The multi-dose vial of PIO was brutal, but for my last cycle I received individual vials of PIO and it was easy to warm beforehand and was a breeze. I took them for 13 weeks with no problems. After 6 weeks of the other I had weird pain and numbness in whole leg.

OP here. Spoke to clinic, and my RE is comfortable switching me to prometrium suppositories. He said I do need to overlap for two days, but overall I think my days of walking funny are limited.

I haven't slept in days since I'm so sore I can't find a comfortable position (I think the methyl prednizone is keeping me up anyway)...

I found ice was not good. Made the oil knot up. So I warm up one of those rice heating pads in the microwave. Then I put the syringe with the PIO on the heating pad for several minutes. Then I take the weight off my leg so my muscles are relaxed. Once I'm done injecting the PIO, DH massages the area for a few minutes. Then I sit on the heating pad until it gets cold.

Some people find that going for a walk afterwards gets it moving around and helps them.

Anonymous wrote:You could call your RE to discuss this. There is no evidence that PIO results in higher success than suppositories. One of my clinics only liked the PIO prior to BFP, and then I was able to switch to suppositories. My other clinics were fine with suppositories.

Thanks for this. I'm considering it. They also typically only do PIO until BFP assuming hormone levels are okay (that's what they said, not sure what "okay" means) and then switch to suppositories. But I'm really miserable and unable to sleep with the soreness etc (no comfortable position). That can't be better for my fertility.

You could call your RE to discuss this. There is no evidence that PIO results in higher success than suppositories. One of my clinics only liked the PIO prior to BFP, and then I was able to switch to suppositories. My other clinics were fine with suppositories.

Yes, those PIO shots suck. PP gave good advice. warm the oil so it goes in easier. You can ice your leg before hand if that helps--it only really helps with the initial needle sting going in. Soreness after the shot was bad for me no matter how much I massaged/heating padded my leg afterwards.

I always warmed up the oil (in the syringe) with either a heating pad (just for a minute or 2) or between my hands. After the injection I made sure to rub the area to disperse the oil and tried to stay active (moving). That helped a lot!

I went through 5 cycles (3 fresh, 2 FET) to conceive DD. More shots and needle sticks for BW than I could possibly have kept track of...but none of them included PIO shots. Now, I'm with a new clinic (due to a move) and my FET protocol includes PIO shots. I'm so bruised, and the shots themselves are so, so painful. I just want to cry