epo shots

[hephziba]

the needles it takes are micro fine 0.25 mm which is absolutely tiny and I felt it even less than regular epo injection which is a slightly larger needle.

as I said It still has the excitement thing about it at the moment.

oh it also has a needle shield which if you choose to use it means you cant see the needle go in, you just press a flat round object against the skin and press the button. could work since a lot of needle phobia is psychological

Heph

[livecam]

I learned to do it on a trip we took out of the country.  The German unit didn't provide EPO so my neph here wrote a prescription for some to take along.  The EPO in a cooler would never get by airport security today (then again it might considering some of the stuff I take all the time) but it was fine back in spring of 2000.  EPO is not so much of a subcue shot and it must be sort of stabbed into the upper arm.  It does hurt but the benefits are worth it.

[angela515]

I took my epo shots in my tummy, no pain. I was too scared to do it myself in the arm or thigh. However when I was in clinic they did it in my arm until they switched to putting it directly in my line. i might have to take Epo again post-transplant until my Hemoglobin and Hematocrit come back up, if so ill be doing it in the tummy.

[livecam]

Angela, you're right...find the right spot in your tummy and no pain.  Also a great place for a touch of novolog every now and then.

[Treasure]

Hmmm. People are mentioning painless EPO shots. I've never experienced that. I used the tiny needles, so that part didn't hurt. But the stuff stung like the dickens...and that's after letting it sit out to room temperature, each time. I haven't had an EPO shot in a year, but I'll probably have to return to that when I return to home hemo again. I just need to find out how to make it painless...

[angela515]

To make it painless for me, I inject it in my tummy... no pain no stinging or anything. I actually will be taking 10,000 units once a week starting this week.

[renal30yrs]

I think its easier (somehow less pain) to give those shots in your belly.  Did it for 3 years once a week without any complicaton

[Epoman]

I have found that if I SQUEEZE the area with my index finger and thumb hard before I inject the needle, I feel NO pain. It works for me. But honestly those insulin needles I use, the needles are so small I don't even really need to squeeze.

- Epoman

[Wattle]

I agree with Epoman. Just pinch a roll on your stomach with your index finger and thumb and away you go.  You can do it, it really doesn't hurt. I still get nervous but it is all in my head.... I just think its going to hurt. I always laugh at myself later for being so silly! 

[Treasure]

ok...i learned the pinch method and it didn't keep it from stinging... i rotated spots and it hurt no mater where. i hope i can avoid the need for injectable epo in the future...

[hephziba]

treasure are you using arenesp. I used that and it stung like hell, so I changed back to the other one which doesnt sting...

[Lucinda]

I have just started using arenesp and I give it to myself in my leg with the pen-click needle.  You just place the pen against your leg, click a buttom and the needle automatically clicks out when it give you your dosage.  It only hurts a tad and you aren't fiddling around with syringes and needles.  In fact, you don't even see the needle so nothing there to freak you out.  Really is the way to go.

[stauffenberg]

Having had type 1 diabetes now for a little more than 40 years, I estimate I have given myself about 40,000 subcutaneous injections of insulin so far.  Generally, the rule among diabetics is that people are bothered by self-injection only for the first week of the disease or so, and after that it simply becomes an inconvenience, but not a physical or psychological pain.

Now, post-transplant, my red blood cell count is still not normal, so I have to take a weekly injection of Aranesp, which is provided free in pre-filled syringes by the Canadian government to transplant patients who need it.  But unfortunately the bore of the syringe in which it is available is about as thick as a pencil and it is as blunt and dull as a baseball bat, so it takes an enormous amount of pushing to get it to penetrate the skin.  I have tried transferring it to a narrow guage insulin syringe, which is completely comfortable to use, but the process of transfer from one syringe to another is time-consuming, difficult, and always loses some Aranesp.  So I have just resigned myself to struggling with that idiotically fat, obtuse syringe for the time being.  But since the Aranesp passes easily through the narrow bore insulin syringe, why is it not provided in such a syringe?  Is the thick syringe cheaper, and is the government operating on the theory that beggars can't be choosers?

