I DID it! I DID it!

[fudge stripe cookays]

I've been struggling with my Betaseron shots ever since I started a little over 2 weeks ago.

I had problems with the "auto-injector" tool because it makes a loud SNAP! when the needle goes in (I hate sudden loud noises and jump pretty bad), and watching the regular syringe freaks me out.

I can handle needles if someone else is poking me, but the nights I had to try to do it, I'd mess it up. reprehensor, bless his heart, has been doing all the work, because I was chickening out, or I couldn't reach the area I had to shoot.

Well, tonight, we did a couple practice runs with the auto-injector again, and I FINALLY got it right! I was beginning to worry! What a great birthday present. Or something.

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[REP]

1. I Have Imitrex Stat Dose

Which are the do-it-yourself injections. I'm not needlephobic, but the SNAP! is the worse part. Probably easier than jabbing myself deep enough in the muscle, but damn that's a loud noise!

[fudge stripe cookays]

2. Nice to know...

I'm not the only one!

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[Susang]

3. Yay!

If I were in your position don't know that I could have done that. At least not as quickly as you have. I have a major needle phobia. I can't even how much worse the sound makes it. :scared:

[fudge stripe cookays]

4. I finally got over my needle phobia a few years ago...

In 2nd grade I was out of school EVERY OTHER WEEK with either strep throat or tonsillitis. Seriously.

My main memories were of going to my Japanese pediatrician and getting a big-ass penicillin shot in the butt. It scarred me for a long time!

When I finally got my tonsils out and they had to come get some blood, it took 2 doctors and 2 nurses to hold me down. Then, they didn't get enough and had to come back and get more because I'd been moving so much!

I was 15 before I could take a shot normally like most people. And eventually, I started giving blood. But as long as it was somebody else doing everything, and I could look AWAY, I was fine.

The last hurdle was the doing it to MYSELF. Looks like I'm working past that now too! :D You just do what you have to do, you know? It's either fall over clumsily, feel lots of numbness and freaky shit, and deal with all the other problems, or take a shot every other night. I'd rather do the latter! :D

[ProfessorGAC]

6. I've Got An Autoject and Some Used Needles

I can give them to you so you can practice, if you want.

Kind of sickening, ain't i?
The Professor

[fudge stripe cookays]

7. Thanks for the offer, dearie....

but I love my pharmacy.

My insurance pays for U.S. Bioservices, so anything I need they deliver it to the house! And if I screw up my dose, they give me refills for free! How cool is that?


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[ProfessorGAC]

8. Actually, I Was Offering It To Susang

I figured the dirty needle thing will flip her switches. Just gross enough to get her!

Me, i gotta pay. But, just $20 a month. But, if you need an autoject let me know. I tried to return it, but they said they can't do it, because they couldn't guarantee it was unbroken when they gave it to someone else. But, it's completely unused. Got the little pouch and everything.

The Professor

[fudge stripe cookays]

10. Doh!

:blush:

Sorry Sue! Don't want to be hornin in on your stuff!

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[Susang]

12. No problem

I just would have given it to you for your birthday anyway! :P

[ProfessorGAC]

5. Well, That's Great!

See, just a little practice is all it took. Of course, it's easy for me to say since i don't use the autoject. I've been on the med long before they introduced that. It seemed superfluous to me, after 5 years of doing it myself without it.

But, i'm glad you got it to work.
The Professor

[blondeatlast]

9. I always thanked my lucky stars that I had to start injecting as a child.

People think I'm nuts when I say that, but your experience is exactly why that was my feeling.

Congratulations! I can appreciate what an accomplishment that is.

[fudge stripe cookays]

11. I can see both sides.

There's no way I could have been doing that at your age.

I'm glad I got to wait for 39 years before I had to get used to it. But I can see how you've become a pro by now!

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[blondeatlast]

14. Recently, though, my pump failed, and I had to take injections

4X a day over a weekend.

It was very difficult, almost like starting all over again. I hesitated for about 15 mins. before I could manage the first one.

So I appreciate your accomplishment even more than I would have about a month ago!

[SiouxJ]

13. Good job!

I've been doing the long needle, intramuscular shot (not auto-inject) for 5 years now but only once a week. I don't think I could do it every other day like the Beta. It doesn't hurt or anything but it's just so counter to our survival instinct that it's hard for my mind to wrap around I guess. My trick is to just not think too much about it before. I just keep thinking, "the sooner I do it, the sooner it will be over." Before I started doing it, I couldn't even watch someone get a shot in a movie. I still can't watch someone else give me a shot or take my blood but I can give myself the shot each week. Weird huh?

Anyway, congrats!!!