PIO injections: I've yet to find a single person that actually enjoys the process. Most women dread them from the very beginning, and it's completely understandable. From estrogen patches to daily blood draws, progesterone in oil shots (PIO) are probably at the top of most women's "No thanks" list. Who actually wants to poke themselves with a huge needle?
Even though PIO injections can be painful, there are a few ways to make the process a little bit easier. Here are my top tips, plus the step-by-step of how to make progesterone in oil shots less miserable:
PIO Injection Tips
Warm up the loaded syringe for 1-2 minutes
Before you do anything, take your PIO vial out of the fridge and warm it up with your body heat for 1-2 minutes. The reason I recommend doing this is to make the oil flow more easily out of the syringe. The easier it flows, the less time the needle has to be in your body!
Some women warm it up in their hands, under their armpits, or between their legs when they're sitting, but I highly recommend just sticking it in your bra. That way you can warm it up while still being able to walk and have free hands for other things.
Invest in a heating pad
A heating pad will be your best friend with these PIO injection shots. While you warm up the syringe, stick a heating pad in the microwave until it's warm, so you can have it ready to go after you inject.
Ice the area for 3-5 minutes
Similar to the heating pad, you'll also need an ice pack. Grab one out of the freezer after you warm up your heating pad and stick it over the injection site for 3-5 minutes before you get the needles out. This will slightly numb the area, so the shot is less painful.
Get in a comfortable position
When it's time to grab your supplies and disinfect your injection spot, remove the ice pack and find a comfortable position that allows you to keep your muscles as relaxed as possible. Some people stand and do it themselves, but with the butt shots, you can consider lying down to keep your muscles relaxed. If you have a partner doing your shots, grab something that can distract you like a stress ball, phone, or your list of positive affirmations, anything that can distract you from what's happening in front of you.
Breathe through it
If needles are not your thing, you'll want to make sure you're intentionally relaxing your muscles. Make sure to breathe through it. Whether you're doing it solo or you're having a partner help you, countdown from 3, 2, then 1 like so: Three...breathe in
Two...breath out
One...
Swift & steady or slow & steady
Some women find that going slow & steady with the needle is the way to do the shot. Some find it more painful to do it slowly. If that's the case, go all in swiftly, but steadily.
Use a vibrating handheld massage or muscle roller for 3-5 minutes
The goal of using a muscle roller or handheld massager is to disperse the oil throughout your muscle. Immediately after pulling out the syringe, press a gauze on the site and use your massager or your hands to move the liquid around.
After you do all this, grab your heating pad and place it over the site for 15-20 minutes. If you make the habit of doing shots in the evening, you can plop on the couch with your heating pad and watch TV or read before bedtime. Treat yourself to something nice like a hot tea or a piece of chocolate. Have something you can look forward to after you did this hard thing for yourself. You got this!
Have any questions? Ask over at my email or let me know in the comments!