IM shots for IVF

[Anonymous]

Which injections are IM in an IVF cycle? Is it possible to avoid them completely?

Do you know if SGF will let me do progesterone suppositories instead of PIO shots? And if not, can I go to the office to get them done if I don't want to self-administer or get my DH to do it? Has anyone hired a nurse to come and do it?

Thanks...another day, another IVF issue to stress about.

[Anonymous]

The IM shots are not as bad as you might think. SG normally has you do the trigger shot IM, though you could ask if you can do it sub-q. I can't guarantee they will let you do it, but you can at least ask. And, SG moved universally to Endometrin suppositories last year, so no worries about PIO shots.

[Anonymous]

progesterone shots are IM - we were not offered any alternatives, granted this was 5 years ago, so things might have changed since then. You get them for about 9-12 weeks, until your placenta can take over on its own. I couldn't have given them to myself, but DH did great (in spite of no previous experience with such things). The few times he was on travel I asked a friend of a friend who is a nurse to help me out - I went to her house and it took 2 minutes, she was happy to do it. Ask around, it's not that complicated, if your DH is squeamish, a friend or a neighbor might be able to do it for you. The nurse at our dr's office gave him a primer the first time, after that he was fine on his own.

[Anonymous]

In the cycles I've done, the only IM shots were the trigger shot at the end---all the stimulation meds and the supression shots (like cetrotide or ganerelix) were sub-q.
My feeling about the trigger shot was that feeling that soreness in my hip afterwards meant that we had gotten the "IM" part right---sort of comforting, given that all of IVF is about playing doctor at home and trying to remember all the instructions you've been given.

And ice. If you hold a piece of ice on the prospective injection site for at least 30 seconds---you will not feel the needle going in.

I don't know SG's policy on progesterone, sorry.

[Anonymous]

SG switched from progesterone shots (IM) to suppositories - so you only have one IM shot. You can have a nurse come to your hosue to give you that shot -- it really isn't so bad (and I was dreading it!!!!)

[Anonymous]

I'm a current SG patient and my husband gives me IM shots of progesterone daily. My husband has become an expert at it. I joke and ask him when he is going to go to medical school. They are not that bad. The emotional pain of infertility is much worse than any shot.

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys! I love how you can get answers within seconds on this forum. Seems to be some conflicting opinions, but hopefully I'll at least have some choices.

I hear you about the emotional pain being the hardest. Good luck to all!

[Anonymous]

And I ended up doing all my PIO shots myself, and it wasn't that bad (but I was still glad when I could switch to Endometrin after my bfp). So that's another option. Though since SG has switched to suppositories, you'll only need the one (trigger) and it won't be hard to get someone else to do that for me.

[Anonymous]

Seriously, OP. It really helps to have a meditative mantra or other self hypnotic technique when doing those IM shots. Have your partner practice on an orange or you practice with one. If its in the thigh: squeeze top of your thigh with left hand (or right if you're a leftie) poke straight in at a 90degree angle. Thigh shots are a snap and I AM SHOT PHOBIC. Get the smallest bore needle possible. Upper hip shots have to be administered by a 3rd party. And the needle bore has to be a little bigger. Still, go straight in with shot--partner shd practice w/the orange.

You'll be fine--it's not possible to be more of a weanie about shots than I am. Breathe.

[Anonymous]

I did my shots in my upper hip and did fine. It's definitely possible to do yourself.

[Anonymous]

I iced the injection site for about 20 minutes before the IM shots and literally didn't feel a thing. It was much worse for my poor husband than it was for me (and I am a total wimp when it comes to needles). Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I got the suppositories at SG last year. They said that they were doing it for most of their patients now. The only IM shot I had was the trigger shot. I had to do it on the 4th of July so I asked the doctor about having a couple of glasses of sangria at a BBQ before the shot and he said it was fine. Between that and the ice for 20 minutes I really didn't feel much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The IM shots are not as bad as you might think. SG normally has you do the trigger shot IM, though you could ask if you can do it sub-q. I can't guarantee they will let you do it, but you can at least ask. And, SG moved universally to Endometrin suppositories last year, so no worries about PIO shots.

Endometrin is on hold by Ferring....Prometrium or Crinone are what is available via suppository at the moment.

[Anonymous]

I knew it was on hold for a bit earlier this year and didn't realize it was still not in production. At least they are giving other options than PIO - even if Endometrin isn't available!

[Anonymous]

I am a patient at SG currently in my first IVF cycle. We are on the Endometrium Suppositories. The only IM shot I had to take was the trigger (Lupron), but because of my size they let me switch to a shorter needle. You can ask them about that.