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Needle Length

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Lucyr

Lucyr

Well-Known Member
Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
If you use needles, what length do you use and does it make a difference? I use 5mm BD Viva for insulin but 4mm novofine for Ozempic, and they do seem much shorter in comparison.

Is there any difference in how different lengths work or in cost? I used to use 8mm and can’t remember when I switched to 5mm. If there’s no difference in how it works or in cost I may see if I can switch to 4mm
 
I have used 4mm for Novorapid & Levemir for several years.
Started out on 8mm (they now seem massive) when first put onto Novorapid & Levemir. Eventually prescribed 4mm as I had no flabby bits (technical term...) with low-ish BMI so it might depend on your build (now have some flabby bits (with lumps) but still on 4mm). Possible longer needles more likely to cause bruising at injection site if slim. Unsure if I used 5 or 6 mm needles at any point (I never recorded needle size)
Possibly your DSN could advise?
I suspect they all work/cost similar amounts, but if smaller needles reduce risk of bruising/lumps then in longer term might be worth going for.
Hope this helps.
J
 
Well they tested various peoples actual skin depth years and years ago for the purpose of finding out whether shorter needles still reached their interstitial layer and having discovered that no matter how thin or fat people were, 4mm got there perfectly OK, so hence that's what we got. An extra mm is unlikely to change anything!
 
I use 5mm BD Microfine when I use my pens. I’m slim. I do pinch up to inject though.
 
As I understand it, 4mm is now the most common size and research seems to indicate that it works as well as 5mm.
 
No real reason you can`t use 4mm @Lucyr unless a HCP advises you otherwise.
 
I've never used anything but 4mm. I thought they were standard for pens.
 
I started in longer needles when on pens but worked my way down to 4mm. I found that they were much more comfortable and fewer bruises. Not sure that you would notice the difference of just 1 mom, but you could try.
 
Started on 12mm, went down to 8mm and stayed there. I have syringes as my backup, and those are 8mm too.
 
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