Oh boy... a couple of hours ago I gave myself an IM injection into the thigh (natural abx, followed my docs advice). It didnt hurt at the time much but now it hurts like hell, the whole leg is aching and I can barely stand on the leg because of pain. I wonder what I did wrong, it shouldnt hurt like this should it? How do you who do these injections do it? I should give these to myself everyday... :/
Thanks!!!
Posted by SForsgren (Member # 7686) on :
Did you pinch the thigh so that you had some fat to inject into? They can hurt. I find that over time, you tend to adjust, but if it is not tolerable, I would let your doctor know.
Posted by BartonFink (Member # 10818) on :
quote:Originally posted by SForsgren: Did you pinch the thigh so that you had some fat to inject into? They can hurt. I find that over time, you tend to adjust, but if it is not tolerable, I would let your doctor know.
Hmm no I didnt pinch... are you supposed to do that? I did the injection while talking my doctor on the phone and she gave me directions how to do it but she didnt mention about pinching... That might have helped because I'm very thin. I'll ask her about that. Thanks.
Posted by David95928 (Member # 3521) on :
You may do better at taking injections in the butt. The thigh is much more sensitive, especially in people who are not bulky. I wouldn't inject myself in the thigh with antibiotics. It's a little bit more difficult to inject oneself there but many do it and you can learn.
Posted by BartonFink (Member # 10818) on :
Yes David this makes sense, I have always gotten my vitamin b shots in the butt (a nurse did it) and it didnt hurt nearly this much and for this long.
Posted by Vermont_Lymie (Member # 9780) on :
I have been doing bicillin injections since the summer, and finally have it relatively easy to tolerate. There are alot of good suggestions for bicillin injections if you do a search here in Medical, or they might also be in the newbie links.
Even if your injections are not bicillin, the advice there might help.
My llmd prescribed lidocaine cream; I use that beforehand and then also ice the area for about 15-20 minutes. Even so, the area may be sore afterwards and the next day, but it is all very tolerable for the benefit that the injections provide!
Posted by David95928 (Member # 3521) on :
Depending on the antibiotic, you may be able to add some 1% Lidocaine HCI to the syringe. It helps most with the initial sting but also seems to reduce long-term soreness and inflamation. I know it can be used with Rocephin (Ceftraixone) and Bicillin LA (Penicillin G Benzathine).
Posted by clairenotes (Member # 10392) on :
If there is not enough fatty tissue on the thigh, you might hit a muscle and that could cause a lot of pain. If you pinch the skin and inject into the fold of the skin, you will hopefully avoid that type of pain, though it still may sting for a few minutes.
If there still isn't enough fatty tissue to even pinch on the thigh, you might ask your doctor if it is okay to inject subcutaneously around the stomach (pinching some tissue there) which is sometimes easier for me.
Easier still (at least for me) is injecting into the butt.
I have also heard that lidocaine could be helpful.
Claire
Posted by David95928 (Member # 3521) on :
Barton, you need to be clear on whether any injected medication is supposed to go into the muscle, under the skin, or in the skin. All pharaceutical antibiotics that I know of are supposed to go in the muscle. The same is true of vaccines. Injection into fat interferes with absorption due to limited blood supply, compared to muscle.
Posted by BartonFink (Member # 10818) on :
Hmm... my doctor only said that it is supposed to go "under the skin"... :/