Starting PIO - tips wanted

sweetkendall

I had my ER this morning and my RE wants me to start medrol and progesterone in oil shots tonight.  I'm feeling nervous about the PIO and am wondering what experiences you have had with it.  I know to numb the site with ice and I can put a heating pad on it after.  DH is going to give them except the two nights he is away on business...I'll have to do those myself.  I've done the HCG IM shots myself but I've heard these are a lot worse.  Also, should I lie down or stand up?  I'm so not looking forward to this.

lilmac2929

Good luck!! I once heard to bend your knee and raise your foot backwards towards bum to make sure there is not muscle flexed (I wish I had a pic). Fingers crossed!

efhoping2010

Warm the oil in your bra before injecting, at least 15 minutes, that helps a lot!

I did not ice first,, I found the oil went in better with nothing being cold, but I did walk around rubbing the site for at least 10 minutes after injection.  It helps to keep the oil moving so you do not get bumps or knots.

And then heating pad after that.

When injecting yourself have RE or nurse or your DH draw two circles of injection areas, you can find images on various web sites too if you are unsure.

Then here is how I inject my own PIO, once drawn up I half sit half lean on the bathroom counter so I can see the injection site in the mirror.

I twist my body to make sure I can reach.

Holding the syringe a quick dart like motion.

I also keep everything on the bathroom counter including my sharps box.

So a towel to put the needle on once done injecting, if you do not want to try and put it in the sharps box right away, and a gauze pad or alcohol wipe to rub the site with when finished.

There are some great videos on you*tube of people self injecting PIO I watched them and they helped me a lot, it seemed very scary at first, but it is a bit better self injecting since you know it is coming.

Good Luck, you will be great

Kelley421

I haven't had to give myself IM, but do you have to give it in the glut? I would think that giving in your thigh (vastus lateralis, like vaccines for babies) might be quite a bit easier for self injection. This muscle is quite large so pinpointing the injection site would be simpler, and you could do this sitting down.

sweetkendall

At this point, DH gave me the first shot the night of egg retrieval and then we had total fertilization failure followed by rescue ICSI.  That means no transfer this month and so we discontinued the PIO for now and will restart during our FET cycle next month.  The first one went super smoothly though with icing the injection spot, warming the oil, and rubbing it/walking around right after.  I'm not looking forward to doing that many days in a row but the first one was not as bad as I had anticipated.

chicagobride_07

Sorry about the cancelled transfer. I did PIO for 8 cycles as well as a 12 week pregnancy. I've always found icing is the key. I can't give the shots myself, when my husband is out of town my RE has allowed me to use endometrin 3 times a day. I've not had a problem with progesterone levels doing this. Best of luck to you!