Guest guest Posted December 18, 2001 Report Share Posted December 18, 2001 Betsy, does it have to go right into a vein, or just anywhere? Pierre Re: Procrit My son started giving himself Procrit injections (in the stomach) when he was a senior in high school. I think at the beginning he went twice to be trained by a nurse at the doctor¹s office on how to do it and to have her watch him give it to himself. It¹s done with a very short, subcutaneous needle (similar to injecting insulin for diabetics), and he said it really wasn¹t a big deal to learn how to do it. At first he had to inject three times a week, then they would adjust the frequency to once or twice a week, depending on how his hematocrit was doing. Betsy, from Colorado > The Procrit shots are to replace the hormone called erythropoietin which you > kidneys (or more specifically the adrenal glands at the top of your kidneys) > are supposed to make. This hormone signals your long bones or bone marrow to > make red blood cells which carry oxygen to your body. When your kidneys > begin to fail more, they no longer make enough of this hormone, and hence you > make less red blood cells, and hence become anemic and tired. The life cycle > of red blood cells is three weeks, so it takes that long before the > injections start to work. After your hematocrit levels increase indicating > you have more RBC in your blood, you have more energy. > > Here in California I have to go to the Nephrologists office every week to get > the injections. They don't have a home nurse come around to administer them, > but it is worth the trip to have more energy! Hope you all are making > progress on your holiday preparedness. I made a little progress this > weekend, but it about wiped me out! > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 18, 2001 Report Share Posted December 18, 2001 Pierre, Oh, no not into a vein. Just into the fat that¹s right under the skin. The needle¹s only about an inch long and very thin. The technique involves pinching up some fat and then sticking the needle into the pinched-up part. It can be done to yourself on your stomach or thigh, but my son was very thin and didn¹t have enough fat to pinch on his thighs (I¹d have gladly given him someŠ). If you have someone to give you the injection, then they can do it in your upper arm or buttocks. It would sting if he didn¹t take time to let the epo warm to room temperature (has to be kept refrigerated) or if he hurried and injected it too fast, but otherwise he said it wasn¹t that bad. Betsy > Betsy, > does it have to go right into a vein, or just anywhere? > Pierre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 19, 2001 Report Share Posted December 19, 2001 EPO is injected into an area of fat, usually into either the stomach or thigh, rather than into the vein. This enables it to work slowly, which enables the patient to get the most benefit out of it. If it was injected into the vein, it wouldn't be in the system for long enough to have any real benefit. > > > The Procrit shots are to replace the hormone called erythropoietin which > you > > kidneys (or more specifically the adrenal glands at the top of your > kidneys) > > are supposed to make. This hormone signals your long bones or bone marrow > to > > make red blood cells which carry oxygen to your body. When your kidneys > > begin to fail more, they no longer make enough of this hormone, and hence > you > > make less red blood cells, and hence become anemic and tired. The life > cycle > > of red blood cells is three weeks, so it takes that long before the > > injections start to work. After your hematocrit levels increase > indicating > > you have more RBC in your blood, you have more energy. > > > > Here in California I have to go to the Nephrologists office every week to > get > > the injections. They don't have a home nurse come around to administer > them, > > but it is worth the trip to have more energy! Hope you all are making > > progress on your holiday preparedness. I made a little progress this > > weekend, but it about wiped me out! > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 19, 2001 Report Share Posted December 19, 2001 My decision on who injects it when I have to go on EPO will depend on what the nurse looks like : ) Pierre Re: Procrit Pierre, Oh, no not into a vein. Just into the fat that¹s right under the skin. The needle¹s only about an inch long and very thin. The technique involves pinching up some fat and then sticking the needle into the pinched-up part. It can be done to yourself on your stomach or thigh, but my son was very thin and didn¹t have enough fat to pinch on his thighs (I¹d have gladly given him someS). If you have someone to give you the injection, then they can do it in your upper arm or buttocks. It would sting if he didn¹t take time to let the epo warm to room temperature (has to be kept refrigerated) or if he hurried and injected it too fast, but otherwise he said it wasn¹t that bad. Betsy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 19, 2001 Report Share Posted December 19, 2001 Now theres a usual military response. lol Re: Procrit > > > Pierre, > Oh, no