Response to Nancy591 re: Hives and Fragmin

antcat
antcat Member Posts: 270
in Ovarian Cancer #1
I haven't been able to give myself the injection, I'm just really a chicken, so a member of my family gives it to me. We give it in the abdomen, but I do black and blue quite a bit, I guess mostly because I've been on blood thinners for well over a year now. I've even had to start using different areas for the injection.

I can't figure out the correct way to do the injection as the nurse originally told me one way and now is saying another way. I'm really confused as to what's the right way. Right now, we pinch the skin, put the needle in and release the skin while the stuff is going in. How do you do yours? Also, I didn't know that the liver enzymes go up with the anticoagulants. I, so much want to get off of blood thinners and if I can't I'd like to go back on my coumadin instead of the injection.

I hope you can get your chemo because I know it's important to keep on schedule but sometimes a person needs that extra rest. I know when I was on Gemzar, there were quite a few times I had to delay it. As far as the CA 125, mine did raise up a tiny bit after 3 infusions of Avastin, but the nurse said that does happen. Sometimes I wish they wouldn't do the CA 125 so often, because when it goes up, it does make a person worry and we have enough to worry about. Anyway, I think you are an incredibly strong person and I wish I could be like you.

P.S. What chemotherapy are you on now?

Comments

  • Hissy_Fitz
    Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
    #2
    I'm not Nancy, nor am I on
    I'm not Nancy, nor am I on Fragmin, but I do give myself injections of B12. I use my stomach or my thighs. I also pinch the skin, insert the needle, then release the "pinch". I give my husband intermuscular shots (a MUCH larger needle) and the technique the nurse taught me was to "throw" the needle, like you would a dart if you were playing darts. Not literally, of course (you don't actually let go of the syringe), but that snap wrist action makes the injection quick and not so painful.

    But if it's not an inconvenience to get a family member to give you the injections, there's nothing wrong with that, either. My choices were myself or my husband, who, faced with a DVD player that refused to eject, took a screwdriver to it, so I decided to do the injections myself. Sticking a sharp object into my belly definitely calls for a degree of finesse that my dear husband is lacking.

    PS....the DVD player did not survive. We replaced it with a Blue Ray player.

    Carlene
  • nancy591
    nancy591 Member Posts: 1,027 Member
    #3
    abdomen
    Fragmin should be given in the abdomen about 2inches away from the navel. This medication can be given in a U shape around the navel. You should be sitting or lying down. Pinch the skin, dart needle in, inject slowly. Once the medicine is injected the skin should then be released. The injection site should be rotated daily. Bruising is not uncommon. You aren't taking aspirin or aspiring products are you? Fragmin and coumadin are similar anticoagulants. I believe Fragmin is a lot safer and easier to manage with low side effects.

    Right now I am on taxol alone. I hope to be back on Avastin once my liver issue resolves!

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