Injections - Best Injection Sites

[mum2westiesGill]

Hi,

I'm on Humalog 3 x per day & Lantus before bed.

I inject Humalog into my stomach. My DSN said to draw an imaginary smile under my belly button so it's easier to rotate injection sites.

I inject Lantus into my right or left thigh. I've only just started doing it here as i also used to do this into my stomach. Unaware about this, on my last appt, my DSN said to make sure i never change my injection sites ie where i inject Humalog & where i inject Lantus.

Why was this? (I never asked)

Where do you inject?

What are the best / most asorbable injection sites?

I've just been given the new 4mm needles, they are sooo small, you don't need to pinch any fat....🙂
Sometimes when i inject my Lantus into my thigh/s it does bleed a little 😡

 

[MCH]

Hi,

Why was this? (I never asked)

Where do you inject?

What are the best / most asorbable injection sites?

I think the not changing might have been because where you inject and how liong the insulin takes to absorb are connected.

Having said that, I have always rotated my Humalog sights as not doing so can result in lumps which also affect the absorption. I usually use both my thighs and my stomach for this and keep my buttocks for my Levemir. I seem to remember being told that the Levemir is better into a place where you aren't using the muscles as much (I think because of the way it works - I think I may have discovered this on a thread from this forum).

In relation to my Humalog, when going to aerobics or the gym, I sometimes use my buttocks as using thighs/stomach seem to cause early absorption when I am exercising though I have no real evidence for this except experience.

You also asked about the best/most absorbable sites. I thinks this depends on what you are doing and you need to also think perhaps about what you are eating as using a 'good' site with something that takes a while to digest could result in a hypo if the insulin is absorbed first.

On the pinching issiue, I was told at my Carbohydrate Counting Course that we should always pinch no matter what length of needle though recently, having fractured my left arm, I couldn't and actually found my control was slightly better! (Mind you that could have been due to every day being much the same 😉 )

 

[novorapidboi26]

I inject both my insulins all over, so bum, thighs, stomach, arms, rotating constantly............

I have never been told that one insulin should only be injected in certain places, I am going to say this is nonsense, unless someone can prove me wrong..

 

[Robster65]

I also used to inject both everywhere but was told last year by dsn to use thighs and buttocks for basal and stomach and arms for bolus. The reason being that the bigger muscles of the thighs and buttocks can slow absorption of the bolus too much. For basal it doesn't matter as it's over such a long time scale anyway.

It backed up the old advice about different absorption rates that used to be given out. stomach was quicker than arms, were quicker than legs and buttocks.

So I now follow her advice.

Rob

 

[FM001]

Thighs and buttocks for basal and arms and stomach for bolus injections, if the meals is fatty then I'll inject in the legs.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Lantus in particular has a reputation for 'not playing nicely' with other insulins. Because of its acidity if precipitates on injection as the body neutralises the pH forming a little 'deposit' in the tissues that is then gradually absorbed. It is often advised that you keep Lantus away from other insulins for this reason.

For the past few years I've been using buttocks for Lantus and mostly thighs for Humalog (a little lipohypertrophy on one side of abdomen made for less reliability). Corrections often go into good spot in abdomen for speed.

 

[trophywench]

Re abdomen - don't forget folks the injectable area stretches (for ladies!) from the level under our underwires to the top of our pubes, save for approx 1" radius of our belly button, and as far round the sides as we can reach.

 

[Persil]

Hi!

I used to inject in just my stomach and thighs, but have just learnt how to do injections in my arm, and now that is definitely my favourite place to inject! Obviously, I do rotate though between all three injection sites, and then left/right etc.

Vicki 🙂
xxx

 

[trophywench]

Yes, definitely need to do it - I've got the buggers (Lipo....) in lots of places and you don't have a clue most of them are there. Conversely I have complete DENTS in my thighs, esp the right one where the fat has completely disappeared.

LOL - if I could avoid the fact the insulin doesn't disperse properly when I happen to stick a cannula in one I can't see, I'd be deliberately injecting into em on my tummy!!!

