Bring on the Heat

Ok, so this is not something you typically hear someone with MS say. However, in the case of Rebif, I wholeheartedly agree. A couple weeks ago, I mentioned that the Serono rep that called me to check in suggested that I bring the shot to body temperature to help ease the sting of the shot. And I mentioned that it did seem to decrease the length of the sting. However, the severity of the sting was still there. And it STUNG! A LOT! And as I said, I am a chicken when it comes to that kind of pain. Whenever I had to get blood drawn, I'd have those big strips of medical tape over the gauze. I'd hide my arm from my husband because I knew he'd want to pull it off and it would sting. And when he did, I used to try to get away and he would confirm my belief that I was a big chicken. I wasn't as big of a chicken with 2 c-sections and a hernia operation, but the sting scared me. But I digress.

So I was talking to my nurse and she reminded me that I should heat the injection site as well to help alleviate the sting. I'd forgotten that she had said that. She suggested a warm washcloth, but no, I needed something bigger, warmer. I have a gel pack that you are supposed to use to keep bread warm and I figured that seemed like a good way to warm the injection site. And, oh my goodness, it is! I still can't say I feel no sting, but the sting I feel now (after I warm up the area) is a mild sting, not the one where it took all of my will power to leave the needle in for the 10 seconds. And the sting seems to depend on location of shot. My butt and tummy - hardly any sting. My thighs, a little sting, but bearable. I haven't tried my arms yet. I wish I could say it doesn't sting, but this one is so mild in comparison, I can handle this. I was at a young adults with MS Society function this weekend (yes, I still qualify ) and I got a few other suggestions to help ease the sting - a warm shower/bath or a reward for just dealing with the sting. The reward recommendation was a little piece of chocolate but I was thinking more in the line of a DQ Blizzard. I am going to try these ideas out to find my happy place for the shots. Once that is over, the next hurdle will be allowing my husband (and maybe 5 year old) give me the shot. The last hurdle will be actually injecting the needle without the Rebiject II. But I don't want to get to far ahead of myself.