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Has anyone has their "BCG" Injection. Did it hurt ?

Anonymous #1

Having my "BCG" Injection soon.

I've heard it really hurts :eek:

Is that true ?

Reply 1

Anonymous #1

OP

Anyone ??

Reply 2

LukeatForest

13

No. Didn't hurt me until about five minutes after, when I felt an annoying, dull pain. Nothing to worry about. I suppose different people experience it in a different way though.

Reply 3

Indievertigo

15

Ooooooh the pain I was in. I couldn't move my arm for three days, it just felt like it was on fire, and like it was being eaten from the inside out kinda.

lol kidding, It never hurt, all the rumours you hear about it being the worst are a load of tosh. The needle isn't 9 inches long either :p:

Seriously, theres nothing to worry about, the worst thing I remember is the 50 yr nurse commenting on my 'Well toned muscles' :eek:

Reply 4

scribble_girl

14

With the BCG, you've got a Heaf test first, I think it's a week before but my old memory might be hazy. The rumours that flew around :eyeroll: it's basically 6 or so tiny pins that make a pretty dotty shape on your arm to see if you're already immune, and that doesn't hurt a BIT - it just makes a clunk sound, which is scary if you're not expecting it, but it doesn't hurt, you can just hear a click, it's fine :smile:

After that the BCG itself is a breeze, just like a regular injection. One or two odd people did get a bit of reaction - just the area was a bit sore around the injection site for a few days after - but nothing LIKE some of the rumours you hear. You'll be fine :p:

Reply 5

Llamaaa

15

my bcg really hurt, but not because of the injection itself. It was because put it in wrong the first time, pulled it out at an angle (ow!) put it back in again, got it wrong, pulled it out, got frustrated and stuck it in hard. i was not happy at all.

my friends all said it hurt like a scratch, but nothing more.

Reply 6

jennyflake

I think it depends. Someone was talking about the HEAF test. Well this is no longer considered to be reliable, and the one they use now stings like buggery. Its a small amount of whatever injected just below the skin. they have to make sure there is a bubble to ensure its below a certain layer of the skin, no lower. In my case they had to do it twice, and it does sting. But its only for a minute or so while whatever they inject disperses.
The jab itself also stung, in very much the same way. I have a feeling it was just under the skin again, rather than into the muscle. However like I say it does depend I think on where you are. where i live theyre very much into this other method rather than the heaf test way. Where you live may have a different policy. If it is this way just be prepared for stinging, but it goes away pretty quick!

Reply 7

fleur de lis

15

It hurt me,but i'm wussy about things like that and i have a big fear of needles. However I can assure you that the relatively small amount of pain you have to go through, for a very short amount of time is so much better than running the risk of getting TB. My dad had it as a baby and had to spend the first year of his life in hospital. Funnily enough they said i was 'half immune' because of that and made me have it anyway. Seriously though it wasn't half as terrible as I expected it to be, so ignore all the hyped up stories.

Reply 8

hallowsfanatic

I was in about 3/4 year when we had to get it. Most people got a skin test which would determine if they needed it or no, which was a vircle with a few dots and some people said that as worse than the actual injection.

I just remember standing in a Q to see the nurse, and she was measuring the scars that people already had - from when they received the immunisation at birth. If it was over say (8mm) then you didn't even need to get the skin test and could go, which was great as my scar was about 12mm....

The people I know who did get the jab, well it's jst like any other may scracth a little when going in but nothing worse than that. Problem was I think, the fact you need to keep the scar dry until the scab falls of or something, which I expect is a lot worse.

I would much rather have to have a BCG than get polio drops again though, as they were disgusting!

Reply 9

Anonymous #1

OP

I am also scared of needles. Refused to get a Flu Injection - last year !!!

Reply 10

hotfuzz

Don't worry, you'll feel a sharp pain that will last abou 3 secs and that's it.

Reply 11

vague

I had mine about five years ago, so this may not be up-to-date information:

For my heaf test they put some fluid on my inner arm and pressed a small, stamp-like metal disk on top of it until it went 'click' and I was left with six tiny pinpricks in a circle. It only hurt as much as picking up a prickly seed pod or something.

I was terrified of the actual jab (I hate needles) but it really wasn't that bad. I'd even go as far as to say that it was better than other jabs I'd had, as it was not intramuscular (as far as I could tell), so it didn't matter that I tensed up a lot.

My puss-filled blister also popped relatively early on, which was a good thing because it meant that I didn't have a huge, sore blob on my arm for as long as everyone else.

Reply 12

Anonymous #1

OP

vague

I had mine about five years ago, so this may not be up-to-date information:

For my heaf test they put some fluid on my inner arm and pressed a small, stamp-like metal disk on top of it until it went 'click' and I was left with six tiny pinpricks in a circle. It only hurt as much as picking up a prickly seed pod or something.

I was terrified of the actual jab (I hate needles) but it really wasn't that bad. I'd even go as far as to say that it was better than other jabs I'd had, as it was not intramuscular (as far as I could tell), so it didn't matter that I tensed up a lot.

My puss-filled blister also popped relatively early on, which was a good thing because it meant that I didn't have a huge, sore blob on my arm for as long as everyone else.

I'll get a blister filled with pus ?? :eek:

Reply 13

hallowsfanatic

I think you get a raised are of skin which you are not allowed to come into contact with water, you need to keep it covered etc...

I remember my sister having it, and having to shower with one arm out or something as the wound could not be wet, but I don't know for sure as I never needed to get it.

Reply 14

Anonymous #1

OP

Hollz

I think you get a raised are of skin which you are not allowed to come into contact with water, you need to keep it covered etc...

I remember my sister having it, and having to shower with one arm out or something as the wound could not be wet, but I don't know for sure as I never needed to get it.

Lucky you !!! Wish i didn't need it :frown:

Reply 15

hallowsfanatic

I know, I was so relieved when my scar was deemed big enough, and I could go. I was anxious about the skin test but never even needed it.

I have no fear of needles, had quite a bit of blood taken from me recently and this normally involves the doctor going through about 10 veins, until they can draw some blood - as I just dont seem to have blood in my veins, and that is when they can find a vein!

Also, any jab I have ever had, just don't have a problem - always just feel a wee scracth. I had the flu and pneumomnicocal (SP) a few months ago, and they were fine...

Only injection I ever had which hurt was meningitis C, and that was the day after, my arm was so stiff I couldn't play hockey the next day...

I think it was the idea about the scab, and no water contact which made me dread the BCG - hence how relieved I was when told that I didn't need it.

Reply 16

hotfuzz

Hollz

I think you get a raised are of skin which you are not allowed to come into contact with water, you need to keep it covered etc...

What a load of cr*p.
You have no blisters or anything. Nothing changes. You don't have to cover it or anything.

Reply 17

fleur de lis

15

OP, if you are particularly nervous, see if you can go early on to get yours done so its out of the way and you don't spend all morning worrying about it.

Reply 18

Anonymous #1

OP

Well i'm dreading it simply because,i have a fear of Needles :eek:

Really hate needles & injections. Would avoid all injections if i could. :frown:

Reply 19

hallowsfanatic

hotfuzz

What a load of cr*p.
You have no blisters or anything. Nothing changes. You don't have to cover it or anything.

Just what I was told, not had one so just going on information I have been told.

Just looked on Wiki and it says:

BCG is given as a single intradermal injection at the insertion of the deltoid. If BCG is accidentally given subcutaneously, then a local abscess may form (a BCG-oma) that may ulcerate and often requires treatment with antibiotics.

So you may or may not get a blister - hopefully not.