 

[Garthion]

On my BERTIE course last month, we were told to NEVER inject into the arms (me espescially as I have virtually no fat on me) and that we should never inject both long and rapid acting insulins into the same area within an hour of each other as they cancel each other out.

Absorbsion rates do depend on activity too, I am on Novorapid (abdomen, generally to the left side from stomache to right round as far as I can reach) and Levemir (Split dose, mornings it is in my abdomen on the opposite side to my novo, and evening either thighs or buttocks (rottating each night)
If I'm doing a lot of lifting I do not need quite so much rapid Insulin as my abdomen is being used more while before bed, my ratios are significantly different to lunch.

Just wish I didn't have to find five different sites each day feel like a pin cussion at times 😉

 

[Robster65]

Hi Garthion. I'm on the same of injections as you and tend to feel the same most of the time.

I've used my arms since I was diagnosed (33 years ago)cand have never been told not to. It seems there's a lot of people out there ready to tell us what we shouldn't do but are not always too sure why.

I now stick to thighs and buttocks for the lantus (basal) and arms and abdomen, including round the sides, for humalog (bolus).

If I'm told not to do something and given a good reason that sounds plausible and informed, I'll take it on board but I don't stop something just because a nurse or doctor think I shouldn't. They don't need to find a place to stick a needle 5 times a day that isn't bruised or surrounded by fatty lumps.

Rob

 

[FM001]

On my BERTIE course last month, we were told to NEVER inject into the arms (me espescially as I have virtually no fat on me) and that we should never inject both long and rapid acting insulins into the same area within an hour of each other as they cancel each other out.

Absorbsion rates do depend on activity too, I am on Novorapid (abdomen, generally to the left side from stomache to right round as far as I can reach) and Levemir (Split dose, mornings it is in my abdomen on the opposite side to my novo, and evening either thighs or buttocks (rottating each night)
If I'm doing a lot of lifting I do not need quite so much rapid Insulin as my abdomen is being used more while before bed, my ratios are significantly different to lunch.

Just wish I didn't have to find five different sites each day feel like a pin cussion at times 😉

Not for everyone as some prefer showers over a bath, but I find a daily soak in a warm bath helps with injection site problems, it helps smooth the skin and I'm sure it also helps the lumps and bumps associated with injecting.

 

[novorapidboi26]

we should never inject both long and rapid acting insulins into the same area within an hour of each other as they cancel each other out.

Really.........?

 

[Garthion]

Really.........?

Yes, espescially if you do them a certain way around, can't remember which way though, I'll find out, my DSN will almost certainly call into my work tomorrow and I can ask her then (one plus point for working in a shop I suppose)

If any one else can find any info on this it would help 😉

PS not injected into my arms since '03 when I went into a vein (as I said no fat there) went to the hospital because of that and got told not to inject there so havn't since.

 

[Robster65]

PS not injected into my arms since '03 when I went into a vein (as I said no fat there) went to the hospital because of that and got told not to inject there so havn't since.

😱

Rob

 

[Garthion]

😱

Rob

Yep, it did hurt a bit 😉

Not as bad as DKA and having blood gasses taken from an artery, but still B* painfull

 

[Nyadach]

Used to heavily use my stomach myself also...mostly due to convenience when out and about. But after way over doing it pretty much wrecked the area and it's taken the last 18 months for the tissue to start to soften up now. As a temporary measure though did return to my legs (less convenient) but found much better absorption due to little usage, but did bruise up very easily so needed to find elsewhere also. The little area above stomach just below ribs is quiet good also, if a little small for much use. And the usual sides around by the kidneys but hate trying to grab there...no idea why but just feels wrong.

Keep hearing everyone say use your behind but well, never been good at trying to pinch and attack as easily behind me 😛

 

[Robster65]

With short needles (4-6mm) you shouldn't need to pinch (so I was told long ago). You need to get into the subcutaneous layer. There's a danger of getting between the skin layers, which will cause probs.

All of the above open to debate of course. 🙂

Rob