Hi I had my first herceptin injection on Thursday and found it intensely painful. The nurse said it would sting a bit but that was a serious understatement in my case. I’m afraid I cried and swore. I have been very ill on the Fec part of my chemo and been hospitalised with infections around the 6-8days so am feeling pretty low. Luckily have started the T part now and feel much better on this drug regime. They are going to put emler cream to numb the area first, don’t think I could take a year of these if they hurt that badly every time! Anyone else had this and did anything help?
Hi Teresa, managed to grind my way through my course of 18 Herceptin injections and had the final one last October. Yes, I had some that brought tears to my eyes but not so many - I found it depended on whoever administered it! I guess the technique differs from nurse to nurse? Anyway, very best of luck and I hope that you have a few more ‘gentle’ experiences further down the line xx
Hi Theresa
The Emla numbing cream should help, just make sure it’s been on for around 15 mins before injection. You can actually buy it Boots, you have to ask for it. It’s about £3? for a small tube but you don’t need much, problem with applying it before you go to hospital is knowing where exactly on your thigh they are going to inject so maybe best let them do it.
As Jaydubz said, some sting more than others and I personally think it depends on the nurse who is administering it and also how quickly it is given, you don’t want it too fast. Unfortunately it is a “nippy” jag.
Good luck with Emla cream.
xx
Thanks to you both. I wasn’t expecting it to sting so much and probably tensed up which wouldn’t have helped. They are going to put the emla cream on so hopefully that will help. Might get a different nurse too. X
I’ve had 6 herseptin injections &everyone extremely painful . I ask for it to be given slowly it makes no difference it really hurts .saw your coment above about some cream Emla cream from boots to put on will buy some ready for next herseptin Wednesday. Will let you know .
&also does it have to be given in outside thigh?
Sorry forgot to put name it’s susan
I completed my Herceptin injections 7 months ago and I used elma cream for each injection after the first one stung like hell! Your GP should prescribe you the cream plus the dressings - it comes in a neat little box of ?4 small tubes. The nurses give me my sub-cut injections at the top of my thigh so I used to put the emla cream on and cover it with the dressing at least 2 hours before my appointment. I can’t remember the name of the dressing but it is the clear waterproof type with no gauze. The cream completely numbs the area so you don’t feel the needle being inserted although depending on the operator there can still be a bit of stinging. Each tube of cream can be used at least twice. My main gripe about the whole process - aside from the fact that Herceptin didn’t work for me as I had a recurrence while still having the injections! - was that there seemed to be no standardisation of the way the injections were given. Some nurses were much more skilled than others!
Sorry - I’ve just signed up, so catching up on threads :smileyhappy:
I’ve had two of these now and the first one hurt like f***. In fact, that’s the word I said out loud to the nurse. The second one I barely felt. The difference was that the second nurse did the injection REALLY slowly. She said it was OK for me to ask for her by name next time so I will do that. If you get a good experience, hang on to that nurse and if not available, make sure whoever does it, does it slowly. It really does make all the difference.
Good luck everyone!
Hi- I had my first one last Friday and was a bit apprehensive about it and told the nurse so. She was great and said she understood and she warmed the vial up with her hands before injection as she said if it’s really cold it can hurt more. She told me it would probably sting for a few seconds and then be fine - and she was right - hardly hurt at all - ?I see her next time .
Hello all,
All 18 of mine initially stung and then were OK after the initial discomfort. I found it OK on the whole and wasn’t really left with any marks, bruising, or pain on completion. I did not prepare for them in any way beforehand.
As other people have said, the injection needs to be delivered slowly and it can hurt more when cold. They also recorded whether left or right side was used so this could be alternated. To be honest, I didn’t really bother too much about that.
I had a few different nurses deliver the injections. I use to play them off. I would say "so and so was really good last time -hardly felt it ". A little bit of competition introduced for my benefit! Mind you, found most of the nurses apologising about the pain before they had started. I also noticed that the way it was angled in made a difference to pain felt.
Best Wishes to all,
Chick ? X
Hi I have had 13 now and none have really hurt. My nurse always gives me my injectio to hold for about 10 minutes to wzrm it up so if your was cold maybe that is the reason it hurt so much. I really hope your next one is better xx