July 10, 2024Giving yourself injections of a medication may seem daunting, but it really is quite easy. Here you will find written instructions with some extra tips and hints, and we have also provided a video to assist you in making Semaglutide injections.
You will receive your medications in a package from the mail order pharmacy. You should open the package immediately so that you can place the bottle of semaglutide in your refrigerator, in a place you are sure it will not accidentally freeze. Keep the bottle in the blue bag for quick identification and to help keep the bottle clean.
Try to stick to approximately the same time each week to take your semaglutide. You will need to gather the necessary materials before you begin:
- Medication—take the bottle out of the refrigerator and allow it to warm slightly (it does not need to be room temperature)
- Insulin syringe with needle attached
- Alcohol swabs
- Band-aid, if desired
- Sharps container (for disposal of syringe & needle)
Preparing for the Injection
Choose a large flat surface near a good place to sit. Clean the surface well before you start working with your medication, and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer. It is always best to allow surfaces and hands to air dry rather than using a towel.
Check your medication bottle each time before taking it. If the solution appears cloudy or if it has changed colors, do not use it.
The very first time you use your bottle of semaglutide you will need to remove a lightweight metal cap to expose the gray rubber port into the bottle. This cap will not go back onto the bottle so you may dispose of it.
Next, use an alcohol swab to clean off the top of the bottle where you will be inserting the needle. You must clean off the top of the bottle every time you use it, not just the first time, as you do not want to introduce bacteria into your medication bottle. Let the alcohol air-dry and do not touch the top of the bottle with your fingers, to keep it sterile.
Next, take out a single insulin syringe and remove the shorter orange cap to expose the top of the plunger. Leave the longer orange cap on until you are going to use the needle. (This helps avoid an unplanned needle stick to your fingers and keeps the needle sterile until use.)
The Correct Dosage
Check your dosage on the blue bag that the bottle of semaglutide came in.
Take the longer orange cap off the needle of the insulin syringe; never touch the needle itself. Draw back the plunger to the prescribed dosage. Remember that you are using the top of the black rubber on the plunger to determine how much you are drawing up. The top of your medication bottle should be dry by now, so stick the needle through the gray rubber area into the bottle while it is still sitting on your table. You do not have to jab the needle quickly through the rubber. A slow steady push will do, and you will not risk bending the needle. Inject the air into the bottle.
Pick up the bottle and turn it and syringe upside down, with the needle still in the bottle. The medication will now be easily accessible. Be sure that the tip of the needle inside the bottle is under the surface of the medication. If it is sticking into the air in the bottle you need to pull the needle out slightly so that the tip will be in the medication liquid. This will be most important when you are on the last dose.
Still holding the bottle upside down, draw up your prescribed dose slowly, drawing back the plunger and waiting as the medication fills the syringe. You may want to do this in a step-wise fashion of drawing back the plunger a little, then wait for the medication to come into the syringe, then repeat until you have your full dose in the syringe. It works well to draw the plunger down beyond your prescribed dose, allow it to fill with medication, then push the plunger back up to your dose level. This will get the air out of the syringe and needle and provide you with the correct amount of medication. There should be no air bubbles in the syringe once you are ready to inject.
Injecting the Semaglutide
DO NOT RECAP THE NEEDLE. You can carefully place the syringe down on your clean work surface if you need to but be sure the needle does not touch anything so that it stays sterile.
If you know that your skin is clean, you can go straight to injecting. If you are unsure how clean your skin is, quickly swab the area with an alcohol wipe. Allow the alcohol to dry before injecting to avoid the sting of alcohol going into your skin.
You can inject into your abdomen or thigh. In your abdomen, you will want to inject about 2 inches away from your navel in any direction. On your thighs, it should be the top of your thigh about 4 inches up from your knee or 4 inches down from the top of your leg. In theory, injections into your abdomen will be absorbed quicker. If you inject into your thigh, you may notice different speeds in taking effect, based on whether you are actively using your thigh muscles or just sitting or sleeping.
Do not hesitate as you stick the needle through your skin. The needle is short and it will not hit anything that will cause a problem. Insert the needle at a 90 o angle to your skin. You are safe to stick the needle all the way into your skin until it cannot go any further. Once the needle is properly inserted, depress the plunger in a slow steady motion until all the medication is injected. Then, quickly pull out the needle.
After the Injection
DO NOT RECAP THE NEEDLE. Discard the syringe with the needle still attached into your sharps container. This is Texas law. Your container can be a thick plastic bottle such as a laundry detergent or bleach bottle. Do not use a clear plastic water or soda bottle or a glass bottle. Label the container “syringes,” “sharps,” or “needles.” Do not put this container into your recycling bin. Do not throw loose syringes/needles into your regular household garbage. When you wish to get rid of your sharps container, bring it to our office or locate a facility that accepts household medical waste.
Make sure to put your bottle of semaglutide back into the refrigerator for safe keeping until next week. Try not to waste any medication. After the 4th injection, you may have a tiny amount of semaglutide left in the bottle. This can be discarded as it will not be enough for any future dose.
Choose a different site on your body for each injection. It does not need to be a big difference, and it can be as simple as right versus left thigh, or going in a circle around your belly button.
Contact Us for Help in Making Semaglutide Injections
Making injections will become easier as you repeat them weekly. If you have any questions, please call the office and we can assist you through the process. If you are concerned about using needles, a friend or family member can help you with the injections. These semaglutide injections are easy, rarely hurt, and you will almost never see any blood, so you may become comfortable doing the injections on your own.
Reach out to North Texas Plastic Surgery to learn if you are eligible for semaglutide injections to help with weight loss.
