Your Step-by-Step Guide to SUBCUTANEOUS Injection with Aranesp®

Welcome to your step-by-step guide to self-administering Aranesp^® by subcutaneous injection.

If you’ve been prescribed Aranesp^®, you can give yourself injections, as long as you’ve been properly trained by your healthcare professional.

You can also have a family member or other caregiver give you your Aranesp^® injection if they’ve been trained.

So, let’s get started!

When you receive your Aranesp^® prescription, store it in your refrigerator, between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius.

Do not let Aranesp^® freeze and do not use Aranesp^® if you think that it has been frozen.

You can take Aranesp^® out of the refrigerator and let it warm to room temperature before injecting. This takes about 30 minutes.

But don’t use Aranesp^® if it has been left at room temperature for longer than 24 hours, as it contains no preservatives.

Always store Aranesp^® SingleJect^® prefilled syringes in the original packaging, and do not leave them exposed to direct sunlight.

You’ll want to gather all materials needed for your injection and place them on a clean, well-lit work surface.

So that’s one prefilled syringe, an alcohol wipe, cotton ball or gauze pad, adhesive bandage and a sharps disposal container.

The first thing to do is remove one prefilled syringe from the carton. Open the tray by peeling back the cover. Grab the yellow safety guard to remove the syringe from the tray.

For safety reasons, be sure not to grab the plunger rod or the grey needle cap.

It takes about 30 minutes for the syringe to warm to room temperature.

A few quick notes:

• Don't use any syringes from a damaged carton
• Don't warm the syringe with hot water or a microwave
• Don't leave the syringe in direct sunlight, and
• Don't shake the syringe

Next, inspect the SingleJect^® prefilled syringe. Always hold the syringe by the syringe barrel.

Check that the strength is the one that your doctor prescribed for you. Also check the expiration date on the label to be sure that the product hasn’t expired.

Make sure the medicine in the prefilled syringe is clear and colourless.

Don’t use the syringe:

• If the medicine is cloudy, discoloured or contains flakes or particles
• If any part appears cracked or broken
• If the syringe has been dropped
• If the grey needle cap is missing or not securely attached, or
• The expiration date printed on the label has passed.

And don’t forget to wash your hands well with soap and warm water.

Now that everything is ready for your injection, choose the injection site.

On the front, you can use:

• Your thighs, or
• Your stomach area, except for a 5-cm or 2-inch area right around your navel or belly button

On the back – but only if someone else is giving you the injection. You can use:

• The outer area of your upper arm, or
• The upper outer area of your buttocks

Choose a new site each time you inject Aranesp^®.

Don't inject Aranesp^® into an area that is tender, red, bruised or hard, or that has scars or stretch marks.

Now it's time to clean the injection site with an alcohol wipe.

Let your skin dry.

With the hand that you will use to inject Aranesp^®, hold the syringe by the barrel.

When you're ready to inject, carefully pull the grey needle cap straight off and away from your body. Throw the cap into the sharps disposal container.

Don't twist or bend the grey needle cap or put it back on the syringe.

And don't hold the syringe by the plunger rod.

With your other hand, pinch a fold of skin at the cleaned injection site.

It's important to keep the skin pinched while injecting.

While holding the pinch, insert the needle into the skin at 45 to 90 degrees.

With slow and constant pressure, push the plunger rod until it reaches the bottom.

Inject the prescribed dose subcutaneously as directed by your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.

Then gently pull the syringe off your skin.

Check the syringe. If it looks like medicine is still in the syringe barrel, you have not received a full dose. Call your healthcare professional immediately.

Each syringe is used only once.

Keeping your hands away from the needle at all times, pull the yellow safety guard until it clicks and covers the needle.

Once extended, the yellow safety guard will lock into position and will not slide back over the needle.

Now you can throw away the used prefilled syringe in the sharps disposal container. Do NOT throw away the syringe in the household trash or recycling bin.

If you don't have a sharps container, you can use a household container that is made of heavy-duty plastic and won't leak, has a tight-fitting, puncture-proof lid, is upright and stable during use and is labeled to warn of hazardous waste inside the container.

Always store the container out of reach of children.

When your sharps disposal container is almost full, follow your community guidelines for the right way to dispose of the container.

Now, examine the subcutaneous injection site. If there's blood, place a cotton ball or gauze pad on the injection site, and press for a few seconds. Don't rub the injection site. Apply an adhesive bandage if needed.

We hope this video has been helpful!

For more information, call 1-866-479-6377 or email Health@Adjuvantz.com.