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AVELLUMHealth

Your medication guide

Everything you need, step by step.

How to inject, how to store your medication, what to expect, and who to reach when you have a question.

Step by step

How to inject

Give yourself a clean, flat surface and a few unhurried minutes. Read all the way through once before you start.

Step 1. Gather your supplies

  • Alcohol pads

    Two, one for the vial and one for your skin.

  • Medication vial

    Check the name and date on the label.

  • Syringe with needle

    A new, sealed one every dose.

  • Sharps container

    Within reach before you start.

  1. Step 2. Wash your handsSoap and warm water for 20 seconds. Dry with a clean towel.
  2. Step 3. Prepare the vialRemove the cap. Wipe the rubber stopper with an alcohol pad and let it air dry.
  3. Step 4. Draw up your dosePull the plunger back to your dose, insert the needle into the vial, invert it, and draw to the line your provider prescribed.
  4. Step 5. Remove air bubblesPoint the needle up. Tap the barrel to float bubbles to the top, then push the plunger until a drop appears at the tip.
  5. Step 6. Clean the injection siteWipe the site with an alcohol pad, working outward in a circle. Let it air dry.
  6. Step 7. InjectPinch the skin, insert the needle at a 45 degree angle, release the pinch, and push the plunger slowly.
  7. Step 8. Remove and apply pressurePull the needle straight out at the same angle. Press gently with a clean pad. Do not rub. Add a bandage if you need one.
  8. Step 9. Dispose safelyPut the syringe in your sharps container right away. Never recap or break a needle.

Where to inject

  1. Upper armThe fleshy area on the back of the arm.
  2. AbdomenAt least two inches away from your belly button.
  3. ThighThe front and outer part, midway down.

Rotate to a different site each dose so one area does not get sore or hardened.

If you were sent a nasal spray

Not everything we ship is injected. NAD comes as an injection or a nasal spray. If you were sent a nasal spray, follow the directions on your label rather than the injection steps above. The storage and contact guidance on this page still applies.

Handling

Storing your medication

Compounded medication is temperature sensitive. A few minutes of care on arrival protects the whole month.

  1. Refrigerate on arrivalPut your medication in the refrigerator as soon as your package arrives, unless the label on your vial tells you otherwise. The label always wins.
  2. Do not freezeFreezing can damage the medication. Keep it off the freezer shelf and away from the very back of the fridge.
  3. Keep it out of lightStore the vial in its box, away from direct sunlight and away from heat sources.
  4. If it arrived warmA warm package and partly melted cold packs are normal. Refrigerate it right away. Your medication stays stable for up to 48 hours unrefrigerated, so a normal delivery is fine. Contact us if the delivery took longer than 48 hours, or if the liquid looks cloudy or discolored.
  5. Watch the dateCompounded medication has a beyond-use date printed on the label. Do not use it past that date, and do not use it if the liquid looks cloudy, discolored, or has particles in it.

What to expect

Side effects

Most people have a mild reaction or none at all. Knowing the difference between common and concerning is the point of this section.

Common and expected

  • Mild redness, swelling, itching, or a small bruise at the injection site
  • Nausea, reduced appetite, or changes in digestion
  • Tiredness or headache in the first days after a dose change

This is not a complete list. Your prescription comes with information specific to your medication, and your provider is the best source for what applies to you.

Call 911 now. Do not wait.

Do not contact us first if you have any of these.

  • Trouble breathing
  • Swelling of the face, lips, or throat
  • Hives or a widespread rash
  • Fainting or dizziness

Call your provider if you have

  • Stomach pain or vomiting
  • A lump in your neck, hoarseness, or trouble swallowing
  • An injection site getting worse: spreading redness, pus, or fever
  • Bleeding that will not stop

If symptoms are severe or getting worse fast, call 911.

Get help

Who to contact

Send it to the right place and you get a faster answer.

  • Questions about your treatment

    Dosing, side effects, whether it is working, or wanting to change or stop your protocol. Write to us and we connect you with the medical team.

    support@avellumhealth.com

  • Orders, shipping, refills, and your account

    Where your package is, a damaged or warm delivery, refill timing, billing, cancelling, or trouble signing in.

    support@avellumhealth.com

This page covers general injection technique. Always follow the directions on your prescription label and from your provider.

Compounded by a licensed pharmacy for you personally. Compounded medications are not FDA reviewed for safety or effectiveness and are not the same as brand-name products. Use only as directed by your prescriber.