Topic: How to do a Bicillin injection by yourself or relatives?
Dave6002
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9064
posted
Seems I have to do this but don't know how.
I will much appreciate if you experienced would give me the detailed protocol.
Posts: 1078 | From Fairland | Registered: Apr 2006
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David95928
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3521
posted
Dave, there's not that much to it.
First of all, have you injected yourself before? If not, it might be good to start with something easier to give and medically innocuous, such as Vitamin B12. That way you get to work through the steps and any sqweamishness.
Assuming you are using Bicillin that is in a glass tubex, you need a plastic attachment in order tobe able to do it. It's called a tubex injector.
The rubber seal in the tubex has a threaded bolt coming out of it. You screw the injector on and then turn the blue plastic nut counterclockwise and place the end of the tubex in the oening at the end of the nut. Then turn the nut clockwise so that the tubex is secured to the injector.
Note that the tubex has a yellow dot near the needle. It signifies that the needle has a bend inside the tubex and that the end is near the dot. Bicillin is about the consistency of Elmer's glue and this helps assure that, if ou aspirate blood, you will be able to see it. You need to hold the syringe in such a was as that you can see the dot when aspirating.
You inject into the upper outer quarter of the butt cheeck. That is, higher than the point of the hip and laterally from the middle of the cheek. You insert the needle and, holding the injector securely, draw back on the plunger to check for blood, which would mean you got the tip of the needle into a blood vessel. If there's blood, you have to start over. No blood, go ahead and begin injecting at the rate that is most comfortble to you. I probably take about twenty seconds. Then pull back out and hold an alcohol swap to the site. A band-aid can be good.
I find the injector is kind of awkward to use and it would probably be easier to have someone else do it. However, if that's not practical, you certainly can do it. Alternately, if you are confident of maintaining sterility, you could take a standard 3 ml syringe, remove the needle and place it on a prep pad, inject the Bicillin into a standard syringe through the opening for the needle and then replace the needle. Standing in front of a mirror makes it easier to see what you are doing.
Have an EpiPen handy in case of an unlikely allergic reaction.
-------------------- Dave Posts: 2034 | From CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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posted
Sorry, I cant help you there, My LLMD requires us to have a doctor, or nurse in a controlled setting give us our injection each time.
He said that the medicine can build up and some people have serious reactions and you need to be in a controlled setting.
So that is what my husband and I do. We go to the hospital as outpatient bring our medicine and they give us our injection.
Posts: 61 | From ILLINOIS | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
Our bicillin shots come in 4 ml's. So we have to have two injections. Inject 2 ml's in two different sites. So both buttocks get it. Our doctor said that 4mls is to much in one spot. That increases our risk for reaction.
Posts: 61 | From ILLINOIS | Registered: Nov 2005
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Dave6002
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9064
posted
David and BBWagoner,
Thanks a lot for the very detailed protocol,I probably will follow this guide in the near future.
I meant to do it myself to save time and money and I am confident because I have Biomedicine background, although I am not a MD doctor.
I have not injected myself before, so it's a little scary to think about it.
Anyway,wish I have good luck.
Best wishes for you all.
Dave
Posts: 1078 | From Fairland | Registered: Apr 2006
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When I inject myself, I always use an ice pack to sort of numb the area. It helps with the discomfort. It is really no big deal once you get the hang of it.
My nurse had me practice on an orange. She said this is a good equivalent to what it feels like to pass through your skin & muscle.
Good luck
-------------------- Daisy Posts: 122 | From at the computer | Registered: Jul 2006
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david1097
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3662
posted
Dave,
I know a technician that wil not trust anyone else to draw her blood, she does it herself.
As far as doing something possibly painful, just chew on a bullet and give it a shot......
Just kidding,
injecting your self with a LONG IM needle is not that bad, just poke around the target area and you will find a spot that has no pain sensation then follow the detail instructions provided above.
Posts: 1184 | From north america | Registered: Feb 2003
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Dave6002
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9064
posted
Thanks Daisy and David,
Ice pack is a good idea, I will try it.
"chew on a bullet and give it a shot".
Yeah, I am right to go.
However, one more question:
Is that a big concern that you could hurt your nerves like sciatic nerve by injecting?
Thanks.
Wish you all have good day.
Dave
Posts: 1078 | From Fairland | Registered: Apr 2006
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minoucat
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5175
What we do: Numb the area with an icepack for at least 30 min; inject slowly; walk around afterwards. The hubby and I did each other, and made sure we had some distraction (tV, book) for the injectee. Most people keep an epipen on hand in case of allergic reaction. ALWAYS do the drawback to make sure you're not in a blood vessel.
