# Cetrotide Injecting - Side Effects



## Scorpy (Oct 2, 2014)

Hi, first Cetrotide injection today....OUCH! Is this meant to be so painful?! Its stinging and itching like mad...
Ive been having a look through YouTube - the instructions in the booklet dont seem to correspond or we've interoperated it incorrectly  
It says inject the needle, then pull back the plunger, THEN push the plunger... It says if there is blood backing in then do it all again.... But no one on the videos pulls back the plunger and im worried we just have and surely thats not a good thing to do?!

Any advice on Cetrotide experience would be great


----------



## Teeinparis (Sep 15, 2013)

It's subcutaneous.....so I don't see why you would pull the plunger back.  That would get more air in.....I wouldn't do that.  But call your nurses line or emergency line for guidance.


----------



## Scorpy (Oct 2, 2014)

Yeah thats surely not good. Youd think itd be injected the same as the other injections so maybe theyre just bad instructions in the pack!

Ive got a swollen red lump and rash now but I believe a lot if people get this


----------



## Cloudy (Jan 26, 2012)

It is like this for a lot of people don't worry.

Like Teeinparis said, if in doubt call your clinic, but I can confirm I had this problem too, it is one of the less comfortable injections!

The thing about pulling I back a little bit is apparently related to hitting a blood vessel, but when I questioned this at my injection training they said I wasn't really necessary and that if I got blood leak when I first put the needle in I should try a different location, rather than doing the pulling back thing: If I'm making sense!

Xxx


----------



## Pinkchick (Apr 2, 2015)

Hi Scorpy, Im injecting ceterotide too and I'm having the same reaction. It goes into a huge itchy welt then calms down after an hour or so. I've never experienced this with my other drugs but the nurses have said this is what ceterotide does so although annoying it's nothing to worry about. 
You are doing the injection correctly, there is no need to draw back with a sub cutaneous injection x


----------



## Scorpy (Oct 2, 2014)

Thanks ladies, its strange that it doesnt mention the blood vessel thing for the other injections which you think it would

Itching has stopped like you say Pinkchick, but theres still a raised lump and a rash has spread to my hips? I will phone the clinic tomorrow but hopefully this is normal too


----------



## Pinkchick (Apr 2, 2015)

Mines doesn't spread too far, it just itche's right round the injection site. Best to get checked out just incase. Xx


----------



## Scorpy (Oct 2, 2014)

It was 6 hours after the injection before I went to bed and the rash had changed to a honeycomb shaped rash which spread all over my stomach and top of my thigh and my chest felt just slightly 'heavy'.
I phoned the clinic and they said to take a Pireeze and have someone with me for my next injection this morning if I felt comfortable doing so, if any symptoms get worse to go to A&E the only other option would be to stop treatment  

I dont know whether she meant stop Cetrotide but IVF could still go ahead, or stop alltogether game over!? 

Everything crossed that it is just a matter of a rash that I get


----------



## Trunky (Jul 26, 2013)

I've used it twice and it is stingy and does leave a welt and a small rash which tends to calm down in a few minutes. Mine never spread though.

Don't draw back on the needle - if you hit a blood vessel (which I did a few times) then it doesn't matter. 

I found injecting it really slowly helped with the stinging.

I dripped a bit on my finger a few times and that left a rash too so it's obviously on contact rather than a reaction IYSWIM.

Horrible stuff but it doesn't have the side effects that Buserelin has (I had short protocol fresh and long frozen).


----------



## Teeinparis (Sep 15, 2013)

You need the cetrotide, or need to change to another one.  It keeps you from ovulating so you need something of that nature.  There are other ones they can give you though.  Decapetyl etc.  I would ask to talk to a DR or your consultant as you are having an allergic reaction.  The other thing is Merck will have a line to call.  You can call them to ask about side effects and their recommendations.


----------



## Scorpy (Oct 2, 2014)

Wonder why they didnt say there would be an alternative to Cetrotide  
Since yesterday ive also gotten sore boobs, Google......suggests I could be ovulating? Everything was going fine before damn Cetrotide now im just full of worry

I had my day 6 scan yesterday though surely ovulation would be picked up on there if I was or if it was just about to happen?


----------



## Teeinparis (Sep 15, 2013)

It is too early to ovulate, but regardless you are on the short cetrotide protocol.  There are others.  This is what frustrates me about these forums and the internet is we forget we are paying either with real money or through or taxes for IVF.  Call you DR....demand to talk to your consultant.  Go in and get them to give you the injections if you are concerned.  

So step away from the computer unless you are looking up the number of your clinic or emailing your consultant.  

Good luck!!!


----------

