If you are very sensitive to pain, obtain 2 new needles for each administration: 1 to fill the syringe (18-22 gauge), and another for the injection (22 gauge). That way the injection needle will be entirely sharp. Be careful not to drag the injection needle across anything, even skin, before the injection, because that will dull it.
If you are fairly tolerant of pain, or cannot afford 2 needles for each injection, then use the same new needle (22 gauge) to fill the syringe as to make the injection. Do not under any circumstances reuse needles between injection periods, or between different people.
Warm the vial (ampule) between your hands for a moment to help the oil flow more freely.
Cleanse the top of the vial and the area for injection with a swipe of povidone-iodine (10%), or if you cannot obtain that, use rubbing alcohol (95-99%) or hydrogen peroxide (3-5%).
The best intramuscular injection sites are the upper outer quadrant of the buttock, or upper outer thigh. Either is fine, as long as you are hitting at least two inches of fat and muscle, not bone or an artery.
Securely mount the drawing needle on the syringe, then if you are using a rubber-corked vial, pull back the plunger about 1/4-1/3 cc farther than the intended injection amount (e.g., if you intend to inject 1 cc, then draw back 1 1/4 - 1 1/3 cc of air).
With the vial right-side-up, insert the needle in the top, such that the needle end is in the bottle air, but not the oil. Inject all of the air from the syringe into the vial.
Be sure the needle end is in oil (not air, and not bumping against the glass), then slowly but firmly draw back the plunger until you have a bit more than the injection amount. You will probably see some small air bubbles; that is normal. Inject the extra solution, along with the top bubble, back into the vial. If you have a rubber-corked vial, this is easiest if the vial is upside-down.
Withdraw the needle (still needle up), then set the vial down. If you are using a second needle for the injection, swap needles now. Make sure the injection needle is securely fastened (usually a twist-on).
With the injection needle pointed up, tap the syringe and very slowly squeeze out the final bubbles. You might lose a bit of the solution, but it is important to be patient amount removing all of the significant bubbles (however, you need not worry about the suspended bubbles which are so tiny as to be nearly invisible).
If you need to change position to make the injection, put the protective cover on over the needle so you can set it down. Some people find it easiest to stand; others prefer to lay on their stomach if the buttock is target. If possible, have someone you trust make the actual injection; it is much easier that way.
Uncover the needle, grasp the outside of the syringe firmly (finger off the plunger), place the needle against your skin, perpendicular, then bravely push straight in (no bending at all) to a depth of roughly 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 cm , (1 - 1 1/3 inches). There should not be much pain past the initial prick. Once the needle is in, try not to shift your weight around or flinch such that the muscles there would move.
Still holding the outside of the syringe, pull back the plunger to be sure you did not hit a significant blood vessel. If you see no blood in the syringe, then very slowly but firmly depress the plunger. If you do see blood, then withdraw the needle, apply pressure to the site for a minute, then [optionally install a new needle and] try again a few centimeters away, or on the opposite side of your body.
Remove the needle from your body, replace the protective cover, and dispose of that part into a sharps container, or at least a container of strong composition that cannot be punctured by the used needles.
It is normal for there to be slight oozing of blood and/or oil from the injection site (and a small bruise later), given the large needle gauge. If it oozes for more than a few seconds, apply pressure for a minute. If you are the extraordinarily tidy type, you can also place a dot bandaid over it, but it is not really necessary.
If you are fairly tolerant of pain, or cannot afford 2 needles for each injection, then use the same new needle (22 gauge) to fill the syringe as to make the injection. Do not under any circumstances reuse needles between injection periods, or between different people.
Warm the vial (ampule) between your hands for a moment to help the oil flow more freely.
Cleanse the top of the vial and the area for injection with a swipe of povidone-iodine (10%), or if you cannot obtain that, use rubbing alcohol (95-99%) or hydrogen peroxide (3-5%).
The best intramuscular injection sites are the upper outer quadrant of the buttock, or upper outer thigh. Either is fine, as long as you are hitting at least two inches of fat and muscle, not bone or an artery.
Securely mount the drawing needle on the syringe, then if you are using a rubber-corked vial, pull back the plunger about 1/4-1/3 cc farther than the intended injection amount (e.g., if you intend to inject 1 cc, then draw back 1 1/4 - 1 1/3 cc of air).
With the vial right-side-up, insert the needle in the top, such that the needle end is in the bottle air, but not the oil. Inject all of the air from the syringe into the vial.
Be sure the needle end is in oil (not air, and not bumping against the glass), then slowly but firmly draw back the plunger until you have a bit more than the injection amount. You will probably see some small air bubbles; that is normal. Inject the extra solution, along with the top bubble, back into the vial. If you have a rubber-corked vial, this is easiest if the vial is upside-down.
Withdraw the needle (still needle up), then set the vial down. If you are using a second needle for the injection, swap needles now. Make sure the injection needle is securely fastened (usually a twist-on).
With the injection needle pointed up, tap the syringe and very slowly squeeze out the final bubbles. You might lose a bit of the solution, but it is important to be patient amount removing all of the significant bubbles (however, you need not worry about the suspended bubbles which are so tiny as to be nearly invisible).
If you need to change position to make the injection, put the protective cover on over the needle so you can set it down. Some people find it easiest to stand; others prefer to lay on their stomach if the buttock is target. If possible, have someone you trust make the actual injection; it is much easier that way.
Uncover the needle, grasp the outside of the syringe firmly (finger off the plunger), place the needle against your skin, perpendicular, then bravely push straight in (no bending at all) to a depth of roughly 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 cm , (1 - 1 1/3 inches). There should not be much pain past the initial prick. Once the needle is in, try not to shift your weight around or flinch such that the muscles there would move.
Still holding the outside of the syringe, pull back the plunger to be sure you did not hit a significant blood vessel. If you see no blood in the syringe, then very slowly but firmly depress the plunger. If you do see blood, then withdraw the needle, apply pressure to the site for a minute, then [optionally install a new needle and] try again a few centimeters away, or on the opposite side of your body.
Remove the needle from your body, replace the protective cover, and dispose of that part into a sharps container, or at least a container of strong composition that cannot be punctured by the used needles.
It is normal for there to be slight oozing of blood and/or oil from the injection site (and a small bruise later), given the large needle gauge. If it oozes for more than a few seconds, apply pressure for a minute. If you are the extraordinarily tidy type, you can also place a dot bandaid over it, but it is not really necessary.
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