Please tell me I didn't inject into my muscle :( :( :(

Ok. i promise i'm not gonna do this every time i get my injections.  last time i was worried i could have injected into my blood vessel.  this time, i injected it to the right most side of my belly and it went in a little deep.  now it's just slightly, tini bit sore :( :( :(
this is my 3rd shot and the previous 2 didn't feel sore at all
my mom watched me do it and she told me to not to inject to deep and to the side anymore bc she says i'm too skinny and probably don't have enough fat near that area.  but that ***** bc i still have the 2 patches of discoloration (diameter about 1.2 inches) which basically already covers all the injectable areas on my belly from previous shots and i try to avoid injecting into those areas.

need advice!
i swear i'm that paranoid...

and i'm scared to inject on my legs.

enjoy the 4th!

[rita863]

ithink your ok, i am sore after injecting, i am sure it is harder to self inject, i have my husband do, i find my thigh is the best place...

but just so you know its always kinda sore where i inject, you may want to put an ice pack on it and see how it feels.

you canalway call be in charge. the nurse will help you.


peace

[jdwithhcv]

Try to relax.  At first the self injecting seems really intimidating, but you'll be surprised.  Pretty soon it will be a really ho-hum kind of routine.  I don't like injecting into my thighs because I don't have much fat there, but I have plenty of belly-fat so I inject there.  Whereever your fleshiest parts are, inject there.  If your mom will help you can inject into your butt or the backs of your arms.  Don't worry too much, the needles are short so you can't really shoot it too deep.

You'll get used to this sooner than you think.  Don't let it overwhelm you.  You can do this.

jd

[Andromedae]

FWIW - I get very sore and the area gets red a week after.  The needle is very small so it makes injecting into a muscle difficult.  Just make sure that you hold it at around a 20-45 degree angle and you should be fine.

The whole thing ***** doesn't it?  Bummed ... but it beats being sick the rest of yor life.

[Trinity4]

I took my 15th shot this evening.  I still have a couple of good size black & blues on my tummy but it doesn't hurt anything if that happens.  I realized several shots ago I was trying too hard to get every last bit of peg out of the syringe and was pushing on the syringe too much towards the end of injecting.  Since then I haven't had any problems.  I only inject in my tummy because that's where most of my fat is too.  The needles aren't long enough to go deep into a muscle so I wouldn't worry about it.  Like jd said, you will get used to it real soon and it will be just another thing you have to do -  like brushing your teeth - no big deal.
Trin

[lalapple]

hey guys...
first of all i just wanted to say thanks so much for the advice even on the 4th of July!  you guys are really wonderful :)
i just read my post and have no idea where the "*****"  came from (it doesn't even make since) ... so please don't take any offense.. i typed the message when i was watching the fireworks on tv while my parents were still trying to comfort me at the same time...

another things that i'm scared of injecting into a muscle is bc i injected the needle after i release my pinch of my skin... to make it easier to use both hands to help me pull back the plunger to see if i've hit a vessel.  i'm also about 130 lbs and almost 6 feet tall.. that's why my mom thinks i could have hit a muscle bc i'm "too skinny"

[Andromedae]

speaking of injecting - the graphic on the brochure says to inject below the navel.  Is that ironclad or can you inject above the navel area?

[lalapple]

i've always done it under my belly button that's why my injection areas are so limited with the patches of discoloration...

[jdwithhcv]

I inject above the navel all the time.  I've had a couple of abdominal surgeries and they told me not to inject too near the scars so I just inject anywhere there's fat and no scar.  Never have had any problem and I'm taking shot 44 tonight.

jd

[jmjm530]

Your anatomy would have to somewhat off the bell curve to go IM with those small needles. I remember doing self IM vitamin B12 injections where the needle was much longer and actually had to change to an even longer needle to hit the muscle. Plus not sure even if you hit muscle with the Peg if it would be that big a deal. Maybe time to do your next injection under the supervision of your NP for referesher instructions and to get your injection anxiety levels down a bit.

[jmjm530]

As to the belly button, you should never inject in or near it, or on the waist line for that matter. That left me at least six injection sites in the abdominal region that I could rotate. Upper right, lower right, upper left, lower left, right lover handle (what was left of it) and left love handle. I found it helpful to make a notation in my injection diary of the location of each injection so didn't have to remember where the last one went. For additional rotation, you also have the outside of both thighs given enough fat there. So that makes eight sites to rotate, and there are more if you have a helper (buttocks, back of arm, etc) or a bit of dexterity.

[susan400]

O.K., you didn't inject your muscle!   :)        Do you feel better?

Susan400

[Mr Liver]

lalapple,

As Jim postulated in his message above, injecting intra-muscular is nothing to worry about. You could even inject it intravenously intentionally and it wouldn't pose any danger to your health. Concerning injecting into a muscle the older IFNs listed intra-muscular administration along with the sub-percutaneous method as both acceptable practices. Those small needles used now, as others have said, will not usually be able to reach muscle, so I wouldn't worry any in light of the facts.

Ideally, you want to inject into the fat layer below the skin. Combined with the pegylation this results in a more regulated (steadier) release of IFN into the blood.

The older IFN was 3 shots a week. After a few months your abdomen would look like a Christmas tree adorned with red ornaments from all of the injection site reactions. Remember not to get into any warm/hot water for a few hours after your shot, as this will usually make any reactions worse. If your injection sites reactions are ,say, about the size of a silver dollar, estimate where the next shot has to be in order to make the 'edges' of the "circles" meet. In other words, optimize the space you have available. If you rotate shots on your abdomen usually by the time you work your way around, the first spot will be ready for another shot, etc. The peg makes this fairly easy to do with just weekly shots. Remember to warm the IFN to room temp and ice the area on the skin before injecting. Do not inject anywhere that will cause clothing to rub against the site. I wish you continued smooth sailing and best of luck.
Mr Liver

[thickm]

okay i am thickm's fiance and i am a nurse!  let me explain to you how to give your injection the safe way and maybe this will help you feel more at ease when giving yourself an injection!  first off if you are giving it to yourself in your abd than you want to make sure you are 3 finger lengths away from your naval!  you want to cleanse the site in a rotation circle from inner to outer that way you dont contaminate the site!  squeeze the skin and go in at a 45 decree angle especially if you are skinny!  you can aspirate the needle meaning that you can draw back on the plunger when you are in the skin!!!  and if you see blood then you are in a blood vessel so try again!  but as long as you go in at a 45 degree angle you will be okay as far as missing a muscle!  plus if you have a prefilled syringe the needles arent that long to hit a muscle!  hope this helps