Scared of the needle!

tvh1982 · November 2015

Hello ladies!
I started a new cycle and am preparing for my first IVF.
I have tried to get pregnant, but found out I have PCOS.
Started taking a little bit of hormones, but no success.
So now over to IVF.
Did take some hormones, hated the needle, but it is a tiny one..so manned up.
This time around I need to stop ovulating, which comes with an extra injection with a normal needle.
I can tell you I have sweaty palms just thinking about placing that one. Wednesday is getting awfully close (that's when I have to take the first one!)
No husband in my life (I'm doing this on my own...with a donor)
Any tips?!? Or is it a 'just-do-it' moment?

tripledaggerWed95976 · November 2015

Yah it's one of those things where u have to just do it, unfortunately. My husband didn't want to do my injections for me, so I did them all myself.. it was definitely no fun but u gotta just go for it. Good luck!

suchaglencoco · November 2015

You just have to psych yourself up for it and just do it. The more you put it off, the more anxious you'll get.
Some women have a certain song that will pump them up to do it. Others have bought some special chocolates that they would use as their reward and push to do it. You just have to find something to motivate you.
They honestly look worse than they are. My husband was kind of useless with a lot of it and made me more anxious, so I started to do them all myself which worked out way better. I'd psych myself up, do it, and be done with it.

KLake42 · November 2015

Just do it! It's normal to be nervous, and some of us are more anxious than others (especially if you had bad experiences as a kid getting shots).

I recommend reading over directions, especially if mixing meds is part of it. Then take it one step at a time (even if the steps are just wipe with rubbing alcohol, take cap off needle, push out the air, and jab it home). I mean, all you're doing is wiping a spot down with alcohol-- that's nothing! Now, all you have to do is take the cap off. That's it, don't let any other thoughts in. Now, your only task in the world is to push the air out. Nothing is going to happen after that.

Then, tell yourself that at least you don't have to give an angry cat a bath and wrestle it into a crate (something involving many puncture wounds). You only have to give yourself a little jab. Picture the motions in your mind. And then go on auto pilot and just do it-- pretend you are watching a movie of yourself.

I already know that you're a bad ass because you are doing this on your own. You totally got this.

HBamama2B · November 2015

You can do this! It sucks, no lie; but it's so completely worth it. Here's some things that helped me: Have a ritual. Time of day, how you lay things out, what you are watching or listening to. Then do that everyday. Lean against a wall for the gonal f and Menopur. Gonal f (or whichever same type you are using shouldn't hurt). The Menopur (if your on it) burns and goes in slow so be prepared for that, the needle tho doesn't hurt. If you have PIO after egg retrieval, ice the butt and warm the progesterone before injection, then heat your butt on the heating pad afterwards (low or medium heat but not high). For PIO self-injection positioning, I lay down on my bed with pillow under my stomach and reach back. The wall and bed help you not back away from the needle. Hope this helps and welcome!

KLake42 · November 2015

I like that leaning on the wall trick, @HBamama2B!

KidShrink · November 2015

As a child psychologist (who used to work in a pediatric hospital with sick kids), I did my share of desensitization (didn't mean I enjoyed my own injections and wasn't scared the first time, but I could talk myself through it). Think about what it is that scares you, what's the worst thing you think could happen. Then figure out whether that's actually likely to happen. I had kids afraid of it hitting their bones and breaking...so we did all kinds of experiments with needles to try to bend and break them. Believe me, they don't break

Pain sucks, but it's temporary. If bruises happen, they'll go away. You're a strong woman, you can can do this!

takethelongway · November 2015

I did all my injections myself as well and I will say, the needle for the Ganirelix was the worst. However, only on the inital prick. Once it was slightly in, it went in smoothly. It burns a little bit (no pain with the FSH for me) so I would suggest having an ice pack ready. It seemed to help the burning for me. I was also lucky enough to only have one tiny little bruise, but I also have a little extra to love around my tummy

Good luck, you've got this!

Wicked4589 · November 2015

I did all of them myself except for trigger shot and POI. Can't see my butt to be able to do those. I hated needles too but looked at it this way. This is the only way I am getting pregnant. So if some needle is the only thing standing in my way, I need to buck up and just do it. Child birth is so much worse than a needle. In the grand scheme of things it's not a big deal so just do it. That helped me.

tvh1982 · November 2015

Thank you all for your kind words, tips and tricks, and the little pick me up.

Gonal-f is amost like a walk in the park by now

Tomorrow morning will be 'orgalutran', the one I dread the most.
But never thought I would be able to set gonal-f either.

I'll def try the back against wall thing. And due to hormones I finally got some extra loving around the stomac area too..so got something to grab!

Thank you again, it feels like you are all there with me tomorrow!

ShayLatrice · November 2015

@tvh1982 Orgalutran sounds like a monster Godzilla would have to fight. LOL... I'm glad that you were able to get comfortable giving yourself the Gonal -F Shot. It is one of the easiest shots to administer. I'm sure by tomorrow morning you will be a pro and any additional shots from here on out will get easier for you to give. Are you going to be doing a Fresh Transfer or Frozen?

tvh1982 · November 2015

@ShayLatrice I'm actually not scared anymore, this morning I had to give myself the 'orgalutran' and I was like: 'let's do this!'

I will be using frozen from an unknow but open donor (as I don't want to make the decision for my unborn child not knowing where (s)he came from later in life)
I have been offered fresh transfer from a dear friend, but I feel like that would complicate things.

ShayLatrice · November 2015

@tvh1982 Awesome!!! Seems like you are a pro at injections already!

Scared of the needle!

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