that's true erin.
but when i inject my right arm with my left hand and use my left hand to pull the AI out, i then have to reach for the cotton ball and it takes a few seconds.

if however, i'm injecting my abdomen or legs i have more freedom in the use of my hand.

....you might also check with your dr's office staff. they may be able to give you some help. i would also call shared solutions. since you're so new to injecting i think they'll be able to help you.

Hi Keri,

This is Steve, from July at Johns Hopkins, I have no idea why but I registered under my middle name for this board!

I know that you said no manual injections, but that has been helpful to me. I can take the needle and push it in ever so slowly and I can tell what I'm pushing into whereas the auto-injector, that's like pulling a bullet back into the gun. I wonder if the Shared Solutions nurses helped you, could you learn to self-inject?

Thank you everyone.

I stopped using the alcohol wipes a while ago. First it was because I kept forgetting - so I put a bunch of them in a container right on my counter - but then I decided that the shot stings more when I used the alcohol - so I said $crew it.

Second - I don't think I have the AE set incorrectly - the setting is from when the nurse originally came out in January. And I'm a big girl - LOL - I remember the first thing the nurse (a tiny little thing) said when she walked into my house - "Oh, you're a big girl - this is gonna be easy!" I remember thinking, "sheesh, I think she just called me fat" - except the word I used wasn't sheesh!

I never thought to inject over a freckle - I got lots of those, too - well, on my arms anyhow! Oooh, fat and freckly. Maybe I should start a club?

Tonight, for the first time, I didn't bleed! Too funny. I shot up (tee hee) over a freckle on my arm.

I don't use a cotton ball - though I suppose I could. I mostly grab a paper towel to get the blood - then I grab the ice pack. I also think that when I use the med STRAIGHT from the fridge - and not room temp - I have much less of a reaction! Do you think it's okay not to bring the shot to room temp first? I'm taking note of how the shots affect me - and it seems that even leaving it on the counter 5-10 minutes, I will bleed a little...but tonight, did it straight from fridge - and no reaction - and it barely stung - or at least, stung much less.

I didn't call SS today....I'll try to get around to it tomorrow - I need to anyhow - b/c the first few shots I did - didn't inject all the way....the box was "older" - had been in my fridge since Feb when I stopped Copax....so I went into the new box I just got - and those were fine. But I really want SS to replace that other box - considering I paid $600 for it!!!

Anyhow - while I'm on the fone with SS - what other "goodies" do they have? LOL. I love the things drug cos give out! I have ice packs (I love them - since they are gel packs and don't harden!)....I have the box that will hold 5 shots.....I don't think I have much else....I'm always reading about things people have! So, do tell!!

Thank you everyone for listening.

Oh yeah - about pushing on the site - is that necessary?? I don't usually do that either... I don't rub them the next day either. I try to ignore it altogether. And definitely on the big bruises - I can't imagine rubbing those!

thanks,

~Keri

ps/for those of you who manually inject - how oh how do you do it?!?!

Absolutely fine. Most don't inject straight from the fridge, because they have the opposite reaction that you do. However, we're all different of course, so if you find 'shooting up' (teeheet!) cold Copaxone is best, go for it!

I manually inject, and it's just always the way I've done it. I'm in such a habit of doing it now, it's second nature.

The SS nurse convinced me to do my first injection manually in the stomach, and I never changed from that.

I pinch 2 inches of skin in the area I'm going to inject (cept for the arms/behind, where pinching just doesn't happen the same) and wait a good minute + so the spot's numb, and then just go for it.

You should really use the alcohol wipes, but let the alcohol dry before you inject (should take about 30 seconds or so to dry) If you let it dry, then you dont get the sting of the alcohol.

I was going to do without the wipes too, but my dad (a nurse) convinced me not to when he described what an abscess looks and feels like. (yuck!)

I hear that. I've had an abscess before (not related to my injections). I still have a darkened patch of skin as a result of it .

I always use the alcohol swab and let it dry, however I wait a good minute before doing the injection.

Just find your comfort zone!

I'm a big girl here too, LOL. But still found that I had to change the setting for the top of my thighs since most of the cushion for them is on the underside. I'm a 6 for my thighs, and an 8 everywhere else.

LOL, wish that was true for dress sizes too.