Taltz injection sites?

[Itchygirl42]

Y’all, I’m scared!!   

I’m about to do my first auto injection of Taltz and I here it hurts like a mother. I had a regular injection of the stuff at my derm’s office 2 weeks ago and THAT even hurt more than a regular shot. Autoinjecter is supposed to be much worse.

So my questions: 

Which site on the body is best??
Any tips for making it less painful?? 

Thanks all!

[Fred]

I've not used Taltz, but been using bios for around 12 years now and I have always found the belly to be the best.

Top tips I would give are:

• The syringe is less painful than the pen type
  
• Take it out of the fridge 1/2 hour before using
  
• Pinch an inch of skin and stab it in quick
  
• Push the syringe plunger slowly (but you can't do that with the pen)
  

You can get a numbing spray, but I've never used it.

[Turnedlight]

I’ve only done autoinjectors on myself, when I had a bio which was injected I wasn’t brave enough to do it on myself!

I go with the belly all the time, I get it out of the fridge at least a half hour before but often longer to make sure it’s not cold, I sit down, pinch a few inches, and do the injector.

I think I had Taltz for a bit, can’t remember it hurting particularly badly - there’s every chance your derm didn’t let it warm up enough first which could be why it stung.

[Raxyl]

Hi Itchy Girl,  I haven't injected Taltz but I have been injecting others over the years (Methotrexate, Humira, Cosentyx)  I find that the tummy works best for me and like TL I take the auto injector out of the fridge for at least 15 min, pinch an area in lower part of the abdomen at least 2 inches away from you belly button, Hold the pen 90 degrees to the skin and press the pen firmly against your skin. The pen will click twice. The first click means the injection has started, and you need to keep holding the pen firmly in place. The second click means that the injection has almost finished but you need to still hold the pen in place until all the medicine has dispensed.

as far as hurting, I find it varies sometime nothing at all and then occasionally at worst a slight sting for a second or two when the medication is dispensing.

[KatT]

I always used auto injectors as I hate needles and would probably pass out using a syringe!  Did I mention I really really hate needles!

I agree with everyone else, tummy the least painful!  The only thing I seem to be doing differently is that I don't pinch.

I find the worst is the thighs....depending on how often you need to auto inject and how much, you don't need to inject in the thighs.  

I.e Cosentyx was two auto injectors, therefore one month in the belly (one on each side) and the next month in the thighs.

Humira for example was every two weeks therefore week 1, left belly, week 2, left thigh, week 3, right thigh and week 4 right belly

Simponi (this is what I currently take), one injection per month so I just inject in the belly but switch sides every month

It only lasts a few seconds...follow the instructions and you will be fine....the first few are the worst but you get used to it!

Good luck 

[Kat]

Sorry I am a bit late replying.

I did find that Taltz packed a bit of a sting to it.  I always injected in the stomach (auto injector pen)  I made sure to take out 20 minutes early or whatever the time was that was recommended by the doctor and at times I would have a red, slightly swollen area after injecting.  I did not have that issue with Stelara (needle, injected in arm at doctor's each time) or Cosentyx (injector pen in stomach, self administered.)  The nurse told me that a lot of people said the Taltz was a bit more painful than other injections.  I didn't really consider it to be painful, there was an initial "ouch" with it and sometimes that lasted for a few minutes afterwards but had it worked for me, I would gladly have continued with the injections.  I have not had much luck with totally clearing up my scalp psoriasis with any of the meds tried yet.

Oh, the nurse did say the stomach would be the easiest and probably less painful area to inject.  I never tried injecting into my thighs.