need PIO/IM shot advice

babystinkbreath

AF showed up this morning so I go in Friday for CD4 monitoring for my FET.  If I get the go ahead I will have to take my first prometrium (i think that is the name) shot Friday night.  This is my first time doing IM shots.  Some how I have avoided doing these after a year of cycles. 

So I feel like a total newbie and I know it has been asked so many times before, but can you ladies give me your best PIO/IM shot tips?  DH won't be doing the shots so I need advice for self admin the shots.  TIA!

And I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend.  I just got back from my trip yesterday and I had a great time.  I got to relax and drink wine all weekend.  it was exactly what I needed before starting up again.  Now back to the crazy. 

Jackie2200

I did my own PIO injection the other night.  The anticipation beforehand was about an 11 but the pain was about 1.  It wasn't a big deal at all and all the worry was for nothing.  

You Tube has some great vidoes that give directions. 

 

My advice would be to gently press the needle in.  Don't stab it in--it will slide in slowly and it won't hurt at all.  I use 25guage needles for PIO.  It takes a bit longer to get the meds out but it's worth it since you're not using a dagger. 

theworms

i would ask your nurse to use permanent marker and mark your butt where the shots need to go and then do them in front of mirror.

the youtube tutorials are good too.

GL CUTIE

hollymichael

I think it hurts less when my hip/butt is warm. So, I sit on the heating pad for about 10min before the shot and hold the filled syringe in my hand at the same time to warm up the meds a bit. Then, after the shot, I sit on the heating pad for another 10 minutes. I had to do it myself a couple of times. I would twist around in front of the mirror and do it. It actually hurt less when I did it myself.

jillmatheny

I did all my own PIO shots for both cycles and I'll tell you what I did.  I iced the area for a few minutes first, then stuck the needle in right in the hip area (almost as high and behind the hip).  Afterwards I just rubbed for a minute and things were fine.  The PIO shots hurt way less than the menopur shots.  Good luck!  The first one is the worst, but you'll be fine!

matt'sbride

theworms:

i would ask your nurse to use permanent marker and mark your butt where the shots need to go and then do them in front of mirror.

This! Also, Mh did my shots so I don't have any experience with self-injections, but I can tell you my usual routine for IM shots...

I sit on an ice pack for half and hour prior to the shot. While on the ice pack, I make sure to focus my weight on the spot where the injection will be. Mh does the shot while I lie on my stomach taking deep breaths in and out. I try and focus on my breathing and not on what he's doing. After the shot, he rubs the area for a few min while I'm on my stomach. Then I turn to lie on my side (so that my weight is on the opposite hip) and he continues to massage for a few more min. Then we apply a heating pad for about 20 min.

Since I started doing these steps, I have very little (if any) pain from the shots. What I've found is that the rubbing isn't as important as the heat. GL!