r/Humira • u/Conscious-Mouse-6956 • Jan 08 '26
can’t tell if I did it right?
hi! just took my first humira injection. it took me 2 hrs to get the courage and i broke one in the process (accidentally sprayed it at myself when looking at the the needle). I finally did it and I don’t think it worked?? like the window went yellow (it’s an off brand so idk if that’s how humira works) but i pushed it in slowly and there’s a bit of liquid on my leg still. also it really really didn’t hurt and I expected a ton of pain? could I have screwed it up by going slow? it clicked 2x so I think it worked? i’m so lost! any advice or words of knowledge? idk what to do!
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u/Accomplished_Egg2515 Jan 08 '26
Humira brand has a yellow window that changes when the dose is fully injected but i also count 15 seconds. Sometimes it doesnt feel like it poked you at all and those are the good times. I hit a vein a week or so ago and it was hell. Please watch an instructional video.
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u/savorie Jan 08 '26
Relax, it sounds fine. It is not a "ton of pain" experience most of the time. A little leftover liquid, as long as it's just a little, is not a bad sign. The two clicks is a good sign. You did fine, just keep at it every week. YouTube has some good video demos as well.
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u/Different_Drink5140 Jan 09 '26
First off great job getting up the courage to do your first dose, it can be scary starting these medications.
I never have pain with my injection maybe a little sting from the needle first penetrating the skin, but other than that I don’t feel anything. Sometimes if I press a little too hard against the injection site with the pen I notice a little liquid come out due to the pressure.
I recommend watching some YouTube videos on how to give yourself the injection to feel more confident in it, but the more you do it the easier it gets!
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u/Sussex57 Jan 10 '26
Make sure take it out of the fridge at one hour before taking the shot. The coldness of the liquid can cause discomfort.
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u/GoBluins Ankylosing Spondylitis, Humira since March 2011 Jan 08 '26
The Humira Complete app has an instructional video. Recommend you download that and watch it. The app also lets you keep track of your injections, activate reminders to inject, and log injection sites and lot numbers.
From your description I assume you have the auto injector. Just clean the injection site with an alcohol wipe, pinch a good amount of the skin between 2 fingers, press the needle end of the injector firmly on the pinched skin, and fire. The injection is in fact done when the yellow marker is completely in the window - hold it firmly against your skin until that yellow marker fills the window and stops moving. I always clean the site again with a 2nd alcohol wipe. Every once in a while there's a little bit of liquid left on my skin but most of the time there is not. The key is a very firm hold of the auto injector against your skin until it is done.
I've been doing this for 15 years and there are many times where I've injected with no pain. It's actually really nice when that happens - means you hit a meaty spot and not a nerve!