You may have shot the sheriff, but I wanna shoot myself (give myself a shot)

[TeleKato]

So what's it like to give yourself a injection? I'm considering some medical treatment (am trying to not cross over into TMI ) and one of the options is periodic/episodic injections -- a few times a month, tops. I'm assuming practice makes perfect ... but I'm interested in things to be asking my doc about vis-a-vis a do-it-yourself shot. Or anyone who might say 'avoid at all costs.'

[Dep]

Being a type 2 diabetic, I give myself 4 shots a day. The needles are short and very fine, so it's not too bad. I am working on dropping weight so I can get off the insulin.

Dep

[bender-freak]

I used to give myself injections of Vitamin B12 in the leg every week for pernicious anemea, weren't no thing, IMO. Then the "powers that be" in the V.A. system decided it was too expensive for us old guys. Now it's pill every day, but it's not near as effective.

The syringes were the same type/size as used by diabetics.

[backporch guy]

Marry a nurse.

[MojoMonster]

I've got a skin condition being treated with a twice monthly Humira injection.
This is just a sub-dermal shot in my upper thighs, nothing deep, and since I've got a pretty high tolerance to pain, it's no biggie.
The needle is no joke, though.
For me, the worse part is the counting to 10 waiting for the self-injection system to work.
You'll be fine.

[DonMI6]

My Mum, the most needlephobic woman in the world got used to it when she was diagnosed with type2 diabetes. Twice a day every day for 10+ years, no problems at all.

[TeleKato]

Originally Posted by backporch guy

Marry a nurse.

I'll inform SWMBO that she either needs to get an RN or she gets the 8.5"x14" form with "Comes now ..." at the top.

Thanks guys. This is encouraging.

[trev333]

when I was 22, I traveled 25,000 k's around Europe in an old kombi with a mate who was a 2 shots a day diabetic...
and then we backpacked from Greece to Sri Lanka through all those countries you all probably know as warzones now....we both carried about 50-100 disposable syringes in our packs.... and he had a small tin kit with a glass syringe he could boil up and use.... and a stash of insulin bottles.... fun at borders.. ;)

never once did he have and issues/infections with his shots/diabetes..... and is alive and thriving to this day probably still doing his 2 a day shots..... plays jazz sax, too...;)

face piles of trials with smiles.... :)...

my mum became a diabetic after her pancreas was removed through cancer.... she injected herself and did those pin prick blood tests for 15 yrs or so until she passed...

the thought of ME doing it...freaks me out ..yikkes...

I hope it all goes well for you TK.. :)

[puremania]

If it's only subcutaneous, you'll find it to be easy enough. I'm on Enbrel, once a week for autoimmune issues, and, even it's tough at first, you get used to it really quickly.

Good luck with whatever it is you have going on!!

[Markdett]

My Mother was a type 2 diabetic. She self injected for over 50 years until her death in 1996. As a kid of about 8 or so, I was taught by my Dad (a Physician) to give her insulin, should she not be able to. Even at that age, it didn't take many tries to get the hang of it, and become fairly proficient. If I could learn it at that age, you can as an adult.

[Ricky D.]

It wasn't too bad for me. A little mental block about stabbing myself, pain was trivial.

[Wallo Tweed]

After some surgery I had to give myself 1 shot a day in the stomach for 15 days. It was a short needle and the pain was minimal. If I had to do it again I could.

[zimbo]

Surprsingly enough if you do a search on YouTube you will find somebody demonstrating exactly what you want to do. That helps a lot.

[Rockdog]

Originally Posted by backporch guy

Marry a nurse.

Check. Mrs. Rockdog did a flu clinic once and brought me home a shot. She administered it in the kitchen while I was making dinner.

[Martinussen]

Because of psoriasis I have been taking Enbrel in syringes and Humira in pens. In my opinion syringes are less painful than pens. Make sure the alcohol from the swab has vaporised before you inject. You do not want to get alcohol in your body that way...

[SLow Roper]

I give myself 2 shots in the gut each day for diabetes. Didn't think I could do it the first time. The best advice I got was to "harden the #@!& up."

You do what you got to do. Good luck.

[stinkey]

After the two, three first times it's not so hard.