Taking IL-2 and managing its side effects

March 2007     View PDF     En español

Injecting IL-2

You should always ask your doctor, a nurse, or a physician’s assistant to teach you how to inject IL-2 the first time you use it. After your first lesson, the following suggestions may help remind you of how to do it.

Before injecting IL-2, remove it from the refrigerator or your carrying container and allow the syringe/preparation to warm to room temperature (about 15 minutes). Wash your hands thoroughly and then wipe the area where you’ll inject the IL-2 with an alcohol pad or swab. Allow the skin to dry before you inject.

Change the site each time and do not inject IL-2 into an area that’s red or has lumps from an earlier injection. Do not inject it near or on areas where you have scars, bruises, or moles. Sites for injecting IL-2 are the stomach (but not within an inch of the belly button), the middle part of the outer thighs (hand width below hip and above knee), and the outer part of the upper arms.

With one hand, use your thumb and fingers to pinch or fold the swabbed skin where you’ll inject the IL-2. With the other hand, insert the prepared needle at about a 60° angle into the fold of skin with a short, quick movement and then push down on the plunger. Let go of the fold of skin while you push down on the plunger.

Remember that you are injecting IL-2 under the skin, not into a vein and not into muscle. Some people put an ice pack (or a bag of frozen vegetables) on the skin before and after injection, and then massage the area for three to five minutes afterwards to help reduce lumps and skin reactions.

Preparing & storing syringes

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Safely dispose needles