Possible Silly Question for Experienced IVFers

DoublePortion · April 2012

Were there any injections during your IVF cycle that you were not able to give to yourself? I've done Follistim and Ovidrel and they were super easy, but I haven't had to do anything IM. I'm not even sure if I'll have to do IM injections at this point. My "nurse teaching" is coming up and I'll find out then what all I'll be doing, but I planned on going to that appt alone. So if someone else has to give me injections wouldn't they need to be with me at that appt? I really hope I can just do them all myself because DH won't be any help at all. He can't even watch me inject myself!

AngnShaun · April 2012

The only thing i can think of is PIO, i know it can be a real pain the arse, no pun intended lol, to do that yourself.

rosemary&thyme · April 2012

The IM ones are tough, but doable. My DH does them mostly, but I've done them in a pinch when he's not available.

MrsNukem · April 2012

AngnShaun:
The only thing i can think of is PIO, i know it can be a real pain the arse, no pun intended lol, to do that yourself.

Agreed. For trigger and PIO, my hubby does them for me. But many ladies do those themselves also.

LaLe09 · April 2012

I did all of my subcutaneous injections. DH did almost all of my IM injections- it was just easier that way. I did ONE IM injection. It went fine, but I preferred DH doing it. I know there's alot of ladies that do their IM's so it's definitely possible if your DH won't do it! Good luck!

DoublePortion · April 2012

Thanks everyone! I have a nurse friend I was going to ask to go with me, but I'll give it a shot (haha) on my own and just have her do it if I can't.

daisyMaryGirl · April 2012

I gave myself all of my shots.

Mrs.McIrish · April 2012

My trigger shot was IM (either prenyl or novarel). DH did it for me and would watch the videos on line (village pharmacy has videos).

The only think I will warn you about with getting a friend to do it-- the trigger shot is timed like 36 hrs before your ER so you will likely get instructions to do the shot late at night (ie 11pm-2am) so it would be hard to have a friend do it then.

Snarling Fox · April 2012

MH sounds just like yours. He passes out when he gets blood tests so I knew the injects were going to be almost rougher on him than me.

I did all my injections on my own (we both travel quite a bit too so I didn't have much of a choice). Lupron and stims were all subcutaneous (did them in the belly) and pretty easy, the PIO was IM and was probably mentally harder than the others but definitely do-able solo. I did take him to the "injection teach" for moral support. It was a one-on-on with the nurse so while I sat at the desk with her going over all the needles and vials, he sat back trying not to hurl or crawl under the sofa . Initially he couldn't even come into the bathroom to watch or would be green if he thought about it too much. But a week into my PIO shots, he finally came around and would hang out and be my cheerleader. No hands on, but just there to prep stuff or make me smile.

Don't worry - you'll do fine!! And good luck!

maryoosa · April 2012

My doc requires a partner to be present for the injections lesson.

My shots have all been IM---and I couldn't give the to myself because of the location (in my ass), so my partner did them, now I'm taking them in my thigh, and my partner is still doing them thankfully, cause I just cannot.

But if they were subQ I could manage them.

Jezebell26 · April 2012

I cant do anything myself so you are a step ahead of me! I would think the stimming meds like gonal f or follistim and such are ok to do yourself because tehy are belly shots. A trigger shot is usually IM and so is the PIO. Those I can not do at all. Looks like we are using the follistim pen and it looks super easy so if I had to, I could do that myself. But I need help with everything! GL!

tst1998 · April 2012

I've done all my own injections, even the PIO. It's not bad. There are videos on You Tube on how to do it yourself, just search for "PIO self-injection". The first one was a little difficult, mainly because that needle is so damn long so I was hesitant to stick it in, but it doesn't hurt. Just go fast! It's really been pretty easy. The angle isn't nearly as tough as it might seem. I can even do it left handed now!

DoublePortion · April 2012

maryoosa:

My doc requires a partner to be present for the injections lesson.

My shots have all been IM---and I couldn't give the to myself because of the location (in my ass), so my partner did them, now I'm taking them in my thigh, and my partner is still doing them thankfully, cause I just cannot.

But if they were subQ I could manage them.

I'd thought I'd heard that mentioned before, but the nurse didn't say anything about it when scheduling me. I think I'll just show up alone and then if I need help I'll have my friend watch the videos mentioned above. Hopefully they won't make me reschedule!

DoublePortion · April 2012

Jezebell26:
I cant do anything myself so you are a step ahead of me! I would think the stimming meds like gonal f or follistim and such are ok to do yourself because tehy are belly shots. A trigger shot is usually IM and so is the PIO. Those I can not do at all. Looks like we are using the follistim pen and it looks super easy so if I had to, I could do that myself. But I need help with everything! GL!

The Follistim pen is super easy to use. It would be awesome if all the other injections were that easy!

DoublePortion · April 2012

I hope I don't have to do the PIO injections! I used Prometrium as a suppository for my IUIs and didn't mind them at all.

christy2125 · April 2012

Because my Hubby is so scared of needles, I have actually done every single shot myself; including the PIO and trigger shots. They really are not so bad once you get the hang of it. My DH was going to give my IM shots to me, but the day we had to get my first IM shot his hands were shaking so much that I just went ahead and did it so that he didn't end up passing out on me Wink The shots really aren't so bad and I was a total wuss when I first started thinking about giving myself injections. Also, everytime I had to give myself a new type of shot I looked up videos on YouTube. It really helped with my confidence! GL to you!

rebaann · April 2012

We just had our injection training yesterday and DH did have to be there. He's going to have to do both the delestrogen and the PIO shots since it would be really awkward to do them myself.

mama_cito95 · April 2012

tst1998:
I've done all my own injections, even the PIO. It's not bad. There are videos on You Tube on how to do it yourself, just search for "PIO self-injection". The first one was a little difficult, mainly because that needle is so damn long so I was hesitant to stick it in, but it doesn't hurt. Just go fast! It's really been pretty easy. The angle isn't nearly as tough as it might seem. I can even do it left handed now!

Same here. Did every single injection myself. I was anxious at first seeing the size and length of the needles, but like tst1998 said, it's really not as bad as it looks and I also watched some You Tube videos before I did it.

Gregermis · April 2012

I think it theory I should have been able to do all of them, but no way I would have been able to handle giving myself the trigger shot (which was IM). I nearly passed out just looking at the needle! (but that's a me thing)

Niki64 · April 2012

I have to say, I'm a nurse and I find it amazing that people give themselves their own IM shots. I gave myself my trigger and progesterone, it's tricky.

cindyc24 · April 2012

As the other ladies have said trigger and PIO are IM, and as stated a lot of women give themselves the IM injections as well. My DH gets light headed when walking into a hospital and cannot bare to see scars, but he was able to suck it up and give me my injections. I had him practice on the subQ injections, and by the time we got to the trigger he was fine. Good Luck!

Want a personalized experience?

Possible Silly Question for Experienced IVFers

Re: Possible Silly Question for Experienced IVFers

Choose Another Board

Search Boards