Call Avonex and ask them for advice on this, they should work with you to get an answer
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Your Nuerologist office or your primary care doctors office will probably do it without an appointment and therefore no charge. Mine offered but I have not problems giving mine to myself. It won't hurt to give them a call and ask.

Most doc's will have some type of fee involved after the first couple of times.

I agree with Texas, call Avonex and seek advice and if they can send a nurse out to help you with this.

If you can find a way to mind over matter on this I think you'll find it will help you in many more ways than just the shot.

You can do this, I have faith in that. Take control, and see how good it can feel to take a jab at that damn MS!

Good luck my friend!

My best advice would be to call the Avonex nurse to come and give you a demo. Invite EVERYONE you're close to so that you have people to help until you feel you can do it yourself.


xoxo Jen

I'm in a similar boat... I was able to do my own injections for about a month and a half. Around thanksgiving I hit a pocket of something or scar tissue and I freaked out about how much resistance I felt against the needle. I've had a friend do it for me ever since...it's bothered me a great deal that I can't do my own injections anymore. I'll sit there with the needle in my hand for a few hours, break down, then finally have my friend do it. Last Friday I had a nurse from Avonex come over for a second time..I thought reeducation would help relieve my fears. When the nurse came all she could talk about was how she wanted to be fast and get out of there so she could see her daughter off to her date. I really tried to hurry, but finally I gave up in tears and asked her just to leave.

SOOOOOOOO I had my friend do the injection again while I video taped it. The video tape is great because I can hear my reaction to the shot...all I said was "wow, that didn't hurt at all". I'm hoping if I watch this video every day until injection day I may be more familiar with that needle going into my body. I'll let you know if this works! hahah Pray that it will! :-)

I would so call Avonex and relay your story about the nurse rushing you. Ask if another nurse could come out, or same nurse when she's not going to be rushed.

Not trying to be mean here, but run your thoughts in this direction. It's your MS, not your friends. You are the one that has to fight this. Doing an injection is doing your part to fight this thing.

Plan something to celebrate giving yourself your shot. Wouldn't it be more fun to enjoy a pizza with your friend instead of a shot? Rent a movie, something the two of you enjoy.

Come on, you can do it! Ask your friend to agree to not help you with your shot, just encourage you to do it yourself. Set a time limit, and have her help you stick to it.

I was very afraid of shots when I was younger. I had kids and could handle the needles if I didn't watch. When I was diagnosed, I freaked when I found out the only meds were administered through shots. My ex-husband was studying to be a nurse and gave me the shots for a year. Then, we split and I knew I had to figure it out. I have been giving myself weekly shots for a year. The shots I give myself are not as painful as when he gave them to me. I don't have to jab it in, which was part of my fear. You can do it!

thanks ladies for your words of encouragement!!! I know I can do it-- I just have to try. Someone said think of it like attacking the Monster and doing MY part to fight my disease. So true!!

PS:: You guys are real troopers who do it yourselves. I think that's amazing.

I haven't been able to give it to myself since I hit a vein in my thighs. Since then I have my husband or a coworker give them to me in the hip.

Where do you guys inject ??

"Would it be covered at my doctors office, or how about the Minute Clinic at CVS? Or one of those emergency med centers where you just walk in?"

I think you may want to call your insurance company to see if they will cover this!

Also find out if the medication that you are on comes with an auto inject system. All you have to do is insert the needle and press a button. O r perhaps using an ols syringe and filling it with water and practicing on an orange. Good Luck and let us know how things go. Marilyn