THE SHORT VERSION
- Describe the size, warmth, pain and whether the patch is spreading.
- Ask for a technique check if reactions keep happening.
- Breathing trouble or tongue or throat swelling is an emergency.
Explain what you can see and feel
Tell your pharmacist when you injected, where the patch is, whether it is itchy or painful and whether it is growing. Colour changes can be less obvious on darker skin, so warmth, swelling and tenderness also matter. A dated photograph can help explain a change if your service accepts photographs securely.
Review the technique, not just the skin
Ask for a demonstration using your exact pen and needle. Follow its instructions about site selection, rotating the place you inject and disposal. Do not keep injecting into an irritated area or use an online video for a different device as your only guide.
If you are unsure whether a full dose was delivered, contact the pharmacist before attempting another injection. A skin mark does not tell you how much medicine entered the body.
When to get medical help
A spreading hot, painful patch, discharge, fever or feeling unwell needs prompt clinical advice. Sudden swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, breathing difficulty or collapse may be a serious allergic reaction: call 999. Do not wait for a photograph to be reviewed online in an emergency.
Sources you can check
Content updated . This is general information, not individual medical advice or a claim of independent clinical review. Read the linked source and the leaflet supplied with your medicine for the full context. Suggest a correction.