PIO injections seem like a fitting end for the most horrible time in my life so far. That is because these shots, alone, are horrific. I don't know if it is just me, but I can hardly stand it. The thought of doing this for 7 more weeks makes me cry. I will do it of course, because it is for my baby(ies)- but good Lord- why is it that I've never read how torturous this is?
To be fair, some days are better than others. On the worse days, I cry during the injection, and have a sleepless night while pain radiates from my bum down to my knee, calf muscle, and ankle joint. After the worse shots, the next day I can hardly walk, and it extremely hurts to sit down. Today is one of those days. I am not complaining- I am just telling the facts.
I had talked to a nurse about the chances of lowering the dosage (I take 2 ccs daily) because my level has always been great or switching to suppositories, and she said that she's never seen Dr. S lower a dose- only increase the amount of progesterone by adding in suppositories. I've read blogs that other people get to decrease their PIO shot to once a week, or stop doing them earlier than week 12. I wish their REs were MY RE. I am jealous of anyone who started off doing suppositories instead of the PIO injections.
I know I can muddle though the next four weeks or so until I need to start setting up my classroom. It will be hard, and I won't get much sleep- but I can do it. Jake is a sweetheart and will help me do whatever he can. I made it through over three years of infertile hell- what's a few more weeks, I guess? My main concern is that once school starts on September 1st, I'm supposed to do PIO injections for the first two weeks of school. Today I can hardly walk, get in and out of the car, and sit on a comfy couch. How am I supposed to manage the intense challenge of the first weeks of kindergarten and sit on the carpet? And if I manage to get down there, how can I do it without crying?
And in the meantime, how do I make this more tolerable? We switch sides, warm up the vial, massage for a while then use a heating pad after, and we have tried moist heat before and after, as well as icing the spot beforehand. My last ditch effort is going to be to try the side of my hip instead- here's hoping that will be the magical spot.
18 comments:
Have you tried icing the spot for a minute or two beforehand? I found that this definitely decreased the pain as the needle goes in. And definitely rotate sides of your bum. Finally, I heard that using a heating pad after helps, but I never tried this. Once my POI ran out (I had enough for 20 doses/20 days plus a suppository at night), my RE switched me to 3 a day suppositories, too bad your RE won't consider this?
Hang in there - it's all for the good of your little one(s) and in 9 months you won't even remember the pain (at least that's what I keep telling myself)!
I'm so sorry that these shots are causing you so much pain. I told my hubby that I feel guilty that I don't have to go through that torture (my RE has only had me on the suppositories). Everyone kept saying how dreadful those shots were. I truly feel sorry for everyone of you that is having to deal with those torturous shots.
I'm so sorry. PIO SUCKS!! I begged for suppositories, too, but nope. Definitely switch sides each day. We also tried a slightly new spot each time - if a spot had a lump or was hard at all it hurt way too much. Have you tried massaging the injection site for a few minutes afterward? It's supposed to help the oil dissipate and it helped a little for me. My RE let us stop at 9 weeks. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the same for you.
I'm so sorry. I wish I had some brilliant advice but it sounds like other girls may have some ideas. I'm just so sorry you are in so much pain! I hope it gets better soon and that you find a way to cope with all of this.
Oh gosh, Katie, I'm so sorry. That sounds absolutely miserable. I have read about how painful they are on many IVF bloggers posts before. I know one blogger in particular that goes to my RE was able to switch to suppositories pretty early on because of how bad the pain was. Can you talk to your RE directly about it? I know it's a small price to pay and you're not complaining, but I hate that you're miserable!
I know. You poor thing. They are just the DEVIL!!!! We massaged and moist heated the area before and after (switching sides/esp. when he'd hit a blood vessel...OWWWWW!!!). Sometimes it hurt so bad I just howled, but massaging seemed to help and icing afterwards worked. Maybe your RE will give you suppositories if you let him know the pain level. Our RE grudgingly would let me take suppositories to give the sites a break. it helped (if nothing more than pyschological!!). Hang in there!
Happy ICLW!
