posted
I've searched high and low on the site but can't find this problem. I had the injection Thursday afternoon. It's now Saturday.
I did all the stuff recommended here about minimizing bicillin discomfort--this was my 3rd injection, done by the doc as that's the only way insurance will pay.
I called yesterday to say it was pretty sore. The nurse told me to massage it some more, that would help. It didn't.
Now it's bruised and there's still a lump. I wasn't massaging hard enough to bruise myself. Does this sound like a problem (as in "abscess") or just par for the bicillin course?
Thanks.
Peggy
Posts: 143 | From Maryland | Registered: Oct 2006
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Jill E.
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9121
posted
Hi Peggy,
I've been having Bicillin injections for many, many months and have been fortunate that most have gone very well.
Even so, there have been a few times where I did get a little bruise. I know my nurse is very good and I do all the stuff I can to minimize the after-effects, so I think sometimes it just happens.
I will say, when my regular nurse gives the injection, and she does it very slowly, I usually have less pain and after-effects. When a substitute nurse gives them, and goes too fast, it is more painful.
You haven't been doing it long enough to have built up scar tissue so it's not that.
I can't really say why some injections hurt a little more, others don't, why some bruise, some don't. It may just be a small difference in how quickly or slowly the nurse gives the injection, the particular spot chosen, whatever.
A friend of mine who used to get lumps after every injection said they do go away. So hopefully yours will soon.
Do you get your injection lying down on your tummy or standing up? My nurse says that by my lying down, the muscle can absorb the Bicillin better so it is less likely to leak back out causing lumps.
However my LLMD says its fine to stand up to have them so who knows.
It sounds like you've checked out all the appropriate advice. I had started the Minimizing Bicillin Discomfort thread last April and people added lots of great suggestions.
Recently, we did a similar, but more detailed article for LymeTimes, the publication of the California Lyme Disease Association. Several of us posted ideas and then I wrote it up as an article. But I don't see anything in there that would be an different than what you are doing.
Most likely, the next one will go better. Don't get discouraged!
Jill
-------------------- If laughter is the best medicine, why hasn't stand-up comedy cured me? Posts: 1773 | From San Diego | Registered: Apr 2006
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Is there any redness? are you running a fever?If the answer is no to these questions it is probably just a bruise.
I was involved in healthcare for many years before neuro lyme totally changed my life, but(no pun intended) .....
I have given thousands of intramuscular injections and every once in a while as the needle goes in , it will go thru a small blood vessel .In cases like this even though you aspirate before injecting, the tip of the needle is not in a blood vessel so consequently there is no blood when you aspirate ,but as you remove the needle after the injection some blood can pool under the skin causing in some cases a fairly large hematoma (bruise) if pressure is not applied immediately after the needle is withdrawn.
I like the 2 minute rule for holding pressure after an injection of any kind and than applying a band aid to keep the site clean while the hole seals off. I also like to aplly a warm pack if its been more than 24 hours since the bruised formed as this will encourage the bruise to go away faster. Don't apply a warm pack right away after an injection as this can encourage a hematoma to form.
Hope this helps.
Travlr1
Posts: 66 | From West Coast | Registered: Jul 2006
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Jill, the doctor did the injection. I was confident, because the first time it didn't hurt at all, nor was there any pain during the following week. I actually wondered what all the fuss on Lymenet was about. Now I know.
Travlr1, no redness, no fever. Are you asking this because those particular symptoms might indicate an abscess? And is that the biggest concern with bicillin injections? I've searched "abscess" but can't find anything, so I don't know what to look for.
About the warm pack--the second injection (not given by the doctor) really did hurt. But it resolved with a heating pad about an hour after the injection.
However, this time it's been 3 days and no amount of heat, exercise, or massage, is doing anything to help. The bruise is still there, the lump is still there, and the pain is still there. Any further ideas?
With the neuro symptoms, this really is probably the least of my worries. I just want to make sure it isn't anything serious. If not, it's not a big deal.
Peggy
Posts: 143 | From Maryland | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
What Travlr1 mentioned, holding firm pressure on the injection site for a couple of minutes the instant the needle is withdrawn, will cut way down on the bruising.
If you fiddle around for a minute or two looking for a gauze pad or something after the needle is removed, the bleeding into the tissue will already be done. Have something ready.
And, some of them will hurt more than others... Regardless of the skill of the practitioner.
