On Monday, I had my first Skyrizi injection following my three infusions. The first injection takes place four weeks after the final infusion, and then every eight weeks after that. I am used to doing self injections with Humira, but Skyrizi is administered through an on-body injector (OBI) which is a small device that releases the medication into your body with the push of a button. It was all new to me, but the process was easier than I expected.
Luckily, my nurse ambassador through the Skyrizi program scheduled a Facetime call with me that day to walk through the OBI. Skyrizi must be kept in the fridge (not frozen) until 45-90 minutes before use, so once I got home from work, I took the Skyrizi package out of the fridge and poked around a bit. The first thing I saw was a giant list of instructions. It looked daunting. I am more of a visual learner, so I watched the training video that Skyrizi provided to prepare myself for the injection.
The overall process took about 10-15 minutes. There are two items in the package – the device itself and a vial with the medication in it. The first step is to insert the vial into the device after cleaning it. Then you can peel the adhesive backing and stick to the skin, after cleaning with alcohol of course. I chose to use my thigh instead of my stomach because I feel there is more surface area to work with. There is a light on the device that will indicate when it is ready to inject. Then you push the big gray button and you’re off! It takes about five minutes for the medicine to pump into your skin. Once it is done, it will beep three times and you can peel it off and dispose of in a sharps container.
After the injection, my nurse ambassador warned me that I may have a lump in my leg that looks something like a bug bite. That is to be expected. It took an hour or two for the medication to dissolve under my skin and by the time I went to bed, I could hardly see anything. It ended up being a fairly seamless process and I didn’t feel any side effects afterwards.
Overall, I had a positive experience with the OBI injector. Luckily, I don’t have to do this again for another eight weeks – so hopefully I remember everything I learned! Let’s summarize some of the positives and negatives of the OBI injector.
Pros:
- The entire process takes 10-15 minutes. Much less time than an infusion. And I can do it in the comfort of my own home and on my own time – which is a huge deal to me as a busy person.
- The nurse ambassadors are available 24/7 to help if you need it.
- There is less chance of a misfire with the OBI because the needle is hidden inside the device and you are simply pushing a button.
- The device itself guides you through the entire process, so it is hard to miss a step. Technology has come so far and it’s pretty cool to be an early adopter!
Cons:
- It hurts! During those five minutes after I pushed the button, I could feel the needle moving around under my skin the entire time. It was slightly uncomfortable, but at least it’s temporary.
So far, the Skyrizi seems to be working well for me and my body is responding positively. I had a fecal calprotectin test done after my third infusion, before my first injection, and the results were hopeful. There was no sign of inflammation in my stool, compared to my last test in August. I have a colonoscopy scheduled for May which will be the real test to see if I am headed toward remission.
Have you ever used the OBI injector? What was your experience like? Share in the comments below!
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