Re: - Enbrel (anybody not on Enbrel might find this pretty boring lol)

[Guest guest]

Hi :

It's no big deal with the Enbrel. I'll go through it

for you. I get my one month supply consisting of two

boxes, which contain 4 sealed packages in each - each

package with a two parts of a syringe (the plunger

portion and the part that has liquid in it), needle,

bottle of Enbrel powder, a connector piece, and two

alcohol swabs.

Wash you hands good, then you open the packet. All you

have to do is fit the two pieces of the syringe

together, take the rubber tip off the top of the

syringe, then screw on the connector piece to the tip,

take the top pink cap off the powder bottle, swab the

top with the alcohol pad, place the little powder

bottle onto the connector (it fits kind of inside of

the piece), it punches through the top of the powder

bottle, and you mix the meds together by injecting the

liquid into the powder, swirl around a bit making sure

it is all turned to liquid (I don't shake because it

causes too many bubbles), and then holding the syringe

upright, take off the powder bottle and little piece,

and attach the needle, which also screws on. Pull the

plastic cover off the needle, and find your site.

Use the alcohol swab on the site, let it dry or it

will sting, and then get the shot ready by kind of

flicking a nail gently against the syringe to get any

air bubble up to the top, and then I push gently on

the syringe to get any air is in the syringe out.

Don't push too hard or you will loose some of your

Enbrel, just get the bubbles out. I don't have too

much trouble with bubbles anymore actually, once you

get used to doing it, you will find how to avoid

getting many bubbles.

The needle is very tiny, and the injection sites I use

are the fronts of my thighs (rotating thighs shot by

shot). I don't pinch the skin or anything as I have

found that when I do, the skin becomes tighter and the

shot is harder to do, so I just poke in the needle and

inject the med slowly. I then remove the needle

slowly and use the swab again to rub over the

injection site.

Waaaalah! You have just done your first Enbrel

injection! There is sometimes a bit of a bruise at

the site, but that is the only reaction I have had.

Most of the time I don't even feel the shot go in - I

guess I am becoming a pro lol. A very few times, it

has kind of hurt when I initially try to put the

needle into my skin, and a spot of blood appeared, at

which time I stop and find another spot which does not

hurt. Remember to swab the new spot too. You will

learn where to give the shot and where it hurts less -

some people use their stomachs - not close to the

navel, however.

All of this is in the information that comes with the

boxes, and I first learned doing the step by step

instructions on that, and I do suggest that you read

those instructions, but I just felt if I told it to

you in layman's terms, so to speak, it would be easier

and less scary for you. Anyway, hope this all helps -

happy injecting - and hope the Enbrel is your wonder

drug!

Kathe in CA

--- N2kids@... wrote:

I am looking forward to the enbrel.

> Any info you can give me on

> it? HUGS take care

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