injection sites

[LUSTFORLIFE]

hi there, as ive only been on insulin for a few weeks, type 2, I have a couple of questions that might be a bit obvious, but please be patient with this novice, its going ok, but need to know if a thigh injection is ok without a pinch? I did most of my first ones in my stomach, but I am conscious of rotating sites, also, my readings are slowly creeping up, can you tweak the insulin up a couple of units off your own back or is that a big no no? with thanks.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

but need to know if a thigh injection is ok without a pinch

Yes. Thighs absorb more slowly than stomach, but they're certainly available as injection sites. And with the usual 4mm needles there shouldn't be any need to pinch anywhere.

my readings are slowly creeping up, can you tweak the insulin up a couple of units off your own back or is that a big no no?

I think you should ask your healthcare team about that. My guess is they'd be OK with you doing that but it's sensible to check so they can give specific advice.

 

[Eternal422]

I must admit that I only use my stomach for injections, rotating around across the whole front from side to side. I don’t pinch at all, according to my DSN that is now old advice and not needed with the shorter needles in use today. I am using 4mm needles currently. I’ve never injected in my thigh but I know others use alternative injection sites and may be better able to advise you.

As for adjusting your insulin, as @Bruce Stephens says, best to ask your healthcare team about that. You don’t say what you’re using, basal & bolus or a mixed insulin once a day, etc. so it’s hard to say. But generally your DSN will suggest adjusting a basal or mixed dose by 2 units for a couple of days, testing to confirm how it is working for you, then repeating if needed to gradually increase the amount of insulin to suit your body. For bolus doses you will be given a ratio to use, number of units per gram of carbs, so that is a matter of adjusting to match what you are eating.

Good luck with everything and keep asking questions, especially of your DSN to build your knowledge.

 

[LUSTFORLIFE]

Yes. Thighs absorb more slowly than stomach, but they're certainly available as injection sites. And with the usual 4mm needles there shouldn't be any need to pinch anywhere.

I think you should ask your healthcare team about that. My guess is they'd be OK with you doing that but it's sensible to check so they can give specific advice.

brilliant, thank you.

 

[LUSTFORLIFE]

I must admit that I only use my stomach for injections, rotating around across the whole front from side to side. I don’t pinch at all, according to my DSN that is now old advice and not needed with the shorter needles in use today. I am using 4mm needles currently. I’ve never injected in my thigh but I know others use alternative injection sites and may be better able to advise you.

As for adjusting your insulin, as @Bruce Stephens says, best to ask your healthcare team about that. You don’t say what you’re using, basal & bolus or a mixed insulin once a day, etc. so it’s hard to say. But generally your DSN will suggest adjusting a basal or mixed dose by 2 units for a couple of days, testing to confirm how it is working for you, then repeating if needed to gradually increase the amount of insulin to suit your body. For bolus doses you will be given a ratio to use, number of units per gram of carbs, so that is a matter of adjusting to match what you are eating.

Good luck with everything and keep asking questions, especially of your DSN to build your knowledge.

hi, thanks for the quick response im on 14 units of Lantus, once a day, and 6 units of Humalog before meals, im probably being a bit impatient, my bloods were so high, I think their getting me used to lower readings without a sudden drop, thanks again.

 

[Eternal422]

hi, thanks for the quick response im on 14 units of Lantus, once a day, and 6 units of Humalog before meals, im probably being a bit impatient, my bloods were so high, I think their getting me used to lower readings without a sudden drop, thanks again.

That insulin regime will sort out your high bloods and will give you flexibility to eat varied food at different times (much better than a fixed mixed insulin dose that I started on years ago!). I’m not surprised that they want to bring your bloods down slowly, a sudden drop to “normal” levels will most likely make you feel quite off. I remember when I started that a BG of 6 felt like a hypo to me as I had been on high levels previously!

Forgive me if you already know this, but just in case you don’t and it is of some help to you - the Lantus should work for 24 hours and is your basal insulin, i.e. It will provide a steady background insulin level to deal with the stored sugar that your liver releases throughout the day. The Humalog is a rapid acting insulin which will deal with the sugar converted from the carbs that you eat in your meals. The idea is to have the right amount of Humalog to match the amount of carbs you eat. So I guess that once you start getting lower BG readings they will suggest carb counting and introduce you to how to adjust your Humalog doses. I assume that the 6 units is designed to match roughly 60g of carbs per meal and would perhaps not be a bad starting point.

I’m sure they will get your high bloods down under control fairly quickly. Once I started on insulin things came under control fairly quickly. Good luck with everything!

 

[LUSTFORLIFE]

That insulin regime will sort out your high bloods and will give you flexibility to eat varied food at different times (much better than a fixed mixed insulin dose that I started on years ago!). I’m not surprised that they want to bring your bloods down slowly, a sudden drop to “normal” levels will most likely make you feel quite off. I remember when I started that a BG of 6 felt like a hypo to me as I had been on high levels previously!

Forgive me if you already know this, but just in case you don’t and it is of some help to you - the Lantus should work for 24 hours and is your basal insulin, i.e. It will provide a steady background insulin level to deal with the stored sugar that your liver releases throughout the day. The Humalog is a rapid acting insulin which will deal with the sugar converted from the carbs that you eat in your meals. The idea is to have the right amount of Humalog to match the amount of carbs you eat. So I guess that once you start getting lower BG readings they will suggest carb counting and introduce you to how to adjust your Humalog doses. I assume that the 6 units is designed to match roughly 60g of carbs per meal and would perhaps not be a bad starting point.

I’m sure they will get your high bloods down under control fairly quickly. Once I started on insulin things came under control fairly quickly. Good luck with everything!

as usual, great advice and knowledge on this forum, thank you.

 

[LUSTFORLIFE]

hot news! my nurse added 2 units of both insulin, imagine my shock at a 5.3 reading this morning!, very emotional, it did feel a little weird after five years of sky high readings, a bit shaky in the supermarket, but im sure my body will adjust to lower readings, I really wish my doctor had sorted this sooner, but the hospital im under now are superb, regular phone calls and advice.