From what I have read, there is no evidence that the horribly painful intramuscular progesterone in oil shots are any more effective than the (still very irritating) vaginal suppositories. For all FIVE [edit: actually SIX] of my previous cycles, I have avoided shots and used the suppositories. But after my last cycle, I asked my doctor if maybe we should use the shots—maybe they would work better for me. He agreed that we should try them this cycle, and that they might be a little better than the suppositories.
As I get closer to having to actually give myself the shots…. Well, I’m starting to regret that decision. Because the progesterone is in oil, it’s very thick, which requires a very large gauge needle. And it has to be injected into the muscle, which requires a very long needle. So, doing the progesterone shots basically requires jabbing a toothpick into your ass every day for 12 weeks. Yikes.
I’ve been reading about what one can do to make the shots as painless as possible. Here’s my plan:
1. Heat up your bootie! This will help to make the oil flow better and avoid knots. I’m going to use a heating pad on the injection spot for about 30 mins.
2. Pull the oil into the needle. If possible, switch the needle tip after you’ve pulled the oil out of the vial so that you can use a sharp one for your bootie injection and not one dulled by injecting into the rubber stopper.
3. Warm the oil, preferably to body temperature (to make it more fluid). My plan is to draw up the oil into the syringe and then put it in a heating pad for 10 mins or so. (I don’t want to get the needle or oil so hot that it burns me!) Alternate ways to heat it would be to soak it in warm water (probably in a plastic baggie to keep the needle dry) or warm it with your body temperature (like in your bra).
4. Ice? Some people don’t like to ice because it can cool the muscle and slow down absorption, leading to knots. Others like to ice for a long time because it dulls the pain. I’m going to ice the exact spot the needle is going to go in for about 1 minute, just to take the edge off of the pain.
5. Swipe an alcohol wipe on the injection site.
6. Relax your bootie muscles. I’m going to lay down with my toes pointed inward (to relax my muscles).
7. Have your partner stick the needle in fast—like a dart.
8. Pull the plunger back just a bit to make sure that you have not hit a blood vessel. (If you have, blood will fill the needle and you’ll have to throw that needle away and start over.)
9. Inject the oil fast and steady. If it hurts, slow down.
10. Immediately massage the injection site to rub the oil in.
11. After 30-60 seconds, put the heating pad back on the injection site and continue to massage the site.
12. Walk around.
13. The next day, massage the site again.
14. For the next injection, move to the other cheek. Rotate the injection sites, and do not inject into a knot.
Oh, and here are some articles noting the suppositories and shots are basically the same:
Is it too late to change your mind and stick with the tablets? If not, be brave!!
ReplyDeleteGood thinking! I called the doc and asked. 10 days of shots then suppositories. That's not so bad!
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