Bruising can be uncomfortable but should not cause concern
Bruising & Pain
It is not uncommon to notice bruising or experience some degree of pain at the site of an innohep® injection. The most important thing to know is that this is normal; there is no need to be concerned about whether the medicine was administered correctly, nor whether the medicine is working properly. You may, for example, have a particularly uncomfortable injection experience because you hit a nerve ending. Do not worry – this will not change the effectiveness of the medication.innohep® is given as a ‘subcutaneous injection’. This means that the injection is made into the fatty tissue under the skin. innohep® should not be injected into the muscle.
Tips to minimise bruising, pain and bleeding
If you have just started using innohep®, you may find that the pain of injecting or level of bruising improves as you figure out what works for you. To get you started, here are a few tips that have helped others:- When injecting into the stomach area, alternate between the right and left sides, at least 5 cm away from your umbilicus or “belly button”.
- This technique will help you avoid hitting any umbilicus veins, which could start to bleed. Note that bleeding in this case is not dangerous, rather something that most would prefer to avoid.
- Varying the injection spot on your stomach area is also helpful because it can reduce the intensity of bruising.
- When injecting, pinch your skin together to create a roll, so that you can inject into the fattiest portion of your stomach. Some thinner patients find that it can be tricky to do this, and that can unfortunately make injections less comfortable. The stomach area is generally considered the best location for injecting innohep®, but if you prefer another area then the sides of the thigh may also be suitable. If your doctor or nurse suggests other areas to inject such as thigh, arm or lower back please follow their instructions exactly.
Getting help
Learning to inject medicine is a new experience for many people, so it may take some getting used to. Some find that injections are virtually pain free; others take a little while to get the hang of it. And almost everyone has good and bad days. If you can, try to see your treatment routine in the bigger picture, knowing it is helping you in the long run.Still, if you are continuing to struggle with injections, ask a doctor or nurse for help, so they can help you.