Your kit comes with dosing instructions written for your prescription. Those instructions always win over anything on this page.
Here is the general shape of it, so nothing is a surprise.
Before you start
Wash your hands. Set out your vial, a new syringe, and two alcohol swabs. Check the label — your name, your medicine, and your dose.
The steps
1. Wipe the top of the vial with an alcohol swab and let it dry.
2. Draw up your exact dose, using the markings on the syringe as your guide. Take your time here.
3. Pick your spot — belly, thigh, or upper arm. Use a different spot each week.
4. Wipe the spot you plan to inject with the second swab and let it dry. Don’t touch it or let your clothes rest over it.
5. Pinch the skin and insert the needle straight in, at about 90 degrees. It only goes just under the skin.
6. Push slowly, then remove the needle.
7. Put the syringe straight into a sharps container. Never reuse a needle, and never put one in household trash.
A few things worth knowing
• Same day each week, as close to the same time as you can manage. Pick a day you will remember.
• With or without food. Whatever you will actually stick to.
• Store it the way your instructions say. Most need refrigeration.
• A tiny bit of blood or a small bruise is normal.
Stop and message us before injecting if
• The liquid looks cloudy or has particles in it
• The vial was left out and you are not sure how long
• The markings on your syringe do not seem to match your instructions
• You are not confident you have drawn the right amount
That last one matters more than anything else on this page. Measuring the wrong dose is the most common serious mistake with vial-and-syringe medicine. Asking costs you a few minutes. Guessing can cost a great deal more.