[Treasure]

treasure are you using arenesp. I used that and it stung like hell, so I changed back to the other one which doesnt sting...

Nope! It was epogen...though, I think that the one time I was given Procrit, it didn't seem to sting. I thought Epo and Procrit, though, were bioequivalent.

For now, I'm just going to try to not think about my epo shots in the future... maybe i'll heal up from home hemo and not need epo...hehehe...

[Triker]

I learned to give my epo shots while I was on PD. I gave them in the top of my thighs. Rather than using the 1cc insulin syringe, I used a 4cc syringe with removable needles. I used the big needles that came with the syringes to draw the epo from the vials, then replaced it with a small insulin needle to inject the epo. It seemed like a good system to me. There was no concern of dulling the needle drawing the epo. The 4cc syringe was the same length, as the 1cc syringe, but with a bigger diameter barrel. Therefore, the plunger travel was considerably less for the same volume. With my arthritis in my right hand, it was easier to administer the shot with the shortened plunger travel. The 1cc syringe was pulled all the way out, whereas, the 4cc was only 1/4 way out. The bigger barrel was easier to hold on to also.

[scyankee]

When I had to do epo at home, I found that the slower I pushed the plunger in my
tummy the less stinging was noticed.  Anytime you do it quick between the pressure
of the syringe and the epo (or heparin) will make it sting.

[billoggblog]

Most of the time, when i take my EPO it is painless, occasionally it can Really Hurt.  what am I doing wrong, am I hitting a nerve?

[Ohio Buckeye]

Still haven't got the courage to do mine yet.

[Jaybird]

I take my epo when I dialylize on my nxstage machine. I take it 3 times a week. I noticed that when i take it I feel like hell about an hour afterwards. I told my nurse and my doctor and they said they never heard of this happening before. I have to take a nap or sit down and relax for about 2-3 hours after dialysis on the days I take epo.

Does anyone else feel different after they take it. Different in a bad way.

-Jaybird

Oh and it never stings or anything.

[bolta72]

I get mine through the lines at dialysis.

[Zach]

I take my epo when I dialylize on my nxstage machine. I take it 3 times a week. I noticed that when i take it I feel like hell about an hour afterwards. I told my nurse and my doctor and they said they never heard of this happening before. I have to take a nap or sit down and relax for about 2-3 hours after dialysis on the days I take epo.

Does anyone else feel different after they take it. Different in a bad way.

-Jaybird

Oh and it never stings or anything.

And you inject it?

[jbeany]

I take my epo when I dialylize on my nxstage machine. I take it 3 times a week. I noticed that when i take it I feel like hell about an hour afterwards. I told my nurse and my doctor and they said they never heard of this happening before. I have to take a nap or sit down and relax for about 2-3 hours after dialysis on the days I take epo.

Does anyone else feel different after they take it. Different in a bad way.

-Jaybird

Oh and it never stings or anything.

Oh, they do love to ignore the fact that it's possible to get side effects from it.  The manufacturer calls it "flu-like symptoms."  I've been on some form of epo for the last 10 years.  When I started dialysis 4 months ago, I had to fight like mad to keep taking mine at home sub-q, so that I could take it right before I went to bed.  That way, I can sleep thru the worst of the side effects, which for me usually involves being light headed, shaky and nauseous.  I'm on aranesp now, which my doc tried because the symptoms from the Procrit were so bad, I had to spend the entire day in bed doped up on darvocet.

[goofynina]

The only thing i know about my epo injections is i need to take it in the morning, if i take it at night i am wide awake until 4 or 5 in the morning (crazy huh)    that is pretty much the only problem i have with it, 

[anja]

my symptoms are the same as goofynina's ~ must give it early in the day or there is no rest for hours and hours!   

[Wattle]

I am on Arensep. I have taken it (sub q) at all different times of the day and have no side effects.

Could you ask to change from Epo?