I've just swapped over to injectible sumitriptan rather than the nasal spray, but where is the best place to inject?  The leaflet says in the thigh, but I'm a pretty tall bloke - surely it would make sense to inject it somewhere closer to my head?  (And please, no jokes about injecting it in my bum!)

see this it might help you.

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but my personal opinion about the best place to inject sumatriptan is this

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:D

I always went for the thigh - but I''m short ;). I was always too chicken to do my arm - not enough padding, and I thought it would go intramuscular. I've heard of people using it off-lable into their belly, maybe a couple of inches from the navel, just get a good pinch and go.

I've tried 'em all, and the best place IMO is the abdomen. I found out about it here.

Pinch a little belly to the side of the navel, inject there, and you will have found the easiest spot (it's right there in front of you!). it's a practically painlees injection site also.

In the bath-room  ;D

No but seriously I can't pinch a bit of belly so I go for the thigh, some times it hurts a bit some times it don't hurt at all.

God bless

Nigel

Thigh, arm, belly, calf and a$$ used them all!!! I use thigh
the most but if I'm in public and need a shot and it's cold, the
thigh and @$$ are out so that leaves the arm or calf.  Don't
worry about how close to the brain your shooting it!  it is a
matter of seconds at best!  don't think that it matters.  Count
one, ok that may be all the difference!  If even that.

Peace,
Boski

Thanks, all.  I've found that the injections are not as effective for me as the nasal spray, but at least you don't get that vile taste in your mouth for hours afterwards.

I've done thigh and bum cheek so far - bum worked better (as in offered more relief) than thigh, but I'll try my belly.  What a great excuse to keep eating cake - I need to be able to pinch more than an inch.

the soft part of your forearm.  It it the first flesh that you can reach and works twice as fast as the thigh.

I've prodded and poked, but I don't seem to have a soft part on my forearm...  :-?

Thigh works, to get it going faster inject and take a vigorous walk around for a few min. also having a cup of coffee after injection may help it take affect faster.

:)

I tried the injection in my belly last night, and have to say it worked a treat!  It worked quickly (and without leaving a shadow, which had remained after each thigh injection) and was literally completely painless - I wasn't actually sure if it had injected at all.  And no blood, either, so I didn't have messy pyjamas!

The inner part of your forearm, the part that is on the same side as the palm of your hand.  If you are lucky enough to hit a vein, the pain will be over in a minute, but the hair on the back of your head will stand up.

No, No not suppose to shoot a vein!!!  Not good!!!!  Sub-Q is
just under skin.  Vein is too much for heart.

Anywhere you have some meat is good!  Belly, thigh, butt,
upper arm I have done it on calf in times of need.  Don't
worry it will get there.  The pain will go, just takes a few
minutes no matter where you shoot it.  But JUST SAY NO to
the Veins PLEASE!!!!!!   :D

Stat injector hurts because of the gauge of needle, speed
of injection plus the air in the tank.  If you can get the vials
and needles separately much less pain at injection site

boski wrote on Oct 7^th, 2010 at 12:20pm:

No, No not suppose to shot a vein!!!  Not good!!!!  Sub-Q is just under skin.  Vein is too much for heart.

Worth Repeating!!

Stay with using the belly fat.  It's easy to get to.

Redd wrote on Oct 9^th, 2010 at 10:36am:

Stay with using the belly fat.  It's easy to get to.

Is this a good excuse I can use when eating that extra slice of cake or bar of chocolate that I'm doing it for medical reasons?

duffield1 wrote on Oct 6^th, 2010 at 10:31am:

I tried the injection in my belly last night, and have to say it worked a treat!  It worked quickly (and without leaving a shadow, which had remained after each thigh injection) and was literally completely painless - I wasn't actually sure if it had injected at all.  And no blood, either, so I didn't have messy pyjamas!

NOW we're gettin' somewhere!  :)

Hi all, first time poster, long time sufferer, only diagnosed towards the end of my last-but-one cycle, fresh cycle just starting.

I've been given these sumatriptan 6mg injection packs, and did my first one in the thigh a few days ago... I don't have much fat there and when I took out the needle most of it got spit straight back out again in the form of very runny blood.  It still got rid of my cluster, though not as fast as I'd been hoping after reading about sumatriptan... took about 5-6 minutes til I started to notice any reduction in pain, maybe 10 to get rid of the cluster.

