Octostim (Desmopressin) is a medicine that stimulates the blood's ability to coagulate by releasing extra factor 8 and Von Willebrand factor to the blood.

It is used to treat bleeding or before surgery in patients with mild haemophilia A, Von Willebrand disease, bleeding tendency of unknown cause and other thrombocyte defects. 

You can learn to inject the medicine yourself.

You need these remedies:

Octostim ampoule, ampoule cracker, yellow needle bucket, disinfectant wipe, syringe (2,5 ml), pink retractor needle and orange needle for injection.

Start with washing your hands, and then use disinfectant.

Make sure that there is no medicine in the top of the ampoule before you put the ampoule cracker on the ampoule, press it down until you feel a click. You can only press it over the top.

Twist the ampoule breaker and the ampoule in opposite directions so the top of ampoule breaks off.

Then dispose of the ampoule breaker in the yellow needle box.

Attach the pink retractor needle to the syringe. 

Draw up the desired number of ml of medicine into the syringe.

Turn the syringe upright and draw back the stamp, so a small amount of air is drawn into the syringe. This way you ensure that there is no medicine in the needle before you switch the orange needle for injection.

Use the disinfection wipes on the skin, where you wish to do the injection. Let the skin dry off for a few seconds.

Make a skinfold with one hand in either your stomach or thigh – in a 45-degree angle insert the orange needle in a quick motion. Remember to inject at least 5 cm from the bellybutton.

Before injecting the medicine, draw back the stamp of the syringe, to make sure you haven’t hit any blood vessels.

If any blood comes into the syringe, draw out the needle, and insert the needle another place.

Press down on the stamp at a slow pace – if you do it to quickly it can be painful.

When all the medicine is injected – wait 3-5 seconds then retract the needle.

Ampoules, needle, and syringes must be discarded in the yellow needle bucket.

The rest of the packaging can be thrown in the regular thrash. 

Remember only to drink 1½ liter of liquid the following 24 hours, after the injection with Octostim (Desmopressin).