: 5639 | From Aptos CA USA | Registered: Apr 2005
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) and then just inject, aspirate and dispense it slowly. A quick withdraw, and rub your hip like crazy. 
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