The First Thyrogen Injection

Today I received $400 worth of medicine. In one shot. Good grief. I hope you have a better insurance plan than I. I get the other $400 worth tomorrow. The cost of Thyrogen is inhibitive (and possibly exorbitant) and you may be aware of my thoughts on this monopoly and the accompanying shortages, but in the end I felt the pros (not feeling sick, cranky, and out of my mind for 6 weeks) outweighed the cost ($800+). And I guess that is what they are counting on.

On to today's adventure....

What it was like to get a thyrogen shot.

After being poked and prodded and hooked up to a gazillion and one strange medical devices in preparation for surgery and radiation last year, I didn't expect to be nervous about a shot. For a while I was having my blood drawn on a weekly basis and I don't think I'll ever encounter a needle bigger than the one for my biopsy (hopefully). But I managed to keep putting off my doctor's visit today until the last minute and once there had to admit I was not thrilled to see the needle (though it is average if not small in size) and even less excited to learn I was to be injected in my hip (which I probably would have psyched myself out about if I'd known in advance).

But I am alive to tell you--it doesn't hurt. Not even on the level of a splinter or hangnail. I barely even felt the prick and there was no soreness or shock of pain afterward. The nurse warned me it might feel uncomfortable or cold going in, but I didn't feel that either. And I am NOT one of those brave suck-it-up-and-leave-the-crying-to-the-sissies types.

So fretters don't fret! Other than your wallet it really won't hurt a bit.