Stelara Self-Injections 3 – 10

I know, I know. The last time I wrote a specific blog focusing on my Stelara self-injections was with my blog Stelara Self-Injection #2, and that was over a year ago. In that case, I have a lot to discuss.

From injections #3 up until #10, I have gone through a lot, so you can see how my Crohn’s progresses, how my hands are doing, my ribs, and everything else throughout the year. The description will come first, the video following that.

Stelara Self-Injection #3

For this self-injection video, I try to discuss the shot process and some of the side effects that I suffer from. I usually get side effects that I suffer from with any medication, lucky me, so there were a few to mention.

Stelara Self-Injection #4

For this self-injection video, I go through my usual of discussing the proper shot process for these injections and I mention skin side effects. I also mentioned getting a flu shot with Crohn’s disease and IBD. I even touched base on my Crohn’s disease progress and my perianal abscess.

Stelara Self-Injection #5

For this self-injection, I go through the shot process and I update you on the information I found about the yearly flu shot and Crohn’s disease or IBD. I discuss sun exposure and vacation, as well as having surgery and the stress your body goes through with that. I had recently had another surgery for my recurring ganglion cyst, went on vacation and had a lot of sun exposure, all factors in the previous eight weeks of Stelara management.

Stelara Self-Injection #6

For this self-injection, as always, I go through the correct way to administer self-injections, while also discussing my medication history, my current weeks of treatment and my symptoms with Crohn’s disease.

I learned, however, that remission, much like symptoms and Crohn’s disease management, it is not linear. Rather, it is subject to each IBD individual. Healing with Crohn’s disease is not straightforward, and to some, remission does not mean 100% symptom-free.

Stelara Self-Injection #7

For this self-injection, I discuss the shot, infections, surgery, and, antibiotics with Crohn’s disease.

This being my seventh injection, I surpassed my year mark of treatment on Stelara (Ustekinumab). I recently had surgery, which led to infection after infection, multiple emergency room visits, and antibiotic prescriptions. My body was not managing well and I felt my body needed this dose of Stelara.

Through this shot process, I changed up my shot process, injecting in my leg versus my normal stomach injection. I wanted to compare injection sites, so this was a new thing for me to try out and research for myself. This was also lucky #7, right in time for St. Paddy’s Day and my third anniversary for Crohn’s diagnosis.

Stelara Self-Injection #8

For this self-injection, it came extremely late in the evening. I wanted to discuss antibiotics and infection with Crohn’s disease, so I made sure I recorded this one, like the rest of my self-injections.

In the previous 2 months, I had been on three rounds of three different antibiotics due to infection after surgery, so I have had plenty of different medications in the past few weeks. This video may not be as informative as usual, but with the late post comes a rushed injection.

Stelara Self-Injection #9

For this self-injection, the past 24 hours had been an entire ordeal, dealing with a perianal abscess and my Crohn’s Disease, only to have to give myself my Stelara shot, too.

Since my body decided to act up, the topic for this video was perianal abscesses and fistulotomies.

4 years ago, I had my first Crohn’s disease surgery and a second surgery not long after that; a perianal abscess that later needed a fistulotomy. Last year, I found another abscess on my rectum, and so I discuss the progress with that up until this time.

I apologize if I ramble through this video. I feel like I have so much going on and I get stressed out with these shots for some reason.

Stelara Self-Injection #10

For this self-injection, I wanted to discuss the proper way to give a shot like Stelara. I know some people have commented and chastised the way I do mine, but I know others do theirs differently. I was trained by my nurses for my first round of shots with Humira, 4 in the stomach. Then, I went to Phlebotomy school and then got my certificate in IV Therapy. I like to think I know what I’m doing here…to each their own.

For my shots, I always use my stomach versus leg. I have found the leg hurts more, in my opinion. There is more ‘fatty’ tissue in my stomach, and now with the left side having no feeling, I prefer to rotate around my stomach instead. I like to ice my stomach and bring the shot to room temperature. I’ve found that the skin does get tougher with icing it, so I may stop doing that altogether.

I think we all know not to shake the shot, not to drop it or put air bubbles in it. If it dribbles a little when you take off the top, that’s okay.

Some people have commented that I push in the medication slowly, and yes I do. I do not like to bubble the medication under my skin, I would rather take my time and not rush the medication under the skin with full-force. This leaves the area less irritated and less bruised.

I know some like to remove the injection, needle out, and then let it go into the mechanism, but I’ve found doing that can lead to lifting up on the needle and scratching the inside and out of the injection site. I have had nurses do this to me while removing needles, lifting up on the bevel as they pull it out; they are sharp people!

I know you may be steady-handed, but I prefer to push the plunger all the way into the mechanism, letting the needle go inside the shot body first, lifting my thumb to let the needle guard activation clips pull the needle with one quick movement, rather than pulling the needle out of my skin completely and then releasing – if that makes sense.

I always clean the site before and after the shot, and I like to cover it with a bandaid for the first day, just to keep it clean. I make sure to take pre-meds, like Benadryl, Imitrex, and anti-nausea. I know the shot gives me sinus pressure and I try to avoid a migraine at all costs. I get extremely nauseated as I am doing the shot and right after, so I take Prochlorperazine beforehand to help.

Otherwise, I just try to relax and make complete sentences as I video the shot and distract myself.

Until next time, for me, It Could Be Worse.

Stelara Self-Injection | It Could Be Worse Blog – Mary Horsley

Stelara Self-Injection | It Could Be Worse Blog – Mary Horsley

Stelara Self-Injection #9

Stelara Self-Injection #5 | It Could Be Worse Blog – Mary Horsley

Stelara Self-Injection #6 | It Could Be Worse Blog – Mary Horsley

Stelara Self-Injection #7 | It Could Be Worse Blog – Mary Horsley

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back | IT COULD BE WORSE BLOGStelara Self-Injection | It Could Be Worse Blog – Mary Horsley

Stelara Self-Injection #3 | It Could Be Worse Blog – Mary Horsley

Stelara Self-Injection #8 – It Could Be Worse Blog – Mary Horsley