Injection Sites

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pawprint91

pawprint91

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A conversation I had with @Inka in another thread the other day has got me thinking!

So as far as I am aware, injection sites are outer thighs, top of bum and stomach ... but is it correct to say that Novorapid and Levemir (or any basal and bolus insulin) should really be in different injection sites e.g. stomach for one and legs for the other, or can they be injected in the same site, just not at the same point e.g. top of thigh for one, lower thigh for the other?

Also, I know we are constantly told to rotate injection sites, but in the end does anybody find their skin goes a bit funny in certain places, and if so, will it recover? I've only been injecting for two months but now I feel my honeymoon phase could be waning, I'm quite conscious of sticking a needle where one must have gone once before, albeit possibly over a month ago. I personally have only been using legs and stomach at the moment, should I be adding top of bum into this too? Any advice welcome, thank you!
 
Until I got a pump, I was injecting for 12 years. I mostly used my abdomen for both basal (Lanrtus) and bolus (NovoRapid). I had a vague rotation strategy (left side on odd days, right side on even days, working down and inwards during the day). I bruise easily so would just avoid a bruise next time round.

I found my bum difficult to use and my legs are quite muscly so it was always painful to use them although I did occasionally (once in the back of a very bumpy off road vehicle because a stab on the leg was easier to line up than my abdomen).

I was never told to use a different area for basal and bolus ... even when I injected them both at the same time. And my skin never went funny.

My advice would be "don't over-think it"
 
helli said:
My advice would be "don't over-think it"
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Thank you for your reply - I also have a vague rotation going on for me.

I think I need to take your advice here not just with injection sites but with a lot of aspects of life :rofl: Thank you!
 
I use my whole buttocks, not just the tops and in fact the lower part just above where it meets the thigh is one of my favourite (least sensitive) areas. I use the top front of my thigh's mostly rather than the sides (the top 4 inches below my knicker line), but just every other day alternating between one leg and the other for my evening Levemir dose.

Yes you can put your basal and bolus into the same site but obviously not the same injection location. When I first started injecting I only used my stomach for basal and bolus because that is what the nurse showed me to do and it was only with the encouragement of the good people here that I started experimenting with other sites, initially my thighs and then my buttocks as I got more confident of injecting and not feeling that I had to see what I was doing. 🙄
 
I was only shown thighs @rebrascora, only very recently branched out to stomach (which I think I prefer!). I need to be brave and try buttocks now - I think I've asked this before, but do different sites affect insulin absorption?
 
Buttocks and possibly thighs are supposed to be slightly slower than stomach and arms, so Iuse them predominantly for basal and keep my stomach and very occasionally arms for bolus but I doubt there is much in it. Unfortunatelky I am quite slow to absorb insulin but fast to digest food, so any gain I can get from using slightly faster absorption sites for bolus insulin is worth trying.
 
Our paeds team told us that sites have different absorption rates with bum being slowest, then thighs, and stomach quickest. That’s part of the reason why they suggested we did basal in the bum/flank. My kid does his own injections though and couldn’t deal with doing it in a site he couldn’t reach easily so did basal in thighs and that’s fine. Anywhere you can inject is good if it means you can vary your sites.
 
Bruce Stephens said:
Yes. Stomach's fastest, followed by arms, thighs, buttocks. So buttocks and thighs are a good choice for basal.
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Unless you exercise soon after injecting. If I injected into my thigh and then went for a run, my insulin would be absorbed faster than if I injected in my abdomen. Likewise, you could inject in your upper arm but the speed would be increased if you then went climbing or played a game of squash.
 
helli said:
Unless you exercise soon after injecting. If I injected into my thigh and then went for a run, my insulin would be absorbed faster than if I injected in my abdomen. Likewise, you could inject in your upper arm but the speed would be increased if you then went climbing or played a game of squash.
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I tried that with NR. Injected into my thigh and then did squats and it still took over an hour. 🙄
Fiasp seems to be much more responsive to exercise thankfully.
 
Basal went in bum mainly, occasionally thighs. Stomach & arms for bolus, never had issues with injecting in arms but aware some folk do.
 
abdomen for bolus. I start right side above belly button 3 days, then 4 days below belly button, then 6 days on the hip. I just work my way across and down guided by previous injection sites. I used to inject basal in those areas too but felt I needed to space things out and allow room for corrections and split doses. Basal in thigh now. I manage 14 days, then switch to other leg. Have to say I get the odd painful injection using the thigh and a bit of blood but seems to work okay.
 
rebrascora said:
I tried that with NR. Injected into my thigh and then did squats and it still took over an hour. 🙄
Fiasp seems to be much more responsive to exercise thankfully.
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Typically, exercise for a short period of time will not increase insulin sensitivity or speed up the action. It may cause our blood sugars to rise.
Unless you did squats non stop for 20 minutes, I would not expect it to make it work faster. With your liver releasing glucose to "help" it may have the opposite effect.

If you did squats for 20 minutes, I am in awe of your thighs of steel :D
 
And yet a brisk walk up the hill (10mins tops) seems to get the Fiasp working.
 
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