not into a vein. Just into the fat that¹s right under the skin. The > needle¹s only about an inch long and very thin. The technique involves > pinching up some fat and then sticking the needle into the pinched-up part. > It can be done to yourself on your stomach or thigh, but my son was very > thin and didn¹t have enough fat to pinch on his thighs (I¹d have gladly > given him someS). If you have someone to give you the injection, then they > can do it in your upper arm or buttocks. It would sting if he didn¹t take > time to let the epo warm to room temperature (has to be kept refrigerated) > or if he hurried and injected it too fast, but otherwise he said it wasn¹t > that bad. > > Betsy > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 19, 2001 Report Share Posted December 19, 2001 French and military - a deadly combination : ) Pierre Re: Procrit > > > > > > Pierre, > > Oh, no not into a vein. Just into the fat that¹s right under the skin. > The > > needle¹s only about an inch long and very thin. The technique involves > > pinching up some fat and then sticking the needle into the pinched-up > part. > > It can be done to yourself on your stomach or thigh, but my son was very > > thin and didn¹t have enough fat to pinch on his thighs (I¹d have gladly > > given him someS). If you have someone to give you the injection, then they > > can do it in your upper arm or buttocks. It would sting if he didn¹t take > > time to let the epo warm to room temperature (has to be kept refrigerated) > > or if he hurried and injected it too fast, but otherwise he said it wasn¹t > > that bad. > > > > Betsy > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 19, 2001 Report Share Posted December 19, 2001 You know with a name like Pierre, I never would have guessed. lol Re: Procrit > > > > > > > > > Pierre, > > > Oh, no not into a vein. Just into the fat that¹s right under the skin. > > The > > > needle¹s only about an inch long and very thin. The technique involves > > > pinching up some fat and then sticking the needle into the pinched-up > > part. > > > It can be done to yourself on your stomach or thigh, but my son was very > > > thin and didn¹t have enough fat to pinch on his thighs (I¹d have gladly > > > given him someS). If you have someone to give you the injection, then > they > > > can do it in your upper arm or buttocks. It would sting if he didn¹t > take > > > time to let the epo warm to room temperature (has to be kept > refrigerated) > > > or if he hurried and injected it too fast, but otherwise he said it > wasn¹t > > > that bad. > > > > > > Betsy > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 19, 2001 Report Share Posted December 19, 2001 Everyone that I know of in my dialysis center gets it injected into their hemo line (which goes directly into the cardiovascular system). Marty Re: Procrit EPO is injected into an area of fat, usually into either the stomach or thigh, rather than into the vein. This enables it to work slowly, which enables the patient to get the most benefit out of it. If it was injected into the vein, it wouldn't be in the system for long enough to have any real benefit. > > > The Procrit shots are to replace the hormone called erythropoietin which > you > > kidneys (or more specifically the adrenal glands at the top of your > kidneys) > > are supposed to make. This hormone signals your long bones or bone marrow > to > > make red blood cells which carry oxygen to your body. When your kidneys > > begin to fail more, they no longer make enough of this hormone, and hence > you > > make less red blood cells, and hence become anemic and tired. The life > cycle > > of red blood cells is three weeks, so it takes that long before the > > injections start to work. After your hematocrit levels increase > indicating > > you have more RBC in your blood, you have more energy. > > > > Here in California I have to go to the Nephrologists office every week to > get > > the injections. They don't have a home nurse come around to administer > them, > > but it is worth the trip to have more energy! Hope you all are making > > progress on your holiday preparedness. I made a little progress this > > weekend, but it about wiped me out! > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 19, 2001 Report Share Posted December 19, 2001 lmao......good one Re: Procrit > > > Pierre, > Oh, no not into a vein. Just into the fat that¹s right under the skin. The > needle¹s only about an inch long and very thin. The technique involves > pinching up some fat and then sticking the needle into the pinched-up part. > It can be done to yourself on your stomach or thigh, but my son was very > thin and didn¹t have enough fat to pinch on his thighs (I¹d have gladly > given him someS). If you have someone to give you the injection, then they > can do it in your upper arm or buttocks. It would sting if he didn¹t take > time to let the epo warm to room temperature (has to be kept refrigerated) > or if he hurried and injected it too fast, but otherwise he said it wasn¹t > that bad. > > Betsy > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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