Lyme Disease Support Group
Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere. It is now one of the fastest growing infectious diseases in the U.S. Lyme disease is caused by infection with the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria, and is primarily transmitted to humans as well as dogs, horses and other domesticated animals by the bite of infected ticks.
Where is the best price? I have Blue Cross PPO and they don't pay any of it. I get mine at Costco and I'm spending about $1,200 a month. I've been taking it twice a week for 8 months. I do 2.4 million twice a week.
Beside being very expesive my ass hurts so much it is hard to sit down.
I wish sitting was my biggest problem!
Beside being very expesive my ass hurts so much it is hard to sit down.
I wish sitting was my biggest problem!
I took bicillin for several years. I learned the 'tricks' to prevent them from hurting from reading other patients input. I had a friend inject for a couple of years then I had it done at an infusion center in a large hospital. The friend was VERY easy to teach. The nurses were a different problem!!
1. Always warm the syringe with the med in it for at least 20 minutes. (I put it under my arm) If left at room temp--- longer than 20 minutes.
2. Use the right size needle. I used a 23 gauge but a 21 (slightly larger) would do probably. I forget the length of the needle but I 'think' it was 1.5 inches. (Check on that)
3. I always stood with my weight on the leg on the side NOT being injected that time.
4. INJECT SLOWLY!! That's the hard part since we always want it over and done with but it's one of the most important things. A nurse will usually inject faster. (They're under time pressure) But they ARE trainable. I'm going to guess that the injection usually took about 2 minutes. A little fudging on the time might be o.k. after you've learned what you can tolerate.
5. People are told to apply warmth on the site and to walk around for a few minutes afterwards. I did those sometimes but not all the times. I never rubbed the site to 'distribute' the med. But some people advise that. I've heard pros and cons about that.
6. In several years of bicillin I only had 'pain' about twice and for no reason. It can happen--- maybe nicked a little nerve that time?
7. AND ALWAYS ALWAYS HAVE THE PERSON DOING THE INJECTION ASPIRATE!!!!! A nurse will do that automatically but a non-medical person might have to be reminded each time.
Following those 'tricks' keep me pain free for the 4-5 years I used bicillin.
I would never never let a doctor do those injections!!!!!
P.S. I've read that some loaded syringes come with a needle attached. That needle is too large and pain will almost always accompany injecting with a too large needle. You can take that needle off and put your own (STERILE) needle on it.