Hi all, Hope your having a good week? I’m sorry to be asking such a silly question but I’m getting really frustrated! I was diagnosed in oct 12 and started Avonex in feb 13 but I just can’t get used to injecting. I dread having to do it. I have a big purple bruise on my leg from last week and having to do it again tonight I just can’t get my head around having to do this for many years to come. Shouldn’t I be used to injecting by now and be used to the idea that I have MS? I feel like i shouldn’t even think about it any more and just get on with it but I can’t. I’m just annoying myself! I’m not the most patient of people and I just think I should be over it all now. Please tell me this is normal? Sorry for the boring post. Have a good evening Em x
I think you are being a bit hard on yourself. Where does it say that you should be taking MS in your stride by now, or that you should regard sticking a needle in your leg as just routine? The fact that you have MS is a major, life changing event. Sticking a needle in your leg weekly (which I did for 10 years) is an outrageous imposition, and it never felt like anything else. What I will say, though, is that it honestly and truly does become routine and it really will get much easier, the injecting bit. The thing that really helped me was always knowing, always, that I was doing all I could to keep MS at bay. Bruises happened occasionally, but not often, with luck. Looking back, I am very fond of the old Avonex. It did a good job for me for many years, and I hope it does for you too. But please do not expect yourself to get used too all this quickly. I think that, rather often, our feelings about having MS in the first place get a bit muddled with feelings about the medication, and that is unfair on the drugs - they are on our side! Please do not panic that you are not feeling OK about it. It takes time, so please try to be patient with yourself. You will feel better, really you will. Alison
Yes, like Alison says, the whole getting used to MS and the horrible injecting does take a while but becomes more routine. Unfortunately, because it’s a changeable condition you may have many times when you have to adjust to “the new normal” whatever form that takes. But you are pretty soon after diagnosis and it does take some getting your head round so be gentle with yourself. As for injecting, yeuck! It is horrid but maybe try heat/cold/cream whatever before or after to minimise bruising, play some soothing music, maybe visualise the medicine in your body attacking the MS and don’t inject when you are rushed and therefore tense. I doubt you’ll ever like it but you will get better at doing it and less tense and in dread! Take care xx ps never worry about asking silly questions as you call them - one man’s silly can be another man’s crisis (been there many times myself and it’s good to talk with folks that know what you mean xx)
Hi Em
It’s still so soon after diagnosis for you to be used to any of this. The whole thing is like a rollercoaster of emotions so nothing is normal for at least the first year. I remember veering from anger to tears so many times every day for months. Having to deal with injecting made it all real so I couldn’t bury my head in the sand and somehow made it even harder.
As the others have said, there are still times when we go through the same rollercoaster. I’m on Rebif so I have to inject three times a week and I still have the odd night when I groan and wish I didn’t have to do the injections. My legs are the worst place as that is the one place where it does hurt so I dread when that site comes round again and this is almost 4 years on. I’m not sure I’ll ever be totally okay with self-injecting. I do it because I have to as it does seem to be working for me but I don’t like doing it.
I had my first relapse this year for over 3 years as well and again it raised a lot of fears I thought I had put to rest. Once again I turned to the ‘experts’ on here for comfort and advice as it’s the best place for support. The health professionals are good at dishing out the medication but the real support happens here.
Take care
Tracey x
Hi all, Thank you so much for the replies! They have made me feel a bit more normal. I think I feel quilty for having this illness as well which doesn’t help. I will try and be a bit more patient with myself. Thank you for your support, have a good weekend Em x
Hi Emma I too use avonex have done since last sept and I was having awful problems with bruising and swelling but found not pressing it as hard into my leg seemed to stop it!..well I’m such a wimpy husband does it!..I find the pens a bit stiff so maybe the pushing it against your leg too firmly was causing it…hope things improve soon and it is a filtered word having to do these horrible jabs but if it keeps if at bay it’s worth it…good luck Emma x