Erythropoietin Injection Site

[balapandian]

where do you inject the erythropoietin injection?  shoulder, thighs, or stomach near navel?
which site gives the best absorption?

[chiawana]

We actually give it IV, before the heparin (we do home hemo).

[justme15]

I inject in my abdomen.  Not really close to the navel, but wherever I can grab a chunk of fat and inject.  I was getting injections in my shoulder, but I find abdominal injections are much less painful.  I'm not sure about whether one area absorbs better than the other,

[billybags]

My husband does the same as  justme15   grab some flab and jab, does not hurt.

[bevvy5]

Yep, Greg did it that way too when on PD.  Now it's through the machine at home on hemo.

[MaryD]

I use my thigh.

[KarenInWA]

I've always heard that an epo shot is going to be more potent if given intra-muscularly vs in the blood line. They were always big on this at my clinic, and even encouraged patients to stop a nurse if s/he was going to inject it into the line. The way I look at is, the drug is so danged expensive, I *want* to get it the most effective way possible!

I am no longer on D anymore, so my only choice is to get it in the arm or the stomach. I am 9 mos post-tx and am having issues with HGB and WBC.  That means I may get to have TWO different shots!!! 

KarenInWA

[cassandra]

I give mine in any flab of my body, so arm-flab, upper leg-flap, belly-flab etc. If you warm the syringe up in your hand before you feel nothing. And I used 3x as much Epo in my bloodlines, than subcutaneous (under the skin, not in the muscle).

good luck Cas

[KAF454]

Anyplace you can pinch up a little fat. My pd nurse tells me it absorbs really well when injected in belly fat. I inject in the early morning so I don't risk dialyzing it out of my system overnight.

[Darthvadar]

In the abdomen for Mum...

As she says 'Puncturing the spare tyre'.....

Darth....

[jeannea]

I let them put it in the upper arm. If you are even considering PD, the advice I was given was to NOT allow any stomach injections. When I'm in the hospital and they want to do heparin injections, I have them use my thigh or upper butt.

[Joe]

My PD team has me injecting EPO in the fat roll around my waist. Just grab the flab and jab, as has been shared.

[MaryD]

I have trouble using the flab around my stomach because I wear transitional lenses and I can't focus on my stomach unless I slide my glasses onto the end of my nose.  If they fall off I have trouble finding them again - and I'm scared I'll stand on them.  Oh dear - the joys of getting old!

[lmunchkin]

In his belly.

lmunchkin

[Kayholio]

Not to give TMI or anything, but I have a little bit of flab right below my belly button, so I just grab that and poke the needle in.

[KarenInWA]

I give mine in any flab of my body, so arm-flab, upper leg-flap, belly-flab etc. If you warm the syringe up in your hand before you feel nothing. And I used 3x as much Epo in my bloodlines, than subcutaneous (under the skin, not in the muscle).

good luck Cas

Thank you for correcting me, Cas! I was writing my post rather quickly, and couldn't think of the correct verbiage. Yes, sub-q or "in the flab" is where it's at!

KarenInWA