Congrats on your little one(s)!
Aww your poor bum! I hope you can find a spot where it doesn't hurt as much or you're able to switch to suppositories.
*HUGS*
Just a thought. Try taking a wash rag that has been dipped in warm water that has added Epsom salt dissolved in and lay it on your sore spots. This would be some thing you would do a few times during the day before your shots because the salt would be ouchy post injection.
Since my cycle has failed I have been soaking my bum in an epsom salt bath and it's been wonderful to help the healing. Epsom salts increase the circulation in your muscles which will help with the irritation and brusing from the oil. Since you can't soak in a bath maybe you can at least try a variation of it to help your poor tushy muscles.
PIO shots are terrible! Yes, definitely try the outer area of your hip. My nurse told me to always err on the side of outer vs inner hip, to avoid any nerves. And while I found no difference between warming the shots beforehand, massaging the area afterward with the heating pad was helpful. And moving around a little (like up and down the stairs a few times) or tensing and relaxing that muscle, to help the PIO distribute better.
HTH! And congrats on your BFP!
maybe you could ask your RE about Crinone? it is a gel suppositiory and isn't messy at all.
i think it's pretty cruel to make you keep taking PIO for the next 7 weeks... :(
HUGS!
In the few shots I have gotten, although I am not sure it would work. If you pinch the skin near where you are getting the shot it distracts the feeling.
Stopping by for an ICLW visit...
No. 95: The Unfair Struggle (male-factor infertility, good friends, neighborhood rumblings)
Huge congrats on your pregnancy and I hope the PIO shots get easier. Those side effects sound miserable.
~ICLW
Ugh, that sounds terrible!! I know pregnant ladies feel bad complaining about pregnancy symptoms (or IF induced ones), but I think it is SO understandable! That's miserable! I was really nauseous from medication yesterday and I felt a little *bad* for pregnant ladies :) (not that I wouldn't want to join them in their sufferings...)
I hope it gets easier for you!
ICLW
Katie, I'm so sorry about all of those injections, I had no idea you would have to do them for that long. Hopefully you can figure something out that will make them not so painful, or at least maybe you won't have to do them for so long. GL and hope your bum feels better soon.
Sweetie! The thoughts of you crying with your PIO are unbearable. I found out that I was allergic to them. I had to do 3cc IM daily and after the 6th shot, I no longer had a backside. It was hot and enflamed with fever. I got cellulitis and it actually caused me to have to stop the protocol, TWICE! Then they let me do CR In One. It was good, however, it sort of got ummm, backed up in there so I'd have to get it out every few days. Then I switched to ENDO met RIN. This caused me to have a yeast infection, and I had to continue treatment until I was 20 weeks along in the pregnancy. But, WOULD I DO IT ALL AGAIN? Absolutely! Best of luck to you and I pray it gets easier.
Make sure you are giving them in the right spot...if you hit the sciatic nerve, that could cause pain to radiate down the legs.
Are you sure you're not having a reaction to the shots? I was on them and I talked with the nurse who looked at my bum to see if I was getting a reaction. There was the beginning of a sort of rash so they told me to stop the injections and use 2 200mg suppositories a day (I was only doing 1cc of PIO).
You really need to adamantly explain to your doctor and nurse the problems you're having with PIO injections. Suppositories work just as well as injections.
I haven't read all the comments, but here are a few of the things I learned on PIO...
*Draw up the syringe and tuck it under your arm or in your bra for a few minutes before injecting.
*Warm the injection site with a hot pad for ~10 before and after the injection.
*I was doing mine too low and that hurt like a mo-fo. defintely the upper side of the hip is better. To me, your pain sounds like mine when I was doing them in the wrong spot.
*When mine got hard/itchy, I would put a damp washcloth on it and sit with that on the heating pad.
*Massage the area in a hot shower too.
*Use those therma-care heat things (from the drug store) I used the ones made for cramps- keeps heat on the injection site all day.
*My RE said to never ice, b/c it keeps the oil from dispursing (not the meds in the oil, but the oil itself, which causes the lumps.)
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