We found bicillin very helpful and not that hard to do.
-------------------- ********************* RECIDITE, PLEBES! Gero rem imperialem! (Stand aside plebians! I am on imperial business.)
TheCrimeOfLyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4019
posted
If you need any further help, PM me. I have a manual that shows exactly where to give it.
What we have done is this: If you find your butt crack.. hahaha sorry. Go up to the very top of your butt crack and draw an imaginary line over to your hips. Or.. have fun and use a marker. Whatever you wish.
That imaginary straight line over to your hips will show you directly where to inject. It should be soft and squishy and if you are a little pit "poofy" like I am in the weight department,
its the side of your hip/outer butt that you can see- remember, where the BONES are not at. if you press your finger around in there, you can actually feel
the muscle that you want to inject into.
I just put an ice pack on my butt for about 5 minutes while my fiance warms up the bicillin in his hand.
I lay down on my side and bend the knee touching the bed while keeping the leg/hip Im going to get injected into straight.
He pulls back to check for blood and then injects. We used to inject slowly over 2-3 minutes, but now its more like a minute.
He darts it out as quick as he did in and immediately rubs it.
I don't know what kind of bicililn you will be using but I use bicillin CR. Alot say its no good for lyme, but it put me in remission that I still hold today. It has procaine in it, so I dont feel the shot at all. Some
who use Bicillin LA use topical lidocaine so they cant feel it that much.
Ive been on them for over a year, and only once did I end up with a problem- the bicillin injected pretty much under teh skin and not in the muscle and I had a HUGE lump that was squishy and leaked bicillin out of it- and gave me a pretty brown rash.
if you are still confused where to inject, we have a digital. I can show you a picture with my pants on of course where you should inject at. We could even send you a video and I could at least show you by pointing exactly where you want to inject. I say this because
my fiance's mother is a nurse, we read manuals and all the info here and were STILL confused where to inject at.
-------------------- You want your life back? Take it. Posts: 3169 | From Greensburg, Pennsylvania | Registered: Jun 2003
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Dave6002
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9064
posted
Thanks again guys.
These marvelous replies far exceeded what I expected.
We are in the same boat where we share our smiles and tears together, that's making Lymie life more enjoyable.
I really like you all here, you are so marvelous I can expecct more of such marvelous replies.
Have a good evening.
Dave
Posts: 1078 | From Fairland | Registered: Apr 2006
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minoucat
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5175
posted
Forgot to say -- warm the bicillin to body temp before injecting. Hold the glass tube in your hand or put it in your armpit (as with a thermometer).
-------------------- ********************* RECIDITE, PLEBES! Gero rem imperialem! (Stand aside plebians! I am on imperial business.)
I ice prior to giving myself shots (my gluts gave out after 6 months of shots and I'm having them ultrasounded once a week to get rid of a sterile abcess - doesn't hurt just can't inject there; I use my quads now - have to pinch the muscle up to get enuf depth) and have found that it's important to put a layer of fabric between the ice pack and my skin. Otherwise I was freezing my skin! Yipes.
Also, be sure not to clear the air out of the needle/syringe prior to injecting. This interferes with the proper function of the visualization spot (so well described) which ensures that you haven't hit a blood vessel. Hitting a blood vessel can be deadly as described in the info sheet that came with my inections.
I also use heat and movement after my shots to help the blood vessels open to absorb the meds.
Sorry for the digression above but I'm on borrowed time!
Gotta run, hope the tips are helpful. D
Posts: 261 | From San Mateo, CA | Registered: May 2005
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Dave6002
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9064
posted
Denise,
Thanks for the useful addition and I appreciate your time.
Best wishes.
Posts: 1078 | From Fairland | Registered: Apr 2006
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posted
I had to laugh. Last winter I was getting the shots from my primary Dr.'s nurse and it killed me. Then I went for the winter in Fl., where my sister the Pul. Dr. was also, and she gave me the shots. The first time she gave it to me I questioned if she was giving it to me right, because it didn't hurt. We all started laughing(another sister, also a nurse was observing),like this wasn't her specialty. It was amazing the difference when you know what you are doing. She explained it to me and it all made sense, but don't want to tell the up north nurse that, she might hurt me more.--Ha. It is worth learning the correct way. Good Luck, Merk
Posts: 8 | From Nebraska | Registered: Oct 2005
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