Well, I've just done my 2nd one ever, after the beast woke me from sleep.  This time I did it in my bumcheek instead.  No runny blood flowing out afterwards this time, I definitely got the whole dose.

The cluster vanished in less than a minute this time, but it feels like my blood in my head is mixed with aviation fuel or chilli sauce or something, and there seems to be a small lag in between my brain telling my eyes or fingers what to do, and it actually happening.  My typing is down to about a quarter my normal speed.  In fact my thinking feels like it is down to about quarter speed too.  Everything's in slow motion.  I'm glad I don't have to operate any heavy machinery.  Read this at about 1 syllable per second and you'll be receiving it at the speed I'm thinking/typing it.  :o

Had to sign up to share this with fellow sufferers.  :D

I didn't mean that you deliberately hit a vein, but when you stick the thing in anywhere there is a chance that you will do that.  When it happens, and it eventually will, the CH ends immediately.

just a hint about the nasal spray,if you taste it for hours afterwards your not using it right.When using the spray just a quick short sniff is needed not a SNORT. It needs to stay in your nose not your throat. If you keep it in your nose it gets to the beast faster and doesn't have to go thru your digestive system. If your nose starts to run, short LIGHT SNIFFS will do. The spray is my abortive and I seldom get that taste you speak of. I abort within 3to5 mins. with the spray.

Hello musophill

Welcome to the board

Imitrex will give you strange feelings for about half an hour after the shot. If you have problems with the stuff coming back out a gain keep the needle in a bit longer, and if you use the thigh it gets to work mush quicker if you walk about straight after the injection.

Not that I've tried it yet but have a look at the imitrex tip ( link to the left <<<< ) because you only need half to a third of the stat dose to kill a CH attack.

God bless

Nigel

mikstudie wrote on Oct 12^th, 2010 at 12:11pm:

just a hint about the nasal spray,if you taste it for hours afterwards your not using it right.When using the spray just a quick short sniff is needed not a SNORT. It needs to stay in your nose not your throat. If you keep it in your nose it gets to the beast faster and doesn't have to go thru your digestive system. If your nose starts to run, short LIGHT SNIFFS will do. The spray is my abortive and I seldom get that taste you speak of. I abort within 3to5 mins. with the spray.

Thanks - you mentioned this on another thread a while ago and you are so right!!  I use to do the biggest snort because I wanted it work NOW but man the taste - even into the next day, YUCK.  Now I just do a little snort, enough to get it into my nose - not down the back of my throat  ::) and it works just as well.

Kate

Headache Boy uk wrote on Oct 12^th, 2010 at 6:14pm:

Hello musophill Welcome to the board Imitrex will give you strange feelings for about half an hour after the shot. If you have problems with the stuff coming back out a gain keep the needle in a bit longer, and if you use the thigh it gets to work mush quicker if you walk about straight after the injection. Not that I've tried it yet but have a look at the imitrex tip ( link to the left <<<< ) because you only need half to a third of the stat dose to kill a CH attack. God bless Nigel

I have used less! And it works for you misers out there like
me!  I Keep trying less and it works, takes a little longer. I
get 5 - 7 hits from a 6ml vial.  Much better than one hit per!


Boski! 

I don't use this crap anymore,  I used to but don't now.  Instead I have found that RC seeds work great, and rather than being abortives are preventives.  I resisted doing this for a long time, but when I finally tried them I couldn't believe how effective they were.

duffield1 wrote on Oct 6^th, 2010 at 10:31am:

I tried the injection in my belly last night, and have to say it worked a treat!  It worked quickly (and without leaving a shadow, which had remained after each thigh injection) and was literally completely painless - I wasn't actually sure if it had injected at all.  And no blood, either, so I didn't have messy pyjamas!

So in ur belly hurts less then thigh? I wouldt say the thigh hufts, but the feeling is kinda unpleasant. Might try my belly next time.

U think its smart to do so? Im a kinda skinny guy.

Tweeg wrote on Oct 15^th, 2010 at 3:15pm:

Might try my belly next time. U think its smart to do so? Im a kinda skinny guy.

