Methotrexate Self Injection Demonstration

I have psoriatic arthritis, and have recently begun subcutaneous injections of Methotrexate to help get this disease under control. The prospect of injecting myself with a needle was pretty daunting at first, but given that injection methotrexate is better absorbed and generally has less side effects than oral methotrexate, I figured injection was the best route.
I'm posting this video to show that self-injection is actually a pretty simple and straightforward task. It's not at all painful, and once you get past sticking yourself with the needle, it's a piece of cake.

Note: This is not intended to be a "how-to" for self-injection. It's just to give you the idea of what is involved so you can make a better decision if self-injection is for you.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Methotrexate
• self-injection
• psoriatic arthritis

[douche117]

Good for you dude! I just started taking oral metho. The psoriatic arthritis sucks and I have had many "Why me?" moments. I hope it helps. It has been a long process.

[tylahmun]

@douche117

Yes, the psoriatic arthritis does suck! I've definitely been in the "why me?" camp as well! In the end I have found relief with the bio drug Simponi. It's amazing looking back at how much it impacted me --scary really. IT was a real long process to get relief -- glad I finally got there!

[alix1962]

I was so ill for so many days on the oral methotrexate, I asked my doc about the injections. He gave me the first one last week, but I was sick again for days after. Did you ever get sick on it? I'm supposed to give myself my next dose, but I'm more afraid of being ill than the stick of the needle:-D

[tylahmun]

@alix1962 I was quite sick after the injection metho. I would sleep most of the time, and be so groggy I had to stop driving. It ended up where just the sight of the methotrexate vial would turn my stomach. i'm on Simponi, a biodrug now. Seems to be working so far. Hope the metho is working out for you; it's a good drug to have available, especially in combination therapies.

[funnie456]

thanks alot you helped me alot saw your demo and gave myslef first shot

[tylahmun]

@funnie456 Glad I could help. Hope the shot has been side-effect free!

[Hog5wart]

Thanks so much for your video, I am getting Meth by injection on Friday and I was really worried about it until seeing this. You make it look very easy.

[NorthernTechie]

@puck34fan:

(I'm the original poster, tylahmun, different account)

If you want to avoid the air bubbles, while the vial is upside down, cycle the syringe plunger a few times at the start of the draw. So draw up perhaps 0.1mL, press it back into the vial, draw up 0.1mL, press it back in; repeat until there is no air in the syringe.

The arthritis pain is the worse with all this! Now that I'm on a bio-drug I sometimes forget what it was like having the pain.

[puck34fan]

Very well done! I have been injecting Methotrexate for many years and have very little sign of any Psoriassis.I do, however, still have alot of arthritis pain and have a difficult time with "flicking" the syringe with the tips of my fingers because they are extremely sore. If anyone has an alternative to getting rid of the bubble without 1.) flicking with painful fingertips and 2.) without causing the needle tip to snap off the end of the syrninge causing the syringe to become contaminated..

[westinflorida]

Yay! Job well done!  Your sharps container is much cooler than the one I was sent! I'm thinking of decorating mine. Thank you for the demonstration!!!

[Taubile]

@southernkindofagirl I have guttate psoriasis 9 years now but only 13% of my body is covered with raindrop spots (almost entirely on my chest area). It moves around more frequently compared to 5 years ago where it would generally stay confined to my chest area. Dry eyes are the most irritating part because they make my eyes tired and sore. I wasn't sure whether going on Methotrexate would be good for me in case it makes my psoriasis worse. I just use steroid creams whenever it flares up.

[southernkindofagirl]

@Taubile It's working great, I was taking the pill form for 2 + years but it made me so sick at my stomach, I had Enough. The injectable is a lot better. Actually, I have a disease called dermatomyositis. It's an inflammatory muscle and skin disease. I take metho for that. I started out max dose of 10 pills weekly now I'm down to equivalent of 3 pills 0.3ml Injection. So it really helps stabilize my disease. How are you doing?

[Taubile]

@southernkindofagirl How did it work for you? Would it be guttate psoriasis you are using it against?

[southernkindofagirl]

Getting ready to do my first injection of methotrexate today. This video helped me calm down a bit! Lol!!! Ty