It doesn’t sound weird, I used to pinch or squeeze the site … generally rough it up a bit. It’s like the brain is still occupied thinking ‘why did she do that?’ while the injection goes in.
I was (cough cough) 40+ when I had mine removed. Felt decent the night I had them removed–I remember “eating” cottage cheese and mashed potatoes (I was HUNgry); come noon on Tuesday, I’m not eating and in bed for the rest of the week, running a temperature.
You’re right–that was a week. This PsA nonsense is fo-evah.
One more thing: I’m definitely in the not lacking cushion for injections club.
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One more thing: I’m definitely in the not lacking cushion for injections club.
Okay…one more question. Any of you have fever blisters while on Humira? 10 days ago I had sudden painful swelling on my cheek and thought it was some kind of cystic acne. (I’d had the same thing in the same exact place a year ago when I was stressed to the max after my dad died.) Sent a pic of this hideous thing on my face to my primary doc and he immediately replied with “fever blister”. It was too late by then to use an anti-viral. (Didn’t know you can get a fever blister anywhere on your body! Ugh.) So, it’s healing, but slowly, and is still tender to the touch. Should I call rheumy back and ask if it’s okay to start the Humira in light of this? Surely it must be out of my system. Right? Seems silly to ask, but then there is so much I don’t know!
And btw, you guys are the bomb! I truly can’t express how much it means to me to have the support. 
I’d call your rheumy back and ask. I never knew either that you could get fever blisters anywhere besides on your mouth.
I got some weird sores like fever blisters but I think they were canker sores on the edge of the inside of my bottom lip—this happened shortly after I started Enbrel. It was at my daughter’s wedding reception and I’m thinking all the excitement and stress revolving around a daughter’s wedding could definitely cause one to break out in just about anything! Anyway, they were gone by the next day and I didn’t have to delay my injection. But, since you’re just starting a biologic, I’m not sure if that fever blister could become something more serious or not. That’s why I think a call to your rheumy would give you some peace of mind.
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Hi, i have been on Humira for six weeks (3 injections). The first 2 were in my thighs and hurt like the dickens, i can handle the needles but the medicine burned going in. I use the pen and you have to hold it there for 10 seconds. If my son wasnt helping I probably would have pulled it out to soon. The medicine stings but all pain goes away within 15 seconds. I Googled why Humira hurts so much and read several blogs about it. Several of them said to warm it to room temperature prior to doing the shot I tried that on the second shot and it still burned. A couple others said that the stomach doesn’t hurt as bad as the thighs and I found that to be true. The burn was not nearly as intense as it was in the thighs so I will probably continue to do it in the stomach. When I was on Methotrexate it seem to take the pain away from my smaller joints but I still had a lot of pain in my larger joints I am now on Humira and it is helping with the larger joints but I’m still having pain in the smaller joints. From what I’ve read it can take two to 12 weeks for Humira to start working and I go back to the rheumatologist in June. If I’m still in pain at that time I will probably ask to go back on the Methotrexate with the Humira and see if the two together will get rid of the pain and all my joints. I hope this helps the medicine is definitely worth not having the constant pain. I originally thought the thighs would be less painful than injecting the stomach but going into the fatty part of the stomach seems to work better for me. Good luck.
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Humira in pill form sure would be nice! Thank you for the honesty with your experience. I’m the kind of person who would rather know what I’m getting into than flying blindly. Glad the Humira is helping you and hoping you and your rheumy can find a good coombination. I’ve been dealing with this pain for over 10 yrs (diagnosed end of 2016). I can’t imagine feeling anything close to normal again. But if 15 seconds of pain/stinging/burning will help me achieve some semblance of normality then I’ll deal with it. 
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I’ve heard that, in general, autoinjectors are more painful (regardless of med involved). You might do better with a regular syringe and vial.
azurelle
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Seems a lot of people feel that way. Both my sons have Type 1 diabetes and the don’t like the pens either.
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I do auto injection and always do the stomach. Well worth the “twinge” I get during the injection for the relief I get from it. You got this!
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Woot woot! Piece of cake!!! Guess that belly fat IS good for something! LOL
Now fingers crossed that it will start working soon. Thanks again everyone! You were wonderful not to tell me I was just being a silly wussy ninny.
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Kris, I was scared, too, before my first injection—of the pain of the injection and of possible side effects. I can’t speak to side effects for you, but you definitely don’t have to worry about the pain of the injection with a syringe.
I’ve used the syringe for Humira now three times. I was afraid that I might pull away from the pen and with the syringe I had more control. In addition, I give myself methotrexate shots, so I’m familiar with the process.
As others have suggested, take it out of the fridge half an hour before you need to give it to yourself and let it warm up on the counter. Here’s some really good news: the Humira syringe is not very big, neither in length nor in circumference. I squeeze a bit of skin around the belly button as they indicate and push the needle in at a 45 degree angle. Then let go of the skin and just make sure that the needle is at a 90 degree angle to the skin as I inject the fluid. Unlike the methotrexate injection, the Humira does sting a little bit afterwards but it goes away pretty quickly.
Here’s to mastering another new challenge in your life! Blessings, Laura
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Thank you so much! It was a cinch with the pen. Did not expect the POP of the injector sincd I’ve always used syringes. A little sting, a little burn. I’ve had worse blood draws. Blessings to you as well my friend!
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Well done Kris, the first one is always the hardest 
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As with most dreaded things, the anticipation is much worse than the event itself!
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Done and done! Easy!
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Double, triple, quadruple ‘LIKE!’
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Also, something a friend told me after I was doing Humira injections for a few years - the ones in the tummy hurt much less. She was right.
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Yep! Just did my second one last Friday. Didn’t even feel the needle and just the tiniest sting for less than 10 seconds. I’ll stick to the tummy method!
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