Good excuse to eat that extra cookie or other goodies. After all, it's for a "medical" reason.

Tweeg wrote on Oct 15^th, 2010 at 3:15pm:

So in ur belly hurts less then thigh? I wouldt say the thigh hufts, but the feeling is kinda unpleasant. Might try my belly next time. U think its smart to do so? Im a kinda skinny guy.

I'm kinda skinny too, but  if you can pinch just a little fat, I think you're good to go.

clavers wrote on Oct 13^th, 2010 at 3:17pm:

I don't use this crap anymore,  I used to but don't now.  Instead I have found that RC seeds work great, and rather than being abortives are preventives.  I resisted doing this for a long time, but when I finally tried them I couldn't believe how effective they were.

What is RC?

I'd be scared to shoot it in my belly.

I shoot it in my arm, usually the arm on the side that the headache is occuring. I don't know about you, but I only use imitrex if it's really bad and it's kind of my last resort because they're soooo precious, so my CH is pretty full blown by the time I use the injection. It takes about 10-15 minutes to be completely PF, but I do find that if you run around extremely fast and pretty aimlessly, get in a scolding hot shower, dunk your head in a ice bin, or try to have a conversation with someone the time goes by faster. Good luck!

To Pedropedro, as to the use of RC seeds, see "cluster busters"

Kim D wrote on Oct 29^th, 2010 at 11:15am:

I'd be scared to shoot it in my belly. I shoot it in my arm, usually the arm on the side that the headache is occuring. I don't know about you, but I only use imitrex if it's really bad and it's kind of my last resort because they're soooo precious, so my CH is pretty full blown by the time I use the injection. It takes about 10-15 minutes to be completely PF, but I do find that if you run around extremely fast and pretty aimlessly, get in a scolding hot shower, dunk your head in a ice bin, or try to have a conversation with someone the time goes by faster. Good luck!

;D



I use the nasal spray 15mins PF abort.   No hurt,no holes...

Kim D wrote on Oct 29^th, 2010 at 11:15am:

..... I only use imitrex if it's really bad and it's kind of my last resort because they're soooo precious, so my CH is pretty full blown by the time I use the injection. ....

KimD - understood about the preciousness factor. In case you haven't seen it yet, following the imitrex tip  allows you to abort 2 to 3 attacks (as opposed to just one attack) with one injector's worth of imitrex, so that can make a huge difference.
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faster you use it the faster it works! So, stop waiting use less!

I use to wait and use the full load now I shoot much earlier
and take about a 1/6 and dam it still works.  That's right 6
from 1 vial, Bridges to access to going to work for me now!  ;)

Tweeg wrote on Oct 15^th, 2010 at 3:15pm:

So in ur belly hurts less then thigh? I wouldt say the thigh hufts, but the feeling is kinda unpleasant. Might try my belly next time. U think its smart to do so? Im a kinda skinny guy.

I did one in my belly by pinching the skin (I'm skinny too) but after administering it I let go and noticed I had TWO holes in my skin... I'd gone right through and wasted the injection.

Is it worth me putting on weight to make this easier?

Mike NZ wrote on Oct 15^th, 2010 at 4:43pm:

Good excuse to eat that extra cookie or other goodies. After all, it's for a "medical" reason.

Ah, question answered!  :)

as painful as the hits are id take 100 shots just about anywhere if you told me it would work,,i always used thigh for prob 10 yrs but recently noticed it wasnt working as fast,switched to bicep and it seems a touch quicker,just my .02

Amen Musophil!  I experience something similar (dizzy brain slow, etc), with the added addition of skyrocketing bp.  However sometimes my headaches will stay gone longer when using it so I think it's worth it.

I always inject into the thigh, alternating legs each time.  I honestly don't think height makes that much of a difference in terms of how fast it takes for the drug to work.  I would just think it best to inject into a meaty part of the body, upper arm is always good too.  A good tip is to ice the area for a minute before injecting, if you can stand to wait out the pain the extra minute.

Welcome to the board Jamie, another West Coaster!  :)You anywhere near me down here in San Diego?

Joe

Hello Joe.  I am in Thousand Oaks.  I have family in SD.

Well lemme know when you're in San Diego would love to chat ya up! ;) Us "normal" west coasters have to stick together against the great east tide! ;D

Joe