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Injection sites

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A

AndyS

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 2
Hi everyone

This is probably going to sound a really stupid question.

Where exactly can I inject insulin? I usually use my belly and rotate to different sites each new injection.

I remember being told you could inject in your thighs but whenever I tried this it hurt for ages after (nice bruises for about 3 days)

I have tried in my bottom too but again it hurt and with the glargine I have to dial 80 units, inject then dial another 24 so it would mean taking it out, putting a new needle in and injecting the 24 other units.

Regards

Andy
 
You could try upper arms - a lot of people can't manage their arms but it is the only place K is comfortable with - she does use her legs sometimes too.

I have got a 'diagram' that I found on interweb a while ago but I can't post it from this device.😱 Try googling insulin injection sites you may find it.🙂
 
Not a daft question at all Andy. I suspect that part of the problem is the big doses of lantus - lantus has a sting to it even in small amounts as it is acid-based and it works by being neutralised by the body's fluids and forming slow-dissolving crystals. Even my meagre 4 units sometimes stings. I used to inject solely in my belly, but was told off by my consultant earlier in the year so had to find somewhere else - I chose to inject in my buttocks for both novorapid and lantus. There's much more real estate there so I can spread the injections over a bigger area than my belly. I have found that, after using this site for a few months now, there is less pain, or no pain at all. I have tried my thighs in the past, but got the same result as you - pain and big bruises!

Some people use the top of their hips - the 'love-handles, if you like - and I have used this area too. Also, the back of the upper arms is supposed to be OK, but another area where I have had little success as I ind it very awkward and don't have a lot of flesh there (nor muscle!).

I wonder if levemir would suit you better? I don;t think it stings so much as lantus, and it can be more easily split into two injections.

bodyno2.gif


The above picture comes from this site, which has extensive information about injecting:

http://www.injectionlocator.com/FAQs.html
 
Last edited:
Andy what size needles are you using? I now have 4 mm and 5mm needles and these are noticeably less painfull. On a recent course I attended 5 out of 8 had not realised these needles were available.
 
Injecting in arms seems a little controversial - certainly at my clinic they advise against it. They didn't give a reason for this.

Sometimes it can be your injection technique that is the problem - with the longer needles the clinic advised pinching the flesh but said that with shorter needles this was not necessary.

Sites outer thigh, buttocks and stomach were all said to be OK.
 
Hi everyone

Many thanks for the tips and suggestions.

I am using 8mm needles at the minute.

Alan, thank you so much for the diagram. I think you may have hit on something. For the last couple of months my levels have slowly got worse. I will have a word about the other insulin. I'm going to try inject my bottom this morning and keep away from my belly for a while.

Thanks again for the advice everyone 🙂

Take care

Andy
 
AndyS said:
Hi everyone

Many thanks for the tips and suggestions.

I am using 8mm needles at the minute.

Alan, thank you so much for the diagram. I think you may have hit on something. For the last couple of months my levels have slowly got worse. I will have a word about the other insulin. I'm going to try inject my bottom this morning and keep away from my belly for a while.

Thanks again for the advice everyone 🙂

Take care

Andy
Click to expand...

You might find that you have to reduce your doses Andy, when you change sites. My consultant warned me of this and I was sceptical, but he was right! So keep a close eye on your levels for a few days. 🙂
 
Hi Alan

Thanks for the warning, I will drop the dose by 10 units and monitor carefully over the next couple of days.

I have caught man flu too so feeling dreadful, it started a few days ago and kicked in properly last night\this morning :(

Cheers

Andy
 
AndyS said:
Hi Alan

Thanks for the warning, I will drop the dose by 10 units and monitor carefully over the next couple of days.

I have caught man flu too so feeling dreadful, it started a few days ago and kicked in properly last night\this morning :(

Cheers

Andy
Click to expand...

Aw no :( I hope you are feeling much better soon! 🙂
 
AndyS said:
Hi everyone

Many thanks for the tips and suggestions.

I am using 8mm needles at the minute.

Alan, thank you so much for the diagram. I think you may have hit on something. For the last couple of months my levels have slowly got worse. I will have a word about the other insulin. I'm going to try inject my bottom this morning and keep away from my belly for a while.

Thanks again for the advice everyone 🙂

Take care

Andy
Click to expand...

Andy,

I'd ask for the smaller needles ASAP - they are less painfull and should help with consistency as you will not be running the risk of injecting into muscle. This was an issue i had with injecting into my arm with an 8mm. with the 4mm I can go back to the arm if I feel like a change from the stomach. One thing to note is that the 4mm NovoTwist does not fit the Lantus Cartridge Pen however it does fit the prefilled pen. I now get a box of 4mm each month and a box of 5mm every 2 months.

Merry Xmas
 
When you're injecting in your leg, do you pinch your leg? With an 8mm needle you need to pinch your leg to lift away from the muscle. With the shorter ones you don't need to do that.
 
My son has BP Microfine 4mm needles and they fit all 3 of his pens, Lantus solostar, Novorapid and Humilin 3. Had them right since diagnosis, though he was issued with 8mm and 6mm also, but never used them.
 
Sorry, just re-read your message and see you are on a cartridge pen. My sons are prefilled pens. Sorry.
 
Tina63 said:
Sorry, just re-read your message and see you are on a cartridge pen. My sons are prefilled pens. Sorry.
Click to expand...

Cartridge pens or prefilled, it makes no difference. We started with prefilled and then switched to cartridge, but never changed the needles.
 
The threads are all standard. The BD microfines will fit any of the pens. 🙂

Rob
 
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