Medical Oncologist
Caretaker guide
Giving injections at home
Often yes, for injections your team has prescribed for home use, once somebody has been shown how and has given one under supervision. This page covers technique and safety only; the medicine, the dose and the schedule always come from your own team. Ask to be taught properly rather than relying on a pharmacy counter explanation.
NG
Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh GunduConsultant Medical Oncologist · MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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The short answer
Can a family member give injections at home during chemotherapy?
Often yes, for injections your team has specifically prescribed for home use, once somebody has been shown how and has done one under supervision. Growth-factor injections to support blood counts and injections to prevent clots are the commonest. This page covers technique and safety only; the medicine, the dose and the schedule always come from your own team.
In practice, injections are frequently handed to families here with a two-minute explanation at the pharmacy counter, or given by a neighbour who once worked in a clinic. That is where the problems start. Ask to be taught properly, and ask to give the first one with a nurse watching.
Get a proper demonstration first
Ask a nurse to show you, then give one yourself while they watch. Ask for the instructions in writing, including where to inject and how to dispose of the needle.
Store it exactly as instructed
Some injections must be kept in the fridge, never frozen, and away from direct light. An injection stored wrongly may not work, and you will not be able to tell by looking.
Never give anything not prescribed by the team
Vitamin injections, drips at home, "immunity" injections from local clinics. Several are unnecessary and some are harmful during treatment.
If you are ever unsure about an injection, do not give it. Ring the team first.Before the first one
What to have written down
- What the injection is for
- In plain words, so it cannot be confused with anything else in the fridge or the medicine box. Keep the prescription with the injections.
- When it is given, and for how many days
- The exact day or days of the cycle, and the time. Many are given for a set number of days after treatment and then stopped.
- Where on the body to inject
- Usually the abdomen away from the navel, or the outer thigh or upper arm, depending on the injection. Ask to have the sites shown and write them down.
- How to store it
- Fridge or room temperature, how long it can be out before use, and whether it must be protected from light. Keep it away from the freezer compartment.
- What side effects to expect
- Some growth-factor injections cause bone or muscle aches, and some clot-prevention injections cause bruising at the site. Ask which are expected and which need a call.
- What to do if a dose is missed or goes wrong
- A dose forgotten, the needle bent, the injection dropped, or medicine leaking out. Ask in advance and write down the answer.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistThe general sequence
How an injection under the skin is usually given
Prepare
Check the name on the injection and the expiry date. If it was in the fridge, let it come to room temperature as instructed. Wash your hands with soap and dry them.
Choose and clean the site
Use a site you were shown, changing it each time. Avoid bruised, scarred, red or tender skin. Clean the skin as instructed and let it dry.
Give the injection
Follow exactly the technique the nurse showed you for this particular injection, including how to hold the skin and the angle of the needle. Press slowly and steadily.
Finish and dispose
Remove the needle, press gently with clean cotton without rubbing, and put the used syringe straight into a hard container. Never recap it or throw it in household rubbish.
Record it
Write down the date, the time, the site used and anything unusual. This prevents doubling doses when two people share the job.
!
Get help the same day, or immediately, for any of these
Swelling of the face, lips or tongue, difficulty breathing, or a widespread rash soon after an injection · a fever at or above your team's threshold · severe pain in the upper left abdomen or shoulder tip · a hot, red, swollen or discharging injection site · bleeding that will not stop, or large new bruises elsewhere · a needle-stick injury to the person giving the injection. Breathing difficulty, face swelling or a fever means the nearest emergency department immediately, saying the person is on chemotherapy. Take the injection packet with you.
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you any dose, any schedule, or the exact technique for your particular injection, and it deliberately does not. Different injections use different devices, needles, sites and methods. The sequence above is general; the nurse's demonstration for your specific product is what you follow.
It also cannot replace supervised practice. Reading about an injection is not the same as having given one with somebody watching, and the first should always be supervised.
Sharps disposal matters
Used needles go into a rigid, lidded container, such as a thick plastic bottle, and back to the hospital or pharmacy when full. Ask where to return them. Needles in household rubbish injure sanitation workers and children.
Do not let an untrained person take over
A neighbour, a local compounder or a relative who "knows injections" is not a substitute for being taught on the specific product. Ask the team if you cannot do it yourself.
If you cannot do it, say so
Some people cannot give injections, and that is fine. Ask whether a nurse can give it, whether the patient can learn, or whether a nearby clinic can be arranged.
What to do next
Ask for a demonstration and supervise the first injection with a nurse. Write down what it is for, when, where, how to store it and what to report. Set up a sharps container and a record sheet, and never give any injection that your team has not prescribed.
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Commonly believed
Four injection mistakes
"Anybody who has given injections before can do it."
Different injections use different devices, sites and methods. Be taught on the specific product by a nurse, and give the first one with them watching.
"Keeping it in the freezer keeps it fresh."
Freezing can ruin several injections, and you cannot tell by looking. Store each one exactly as instructed, usually in the main part of the fridge, never the freezer.
"An immunity injection from the local clinic will help."
Injections not prescribed by the oncology team can be unnecessary or harmful during treatment. Ask the team before anybody gives any injection at all.
"Used needles can go in the dustbin with a cap on."
Recapping causes needle-stick injuries, and needles in household rubbish injure other people. Put them straight into a rigid container and return it when full.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about home injections
Can I give the injection myself?
Often yes, for injections prescribed for home use, once a nurse has shown you and watched you give one. If you are not confident, say so and ask for other arrangements.
Where on the body should it go?
Wherever the nurse showed you for that specific injection, usually the abdomen away from the navel or the thigh or upper arm. Change sites each time and avoid bruised or tender skin.
How should it be stored?
Exactly as the instructions say. Many need the fridge, never the freezer, and protection from light. Ask how long it can be out of the fridge before use.
The injection causes bone pain. Is that normal?
Aches are a known effect of some growth-factor injections. Ask your team what to take for it. Severe pain in the upper left abdomen or shoulder tip needs urgent assessment.
What if we miss a dose?
Ring the team and ask. Do not give two at once. Ask this question in advance and keep the answer written with the injections.
How do we get rid of used needles?
Straight into a rigid lidded container without recapping, returned to the hospital or pharmacy when full. Never in household rubbish.
What if I prick myself with the used needle?
Wash the area with soap and running water, and contact a doctor or emergency department the same day for advice. Keep the syringe details.
Can the local clinic give it instead?
Sometimes, if your team agrees and the clinic follows the written instructions. Take the prescription and the injection with you, and never accept a different or additional injection there.
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Sources
- National Cancer Institute — Chemotherapy and You: Support for People With Cancer
- Macmillan Cancer Support — Looking after someone with cancer
- American Cancer Society — Caregiver Resource Guide
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
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