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Self administering intramuscular progesterone - advice needed

12 replies

calmcat · 28/01/2021 13:47

Hi All, we are doing FET shortly month, I am just finishing the norethisterone and then waiting for my period. This is the first time we have made it this far, its our third cycle and this time with donor eggs so I feel a bit disconnected to it all.
I will need to self administer progesterone intramuscularly into my buttock muscle 3 x per week soon. My partner is a wimp and can't even look at the needles so I have to do it myself. I did all the stims injections myself in previous cycles and it became easy and actually I preferred to be control so I'm not annoyed or upset my other half wont help, I'm kind of relieved. Aside from getting over sticking a massive needle into myself and as you all know it is so much bigger than the stims needles, I think its going to be challenging to keep relaxed and make sure I'm inserting the needle in the right place and not hitting a capillary or god forbid, a bone.
I have read up on it, watched Youtube and done my research and it looks like it doesn't sting to inject the actual progesterone unlike my stims meds that stung so that's one positive, its the actual process of putting that long needle into me and in the right place that I am worried about. I wondered if anyone else out there self administered? Do you have any tips or advice? e.g. what position did you sit/stand/lay in, did you warm the syringe contents, did you warm or chill yourself? I was even thinking of asking the nurse at the clinic to draw on me with a marker so i know where to do it.
I know its all worth it but I feel like this is the biggest hurdle so far so any advice would be appreciated.

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seven201 · 28/01/2021 16:43

This might not help much but I'm sure my clinic said of my dh couldn't do it I could do it to myself in my thigh if I had to. Or I think they might have said I could pop in for a nurse to do it. Maybe check with them. Good luck.

calmcat · 28/01/2021 17:12

@seven201 I've heard its really horrid to inject into your thigh, ive thought about seeing if the clinic can do it for me but it would mean a 30 mile drive into Central London 3x a week but might be worth it.

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seven201 · 28/01/2021 18:12

What about a kind neighbour? Obviously trickier at the moment to find someone you trust and who would be willing to!

I guess doing it standing up in front of a full length mirror in the bum might work. I should imagine it's harder to press the plunger on this as the liquid is thick and the needle just bigger so might be tricky when teaching round.

sd249 · 28/01/2021 18:53

I IM inject into my thigh daily - it's not too difficult at all. I find it way easier than anywhere else once you get used to it.

There is an auto injector you can get if you would find it easier though which might help:

unionmedico.com/90-super-grip/

Even into buttock it's not too difficult at all.

seven201 · 28/01/2021 22:08

Ooh sd249. Do you do it for an oil based med? I've done 'normal' injections in my thigh and that was fine but the thought of doing oil based lentogest in a thigh is a bit scarier. Not tried it though, it might be ok.

MabelG · 29/01/2021 09:35

@calmcat could you ask for lubion instead? That is subcutaneous into the stomach (I had IMs on a previous cycle but lubion on my latest one).

A tip with IMs is to alternate sides and do not inject in the same place each time. It made a hard lump under my skin which was painful if you injected into it again too soon. I don't think you'll be able to inject into your buttock yourself, it has to be in the upper outer quadrant and the needle needs to go in at 90 degrees so someone else needs to do it for you.

calmcat · 29/01/2021 10:04

@sd249 I have watched a few youtube videos where they say you do it once in your thigh then its so bad you wont want to do it again

@seven201weve just moved house and don't know any of them yet! Quite funny actually thinking of saying "hi I'm your new neighbour, can you inject me in the bum cheek! made me chuckle!

@MabelG I had to go to the clinic today as one of my blood tests was out of date so I spoke to them and they said I can come in and they will give me my jabs, as its only 3 times a week I think I will do that, its 45 min drive at 6.30am to central London (luckily I've found a cheap car park outside the congestion zone and a 15 min walk to my clinic- and lockdown means the traffic is fine) and I'm hoping after a few visits the nurse can either teach me or I can switch to my thigh or even switch to the other med you talk about. I did talk to them a while back about the subcut progesterone and they said I would need to take that 3 times a day into my stomach and it gets very sore. I cant help but think it would be easier, even though I've paid for the IM meds.

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cannonball8726 · 24/07/2021 22:45

Hi @calmcat what did you do in the end? I'm on intramuscular progesterone and have to go away next week so husband can't do the injections. I'm scared of doing them myself!

calmcat · 24/07/2021 23:04

@cannonball8726
In the end i did it myself. I got the nurse at the clinic to draw on me so I knew where to aim and I made sure I didn't wash the marks off, when they got faint I got my OH to redraw them. The backup was the nurse told me to try first thing and if i really couldn't i could phone them and they coukd do it or coach me in the clinic. The traffic was dreadful thst day so I was more determined to try by myself. I perched on a low piece of furniture by a mirror or knelt sideways on to a mirror leaning against the wall. I prepped the jab then numbed the area with an ice pack. Then if I was jabbing the left side I made sure I relaxed and took a weight off that side, held the syringe like a pen in my left hand and touched it against my skin and when I couldn't feel it I pushed the needle in, you really can't feel it, then slowly pressed the plunger, held it in place for a count of 30 then removed it. Have a cotton wool pad on hand to apply pressure as sometimes the oil leaks out. Occasionally a little blood but you cant feel it. I really think doing it myself rather than my needle phobic OH was best, he was shaking with relief when I told him I'd done it. It got easier and I even did it without numhing my skin once, not pleasant but doable.
I'm 24 weeks now so it was worth it.

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cannonball8726 · 25/07/2021 13:09

Okay thanks @calmcat. Good skills - well done! Will give it a go.

Know what you mean about feeling "worth it". I had IM progesterone until I was 10 weeks pregnant with my now 2 year old. And now had a BFP from FET so will take the pain! Will be a 'blessing' to be able to continue with the IM progesterone until 10 weeks again... How long have you been on it in this pregnancy?

cannonball8726 · 25/07/2021 13:09

And congrats on your pregnancy! 💕

calmcat · 25/07/2021 17:15

@cannonball8726
Until 10 weeks, but I also had vagibal gel and tablets that I continued until 14 weeks gradually tapering off.

Congrats on your pregnancy too xx

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