Posts: 714 | From San Antonio TX | Registered: Oct 2004
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TheCrimeOfLyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4019
posted
Peggy, As soon as I get my injection , my fiance IMMEDIATELY rubs the heck out of my butt. Considering your doc does your shots, he may not rub your butt afterwards Thats just a thought though....
I have never had a bruise, but I did have a lump once and a brown rash once from the injections. It may be that I dont bruise because my fiance rubs it right afterwards.
Just a thought. I know your doc wont be rubbing your butt, but its ok to stick a hand back there and rub wildly when he's done! It beats not having a bruise ( and really cuts down on the sore lumpy bicillin butt)
-------------------- You want your life back? Take it. Posts: 3169 | From Greensburg, Pennsylvania | Registered: Jun 2003
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And Crime of Lyme--rubbing for how long? A minute or two or five or what? If I have to rub for half an hour I'll be happy not to have to go through this again.
Peggy
Posts: 143 | From Maryland | Registered: Oct 2006
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Exactly. If your bruise/swelling was warm and red, espcially if you were running a fever I would be concerned about an abcess.
With proper prep of the site and proper injection technique the chances of abcess are really low.
Long acting Bicillin is a "Depot" injection and this one just might be taking awhile to go away(swellling). At this point I still might consider more 20 minute on-20 minute off warm packs to see if we can get the bruise to go away faster.
Travlr1
Posts: 66 | From West Coast | Registered: Jul 2006
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posted
Travlr1, thanks much. I googled "depot injection" so now I have some understanding of that.
Can you say more about abscesses--what they are, what the danger is, and what has to be done about them? I'm not worried about it anymore--the bruising is less (though the lump is still really hard and I'll try your warm pack suggestion).
But information is priceless in this situation. And I've googled till the cows come home and still can't find what I need to know. Thanks.
Peggy
Posts: 143 | From Maryland | Registered: Oct 2006
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David95928
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3521
posted
I've been on Bicillin for a long time. Soemetimes I get a lump and sometimes I don't. Sometimes I bruise but usually not.
I recently tried something new. That is using a 2 inch twenty-one gauge needle. I had been using twenty gauge needles of 1.5 inches. This gets it deeper into the muscle hence less of a visible lump. Interestingly, I've had no additional difficulties with the needle clogging, despite it being thinner. The needles are manufactured by BD. Most pharmacies can't get them (or won't bother) but a pharmacy near the hospital had them in stock.
There is an additional possible indication for using a longer needle. In a recent study, the abstract of which I posted here somewhere, where they used imaging to check and they found that the vast majority of intramuscular injections were not getting into muscle at all, just fat. This was more commonplace in women than in men. This raised concern about the effectiveness of the medications being compromised.
-------------------- Dave Posts: 2034 | From CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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An abcess is simply an accumulation of cells beneath the skin. There are abcesses that are "sterile " and simply an accumulation of white blood cells and then there is the infectious form that also contain a bacterium of some sort+ white blood cells(pus).
The 2nd kind is really the only one to be concerned about as you now have a nice warm area for bacteria to grow and proliferate in(I'm not saying you have this ;only an explanation.) A sterile abcess is simply a nuisance that at worst may have to be drained.
I hope this information helps relieve your fears as I believe from your 1st post it sounded more like a bruise/hematoma than anything else.
I would just continue to monitor, do the warm packs and watch for signs/symptoms of infection(fever,warmth at the site ,an area of expanding redness at the site,or drainage from the actual injection site itself.
I hope this helps(I should have explained "depot" injection last time).
Take care,
Travlr1
Posts: 66 | From West Coast | Registered: Jul 2006
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posted
Thanks to all who have replied. The site is better--still hard but less pain and bruising. I am starting a new thread now to question whether I am herxing, having a nervous breakdown, or the bicillin isn't working. If interested, look for it under exactly that: Herx, Nervous Breakdown, or Bicillin Not Working?
Peggy
Posts: 143 | From Maryland | Registered: Oct 2006
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..... ![[Mad]](mad.gif)
.In cases like this even though you aspirate before injecting, the tip of the needle is not in a blood vessel so consequently there is no blood when you aspirate ,but as you remove the needle after the injection some blood can pool under the skin causing in some cases a fairly large hematoma (bruise) if pressure is not applied immediately after the needle is withdrawn.![[Smile]](smile.gif)
I also like to aplly a warm pack if its been more than 24 hours since the bruised formed as this will encourage the bruise to go away faster. Don't apply a warm pack right away after an injection as this can encourage a hematoma to form. ![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
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