Procrit injection – new syringe size - may help

[GINGERPAL]

I have written that I was having a problem with preparing my procrit injection and having problems with air bubbles when withdrawing the solution out of the vial.  Well, I received a new supply of procrit and this time the syringe is the 3 ml size with the 25 g needle, instead of the 1 ml size syringe and the 27 g needle.  Maybe this larger syringe will be easier to release the air bubbles since I am only filling a smaller portion of this syringe.  With the 1 ml size syringe there was really no extra space.  
So, I will fill the 3 ml syringe from the solution vial with the larger needle to the 1 ml mark.  On the forum, I was asked about a smaller needle size to inject, so I  asked the pharmacy to send me the 27 g needles and I will switch to that needle size when injecting.   Is there anything I need to know when switching the needles?  Thanks.   Ginger

[beeblessed]

Hi Ginger

Here is a link to a page with diagrams that I hope will help.  

http://www.pegasys.com/patient/for-patients/expect/how/vial-injections/index.html

[frijole]

ginger -- 25 is huge so I hope you don't have to inject with that - yes there is one more thing.  Make sure the 27Ga needle is 1/2 inch.  The pharma sent me some 1 1/4 inch needles this last time and I pulled one out to do my procrit injection.  I have a control issue with a needle so long and it is much easier to have the short one.  Fortunately I have plenty of the 27ga 1/2 inch so I can throw away the long ones.

I find it pretty easy to get rid of the air after I take off the big needle used in the vial and replace it with the smaller needle. (I just unscrew the needle with the vial still attached.)  Then I can push that air until I see the drop of procrit at the tip of the small needle.

When I had to get the syringes at my local pharma (before all these specialty pharmas) I would get the 30 like screaming48 uses.  It may take a little more time to inject, but they are really great.

frijole

[screaming48]

I use a size 27 needle to draw the med with and change it to 30 needle to inject, thats just how they told me to do it. Hopefully yours will start to work better for you :)anne