First injection on first attempt, anyone else in the same boat?

[35counting]

Hi, we’ve been TTC for nearly 3 years now and have been waiting for IVF on the nhs for 18 months. Today was my first injection of buserelin and I am not good with needles. I was going to attempt it myself but freaked out a bit at the thought. Thankfully my husband held it together and did it for me. I am hoping I get used to it and pluck up the courage to do it myself so I am not dependent on him being around every evening.

Anyone else at the same stage and need a anonymous outlet to share stories?

I find icing the spot before helps...

Thank you for the tip, will have to try that!

Hi there 35counting
Sounds like I’m a few days ahead of you. Did my first ever injection on our first round four days ago. My worst fears are needles and hormones so, yeah... My OH is in charge of the chemistry set & jabbing me. I am in charge of not running screaming from the building or wresting/punching him in the face to stop him doing it

Are you on long or short protocol?

Hi I did my first round in May so did my own injections, OH works shifts and couldn't be home at the times that the clinic recommended the injections to be done. It was freaky at first to stab myself at first, but I got used to it. I am lucky though, I dont have a fear of needles. The hardest thing for me was after my DH had his TESE, they gave 4 days of injectable antibiotics to be adminstered via a needle that was longer than my pinky, into the muscle in his buttocks. That traumatised me just as much as him. I could never do that again

Hi both, thanks for responding!

I’m on long protocol @gingergnome, I didn’t realise until recently that there was an option, we really weren’t told much about it by the hospital at all. Thankfully we have some friends who have been through it (6 times) and they have been able to fill in the blanks.

Day 2 today, I felt the injection more today but it didn’t bleed at all and hasn’t left a bruise as it did yesterday. I will attempt it myself at some point but we had to do it on the way home today due to timings so didn’t want that to be my first try.

Thank god we don’t have a needle like that @AniSL, I really wouldn’t cope! How did you find the rest of the process? Was EC painful? I am also very anxious about that!

Wishing you both all the best, everything crossed for us all.

35counting I found the process ok, I alternated sites and was lucky not to have any pains or bloating issues. Trigger shot was also the same, no issues there apart from a slight bloat.
I was crapping myself for EC as I had read peoples experiences. The hardest part for me was the anaesthetist jabbing me with a needle. I did have a bleed for a few hours but aparr from that all I had was some tenderness in my stomach, no pain and no painkillers, bloating went down in a couple of days too. I guess I got lucky

That’s comforting to know @AniSL thank you, fingers crossed we have the same experience!

I think you’re very brave @35counting to have a go yourself if you aren’t keen on needles. Good for you! I hope you manage to pluck up the courage. I’d like to do my own too for convenience but I’m a long way from that point mentally!

Sorry to hear you’ve had bruising and bleeding :-( Are you jabbing into suitably fatty/fleshy spots?

I had my first day of two injections yesterday & was in a state all day waiting for them! Really admire all of you on long protocol, hoping short works for me so I don’t have to try it next time. X

Hi ladies, can I join please? I’ve only just seen this, i started a thread yesterday hoping to find some cycle buddies.

I start my first round with my first injection for the long protocol tomorrow evening after I’ve had the scratch. Did anyone else have the endometrial scratch?

I’m not scared of needles as I’m a nurse but the thought of injecting myself scares me a bit!! My husband works shifts so it just won’t work with him doing them!!! Sounds silly but what do you ice with? An ice pack?

Does the Suprecur sting?

Hi @Sunny1984
Saw your other thread & thought it was a great idea - Thanks!
Good luck with your first needle. I’m sure after the nerves of the first time injecting yourself you’ll be great!
I haven’t had a scratch or anything so hopefully one of the others can comment.
I haven’t iced either (keeping it in my arsenal though just in case!) but I thought a cube would be fine as you only want a small localised area. A pack would work too but a bit overkill for the area covered I should think.

What have your clinics recommended for injecting? I know some.say inject straight out of the fridge, mine told me to take it out of frudge half hour before injecting and it should be closer to room temp.
I tried it cold first and then room temp, the eoom temp was more comfortable.

Good luck with the injecting.

I don’t know anything about the short protocol but two injections a day does not sound fun @gingergnome. I wasn’t given the option of short protocol on nhs, not sure why or what the differences are.

Welcome @Sunny1984, I’ve not had a scratch or been offered one either but I did read something the other day about them having no medical advantage. I am not sure whether that is true or not, did it hurt?

I’ve not been icing yet and not really felt the suprecur at all. I am however in a foul
PMS type mood today and wonder if that’s as a result of the injections (could however be normal PMS). I hope it doesn’t carry on for the full 14 days!

@AniSL I haven’t been told to keep the suprecur in the fridge, only my next set of medication but they’re all in the fridge anyway due to this temperature. First day was straight from fridge and yesterday room temp as we were travelling and I didn’t really feel a difference. Maybe that explains the difference with bruising/bleeding though?

I’m out the other side of IVF (with a baby on my knee as I type, so keep the faith!), but my husband did all my needles. We decided as I was giving up booze/caffeine/sweat-free sleep/bruise-free unbloated body/having any bit of my body that was actually private anymore, the least he could do was take charge of the stabby bit!

Good luck to all of you xx

The first time you do the injection on yourself is the worst. It gets easier, I promise!
For me, letting the medication warm up for 30 minutes vastly reduced the feeling of burning under the skin (which is medication dependent, so you may not have it).

Thanks @Verbena87 and @DameSylvieKrin!

So happy that it worked for you @Verbena87. I’ve also given up booze and caffeine and, on the nurse’s recommendation, exercise (which is scaring me as I know I am going to put on even more weight).

After posting yesterday a wave of tiredness hit me and I had to go and lie down which is really unlike me. I don’t know whether that is also a side effect. Also already feeling bloated but it could all be coincidental. I also felt the injection for the first time, don’t know whether it was in an awkward place or whether it was because we were going back to the bruised side! It doesn’t appear to have bruised though. I am also really tired this morning. Hope this doesn’t continue for the full 2 weeks!

Hi all, how are my fellow de-reggers doing? I’ve been struggling a bit with the injections, they seem to be getting more painful. No more bruising just pain when administering, some slight skin rash immediately afterwards and some after pain.

Otherwise I’ve been generally really tired come 4pm in the afternoon and have just realised some odd aches I’ve been having could also be down to low oestrogen levels. Currently have an aching hip, ankle and knee, was putting it down to age and increased walking (as no longer allowed to gym/run) but have just read it is a side effect of the buserelin.

Also have ovary type pain today on the right hand side, not sure what is causing that but a quick search has reassured me that it’s quite common.

Can’t believe I’m not even a week in yet, time is going so slowly! Not braved doing my own injections yet but I’m away this weekend so will have to try either tonight or tomorrow.

Hope you’re all fairing better than I am!

Oh and my concentration is shocking, hence posting rather than finishing some advice I’ve been trying to do all week!