I'm sorry your finding the injections so hard. Some people just have a harder time with needles. Are you getting subcu (small thin needles) or Intramuscular (big long ohh my god needles)? My only advice is to try any other body sites you can give the med in. Ask the nurses at your doctors office to suggest areas. I do subcu injections in my belly and alternate the spots of my belly. If I have to move on to IM injections I'm sure I'll freak out a bit too. My main message is just to remember were all different and don't feel bad about your reaction.

I find that if I am in the right area on belly and upper thigh it hurts less. Also if I REALLY pinch up a good amount of flesh to inject it in.

One big NO NO is NEVER stick the needle in the vial twice and then try to stick it in you OR NEVER start to stick it in you, pull out and then do it again. Every time the tip of the needle pokes into something it dulls it A LOT.

What meds are you taking? Any you have to mix and draw? If so, I use a needle to do all that, then I change the needle (just the needle) and use that to inject it in me.

I'm sorry you're having trouble with the injections. It is such an odd thing that we are injecting ourselves so I can understand why you are freaked out. I have found that my belly is the best spot for me and like nigt96 I alternate and like Lioness grab as much skin as possible before the injection. DH does my shots and I close my eyes and tell him to tell me when it is over.

I absolutely hate needles too but I have to say I didn't find it too bad. I think that the rest of the cycle was worse so I've just forgotton what the needles were like: I couldn't even look at the needle. My DH had to put it behind his back before he gave it to me. The only advice that I can give you is to relax and take deep breaths during the process and try not to visualise what's going on. I didn't put ice on it first (have you also tried it without, maybe it makes it too frozen and harder to penetrate the skin - no, sorry, that's a silly question - of course you have tried it without!) I also used to feel really sick and dizzy after my needle (that shows how (not) brave I am). So I used to have to have the needle near an open window for fresh air and then sit down with a glass of water for a few minutes. Then I used to lounge around the house, watch TV and feel sorry for myself for about an hour after. I bet you are looking a lot braver now you have heard what a baby I am. I also used to cross the needles off as I had them and I never counted how many I had to go until the last couple. You just have to take each one as it comes and I promise that when this whole process is over you will feel so proud of yourself and you won't be scared of needles anymore. (I was terrified of them before and now I'm not) Our cycle wasn't successful this time but I still feel so proud of myself for getting through it. So, I know you will make it too. I hope this helps, Take care.

I'm a big chicken too, but it helps to identify what you are afraid of. If it is the size/appearance of the needle, than have someone else do the shot. If it is the pain, or weirdness of it going into your skin, I developed a strategy for minimizing discomfort. take your fingernail and run it gently over your belly in a few different spots it see which is the least sensitive (I find closer to the middle 6 inches of your stomach, under the belly button by an inch or so seems to be the best spot). Having sharp needle is important as has been said--do not stick it repeatedly in anything before putting in yourself.

Finally, pinching the skin too hard (as you might be doing if you're nervous) actually made it more painful for me. I loosely grab a big fold of skin, pull back a bit and plunge the needle in at a right angle (directly in, straight down), and treat it like a dart--the faster the better. I then release the flesh a bit so that the liquid has somewhere to go (if you are pinching too much, it compresses things which make it hard for the liquid to find a spot and you will feel it more).

I hope that helps. I was really scared the first couple of times, but got over it, and I always reward myself afterwards with a treat--some nice tea and cookies or a movie I want to watch to get my mind off everything.

good luck! It will get easier once you find a system that works for you.

I don't have anything to add, but I feel for you. It sounds like you are just phobic, which is hard to deal with, because it's not a "rational" problem with pain etc, it's a subconscious, out-of-your-control thing. I'm that way about dogs. I can be around them for 40 years (as I have), and it still freaks me out to get near one, no matter how convinced I am that he won't bite me. I'm sorry you're going through all of this. Hopefully it will be worth it in the end.

I have been on shots for an entire year. What I find is to let the alcohol dry first. I do have a hard time with the Gonal-f though sometimes it makes my entire arm tingle. So I know what you mean. The best part of shots is when you have huge bruises and walk around with them exposes. That's nice!

I tried giving shots a couple of different ways and spots. I found it was less painful if I did it and not my husband. I don't know what he would do different, but it hurt a lot less when I did it. There are spots on your stomach that hurt a lot less then others. For me right in the middle below my belly button was my perfect spot, no blood, no bruising, no pain.

GOOD LUCK!!!! I know it sucks and I feel for you!!!

Thanks for the input girls!! I actually think you have given me a lot of good ideas. I actually have never tried without the ice. And I also think we may be pinching the skin to hard because I usually pinch while my dh injects and I can feel the medicine..So maybe a looser hold woulld help. Thanks so much for your sugestions. The crazy thing is I am not that bad with needles..I just can't do it to myself, but before this I did Allergy shots for 3 years and would get 3 shots each time I went in and had no problem. I think its just trying to learn what works best for me and how to do it ourselves.
Again thanks sooooooooo much!!!