Self-administering Shots

January 15, 2005 8:42 PM

Does anyone here self-administer subcutaneous shots? I have to do four a week of Enbrel, for psoriasis, and I find it most comfortable to do them again and again in the same spot (my belly). Should I move the point of injection around? When I try my thigh, I hit a vein, and bruise. Am I building up scar tissue by using the same spot? Does it matter much if I do? And does it matter much if I hit a vein in my thigh when I try there?
posted by goofyfoot to health & fitness (14 comments total)

IANAD, but I don't think it particularly matters. Diabetics use the same injection sites for subcutaneous insulin injections for years.

Of course, your doctor or pharmacist would probably be able to tell you one way or another.
posted by neckro23 at 8:50 PM on January 15, 2005

I don't administer shots to myself, but I give my partner an injection every night for multiple sclerosis.

I tend to move the shot around as much as possible to avoid scar tissue and general irritation.

You may also want to consider looking into an autoject so that you can give yourself shots in hard to reach places, such as your backside.

The other option is to get someone else to do it. My partner much prefers me doing it to doing it herself.
posted by tomble at 8:51 PM on January 15, 2005

Do not inject in the same spot. If you find the belly to be the easiest, that's fine, but avoid the same spot- the risk of infection goes way up. I inject my mother for RA, and we move from right arm to left arm- at least do one side, then the other. Avoid veins- I don't know what the possible risks are, but Enbrel is intended as an intramuscular drug only- NOT intravenous. Just give your flesh a chance to heal before you inject in the same spot- this reduces the scarring. I would suggest at least ~5 inches from the previous injection. Much luck.
posted by exlotuseater at 8:54 PM on January 15, 2005

err... subcutaneous, not IM. sorry.
posted by exlotuseater at 9:05 PM on January 15, 2005

I self inject methotrexate weekly and always use the same thigh. I've never had a problem and my rheumatologist told me the same general spot was ok. But it wouldn't probably hurt to go from left side to right side if you can do it successfully.

By the way, how is the Enbrel working? My arthritis is psoriatic and Enbrel keeps gettng recommended.
posted by ..ooOOoo....ooOOoo.. at 9:51 PM on January 15, 2005

Thanks for all your responses. I am on a state health plan and get very little facetime with doctors.

I have severe psoraisis; no arthritis yet. I am not a good candidate for methotrexate (I kinda lied about that - I hate the thought of taking cancer drugs). Enbrel, which I have taken since September (double-dose since early December - four shots/wk of 25 cc's) has reduced plaque, pain and flaking everywhere except below the knees.

Have you checked Flake HQ? They have a yahoo group called psorchat. Some people there take Enbrel for RA and for psoriatic arthritis. I keep hoping to find a larger group on the net, but that's it so far.
posted by goofyfoot at 10:35 PM on January 15, 2005

I was hoping some diabetics would come in and say what they know about the scar tissue a 25-guage needle can build.
posted by goofyfoot at 10:42 PM on January 15, 2005

You should be calling your doctor's office. You don't need face-time to get the answers you need. All you need is a phone conversation with a nurse.
posted by caitlinb at 11:42 PM on January 15, 2005

Commenting as a nurse;
When administrating SC injections it is important to rotate sites to keep scarring and hardening of the skin and fatty tissues at a minimum. Repeated injections in the same spot can lead to tissue damage that will interfere with absorption of the injected medication. Each injection should be about an inch or two apart. Pull back on the plunger of the syringe, if you get a blood return, do not inject the medication. Enbrel should not be injected into a vein. Enbrel in reconstituted using a 25 gauge needle but a 27 gauge needle is used for injection of the medication.
posted by bratcat at 11:55 PM on January 15, 2005

Thanks goofyfoot. Also in addition to what bratcat said, Wyeth and Amgen offer free telephone RN support for Enbrel users from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., eastern time, 7 days a week at 1-888-4ENBREL (1-888-436-2735). More info here. Good luck.
posted by ..ooOOoo....ooOOoo.. at 12:00 AM on January 16, 2005

bratcat.. as a nurse, i disagree with switching injection sites too much. we teach diabetics to use the same area... in order to assure even response to insulin. the 27 gauge needles don't cause scarring or hardening of the subq tissues (per the most recent research i know of). Enbrel injection is done the same way.

In the hospitals i work at, people are taught to use the site that is easiest for them to reach and inject efficiently, only varying the injection spot by an inch or so.

As an aside.. if you are hospitalized and diabetic, it's wise to ask anyone who is injecting you to use the site you usually use.
posted by reflecked at 6:05 AM on January 16, 2005

reflecked, as a nurse I agree, I should have been more clear in about switching sites. I didn't mean to switch from the abdomen or the thigh to another site as much as I meant don't inject the medication in the exact same spot everytime, move it by an inch or so.
posted by bratcat at 7:49 AM on January 16, 2005

Reflecked, as a nurse I agree, I should have been more clear about switching sites. I didn't mean to switch from the abdomen or the thigh to another site as much as I meant don't inject the medication in the exact same spot everytime, move it by an inch or so.
posted by bratcat at 7:50 AM on January 16, 2005

Now how did that happen? My preview posted also.
posted by bratcat at 7:51 AM on January 16, 2005