Doing PIO shots myself...

Jen12573

DH is anxious around needles. Nearly passed out when I had my HSG. So, him giving me my PIO shots is not an option. I also don't have anyone close by that I feel comfortable asking to do them. Has anyone given themselves their own PIO shots?

I watched a video online. I feel like I can do them but I'm getting anxious. I've still got a couple of weeks or maybe 10 days before it will be time. I'll have the nurse teach me, of course, before it's time.

Any advice? Or other tips you can offer?

Thanks!!

liz4paws

I did it myself and it was not as hard as I thought. My tips are:

Use a mirror. 

Practice pulling back on the plunger (to check for blood) with an empty syringe in front of you, and then pushing the plunger in until you have the hang of it. You'll need to do all of this comfortably with one hand.

Once you feel comfortable with this, get an apple and put it near your injection site. Have DH hold the apple steady by your hip (if he's up for this) while you practice injecting, pulling back, then plunging an empty syringe so you can get the feel for the one-handedness, angle and reach around required. Be careful not to stab yourself on accident because you'll turn into a fruit salad.

Once you're ready to do the real deal, heat up the PIO under your arm for a few minutes and the injection site with a heating pad. It will help the oil disperse better.

Put your weight on the leg that is NOT getting the PIO above it. It will hurt more to inject a tense muscle.

Now, just bite the bullet and do exactly you practiced on the apple now on your real injection site. The location of where you inject is really important on whether or not it's going to hurt. If you're not sure, or if you just want more confidence that you're doing it in the right place, have your RE's nurse draw a circle on each hip for you. Then you can trace over it every few days so it's always there.

Have your guaze pads and/or bandaids (if you use them) ready to go on the counter next to you.

Some ladies find laying on their side in front of a mirror works better for their reaching, but I found standing up was easiest. 

Good luck! You can do it and you're gonna feel like a rock star once realize you can do it by yourself. The first shot is always the hardest, but it's smooth sailin' after that.

ufrower

I did it a couple of times myself and found that lying down on my side was easier for me than standing up. Also -- ice the area before hand for 3 minutes or so. Helps take the edge off.

You will do great! Good luck!

liz4paws

ufrower:

I did it a couple of times myself and found that lying down on my side was easier for me than standing up. Also -- ice the area before hand for 3 minutes or so. Helps take the edge off.

You will do great! Good luck!

Icing can help the injection itself to not hurt quite as much, but my RE advised only using heat instead of ice. The reason is because icing causes the oil to freeze and won't disperse very well. If it pools up in one area causing lumps it can make it extra painful as the oil sits on your muscle. So he said it was a trade off - If you want to have less pain at the injection, ice can help, but unfortunately it's bad for the aftermath soreness and pain . I never tried icing before injection then hot pad after, but maybe that's the best of both worlds? I might try that next cycle.

Not all REs give this advice, so I'm just throwing this out there.

chicagobride_07

FWIW, I ice'd before and applied heat afterwards.  It was the only way that I could survive the shots with almost no residual side effects.  I did this both for my (failed) initial cycle as well as my FET- for an entire 13 weeks.  My levels were great and very minimal pain.

ufrower

That is what I did -- ice before and heat afterward. Never affected my levels and definitely helped with the discomfort.

 Do what you feel comfortable with.

AmCheri

You'll get good at the PIO fast. For me, it was easiest if I sat on the bathroom counter and twisted around just enough to see into the mirror.  Sitting on the counter takes the pressure off the muscle on the side you're injecting which greatly reduces the discomfort. 

At my clinic, for donor cycles you have to inject 2cc PIO which does take some time to inject. I found it to be much easier and quicker if I heated up the oil first, usually using a heating pad.   

GL!  The toughest part is applying consistent pressure long enough to get through the injection smoothly. It gets easier every time.   

AmCheri

Also, I was in the ice before, heat after camp.  If you use ice prior to the injection, make sure to apply a heating pad after and give it a good massage for 5 min or so to help the oil disperse. I never had any trouble with knots, except toward the end of the fifteen weeks of PIO.  That's a lot of PIO!