To not want to self administer the depo?

[TibetanTerrah]

I've been on the depo injection for years and love it (no periods!). Before covid I used to just go to the walk in centre when it was due, since covid I've had to make an appointment but no issue.

Last one the woman told me they were moving over to self injecting and showed me how. She wasn't the nicest and I'm not the most coordinated and worse under pressure, she said she'd never seen anyone do it as "cackhanded" as me!

I'm a bit squeamish but I did it, and she gave me three more to take home. I really don't want to do it at home though. If I fuck it up somehow I really don't want to end up pregnant. Why is something so important being left in the cackhanded paws of someone like me!?

I'm seriously considering booking my next appointment and bringing the three with me to give back. I dont have a great reason for not wanting to really but she didn't exactly inspire confidence, it's gross doing it yourself, and if I fuck it up I don't want the emotional fallout of a termination. AIBU?

Bleugh. It's D-Day. I've watch a YouTube video on how to do it and feel rather sick

Can you get a friend of family member to do it for you? If it’s a depo I assume it’s an IM injection so just get them to do it in your deltoid.

You'll be okay.

I was with DP at A&E once and he needed to be sent away with injections to be done at home. The A&E doctor turned to me (not to DP! — he just assumed I'd be doing it), and asked, "Have you ever done an injection before?"

I said, "Um, only on a rat…"

He responded, "Oh you'll be fine then", did the first one to show how it worked, and handed the rest to me.

DP was actually a lot easier to inject than a rat. Though less brave.

Fuck this! I had to get my DH to stab me in the leg with the blood thinners post c section and those were pretty instant and about brute force. I couldn't inject myself

It is easier to do it on someone else.

Go and get the implant or the coil then.

Here’s the attention you wanted though 🙄

Yeah, go get a completely different form of contraception that you might not get on with when you know that this one works well for you.

Have you got zero empathy? Most people are not at all used to doing injections on themselves, let alone depot injections which can require more prep, take longer and be more uncomfortable than a simple jab. Until now, it's been considered entirely standard for this injection to be given by medical staff and not expected to be self-administered by untrained people. It's entirely understandable to be apprehensive, worry about getting it wrong, and to wish that you could go back to the way it's always been offered before.

Or did you just want some attention for your callousness?

Practice... I do my own b12s, plus insulin multiple times a day (not really comparable the insulin is much easier)...

I have a snappy thing to crack ampoules for b12 as i always fluff it doing it bare handed... but otherwise, flick the needle downwards, have a bit of air space above the liquid in the syringe so it all goes in you (not the air, just all the liquid) - as long as its gone in you its fine, pressure on afterward.

My top tip is... you are not stabbing at your skin... you are stabbing THROUGH - that tends to help you not hesitate at the last second and bounce off (which blunts the needle and then the next go is harder and hurtier!)

It's fine after a few, honestly
I inject one medication once a week and another is 2 injections once a month, all in my stomach
The worst thing is the side effects from one of them so I am sick before injecting (automatic reaction to knowing how ill I will be!) the actual injection is fine

Awwww thanks 🤗

Well I've done it. Piercing the skin didn't hurt but squeezing the stuff in did No idea if I've done it right, which was always my biggest problem with doing this - potentially big consequences if I've fucked it up. But it's done now!

Where do you do the depot injection on your body? I get mine done in my bum so not possible to do myself there!

I'm diabetic so used to small injections in my belly but I don't think I'd feel confident giving myself depot. I've got my next jab booked for October so they have obviously not started self-injection here yet.

@Gingerkittykat somewhere in your thigh. the nurse was quite stroppy and strict about where I put it the first time but the youtube video was much more vague I suppose I should be thankful I didn't have to contort myself to reach my butt cheek!

I think another appointment with a different nurse will help you. I'm surprised the nurse pointed out how cackhanded you were, she must have forgotten her days as a student nurse. As a student nurse I crushed entire glass vials, ended up covered in antibiotics which smell like cat pee and really struggled to get a comfortable hand position to draw things up without spilling stuff, I wasn't alone. There is a knack and it takes a bit of practice. As a qualified nurse I worked in ICU and prepared injections and infusions dozens of times a day without any problem.

You can do this, you just need someone who recognises they are teaching a novice and has a bit of patience.