Pain with background insulin injections

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RoseH

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
Hello
Just looking for advice ( I’ve booked a appointment with the diabetic nurse for this week )
I’ve always put my background insulin in my thighs but recently I’ve started to get lumps and it hurting to touch wherever I put it , my sugars have been a mess so had to up my levemir from 7 to 9 morning and night and still seems like it needs more .
I don’t know if it’s related to the injection sites being a nightmare or could be because I’ve gained a bit of weight I have no idea.
Anyway I changed my injection sites to my stomach which is where I put my fast insulin ( novarapid) and it’s doing the same in my stomach , lump underneath and literally hurts to touch the parts of my stomach where I inject , my nova doesn’t do this and my levemir has only recently started after a year since using it when I was diagnosed,
Any advice welcome
Thanks
 
When you say you always put in your thighs do you do in the same spot each time or do you routine the exact spots. The lumps could indicate you injected in a spot too many times
 
rayray119 said:
When you say you always put in your thighs do you do in the same spot each time or do you routine the exact spots. The lumps could indicate you injected in a spot too many times
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Nope I always change my team taught me to split stomach into quarters and change quarter every week and I do the same with my thighs so side then top of thigh week each then change leg and so on x
 
Sorry to hear you have been having pain with your Levemir injections. Lantus has a reputation for stinging (because of its mode of action involving ph shifting from low to neutral), but it’s not so common to hear of sensitive sites with Lev.

Have you changed brand of needles recently? Sometimes the lubricant on them can cause a reaction.

The lumps may indicate some sort of sensitivity or reaction beginning to occur relating to Levemir itself - in which case it would be worth trying to chat with your DSN to get your sites checked over and discuss your options?
 
Really surprised that you were told to inject into the same site for a week and then move to a different site. I never put 2 injections into the same site.... So I inject in a circle around each buttock with my morning Levemir and evening Levemir goes into alternate thighs with my quick acting going in a circle around my tummy. I wonder if the Levemir repeatedly going into the same site morning and evening for a week is causing the problem.
I occasionally find that Levemir stings.... but then Fiasp occasionally stings too,, there never seems to be any rhyme or reason to it same as sometime I hit a sensitive spot and the needle going in is painful and other times it isn't.

In your position, I would try using your buttocks for a while to give thighs and stomach a rest and rotate one to the other morning and night as well as in a circle around each one... and one in the middle of course and see if your body copes better and recovers. Otherwise you may need to consider a change of insulin.
Gosh I would be gutted if that was me as I absolutely love my Levemir!
 
Hi. Try your buttocks like I do.
 
everydayupsanddowns said:
Sorry to hear you have been having pain with your Levemir injections. Lantus has a reputation for stinging (because of its mode of action involving ph shifting from low to neutral), but it’s not so common to hear of sensitive sites with Lev.

Have you changed brand of needles recently? Sometimes the lubricant on them can cause a reaction.

The lumps may indicate some sort of sensitivity or reaction beginning to occur relating to Levemir itself - in which case it would be worth trying to chat with your DSN to get your sites checked over and discuss your options?
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Thank you for the reply,
No change in needles it’s just happened recently and my stomach is literally sore to touch wherever I inject.
Got a appointment on Wednesday so see what they think.
Thanks again for the reply
 
rebrascora said:
Really surprised that you were told to inject into the same site for a week and then move to a different site. I never put 2 injections into the same site.... So I inject in a circle around each buttock with my morning Levemir and evening Levemir goes into alternate thighs with my quick acting going in a circle around my tummy. I wonder if the Levemir repeatedly going into the same site morning and evening for a week is causing the problem.
I occasionally find that Levemir stings.... but then Fiasp occasionally stings too,, there never seems to be any rhyme or reason to it same as sometime I hit a sensitive spot and the needle going in is painful and other times it isn't.

In your position, I would try using your buttocks for a while to give thighs and stomach a rest and rotate one to the other morning and night as well as in a circle around each one... and one in the middle of course and see if your body copes better and recovers. Otherwise you may need to consider a change of insulin.
Gosh I would be gutted if that was me as I absolutely love my Levemir!
Click to expand...
Thank you I’ll defo give this a try thank you, I think it’s going to end with a change of insulin which is strange because it’s been fine for a year and now suddenly like this , but tried buttock tonight and injection site instantly itchy which is what’s been happening then it gets sore so not ideal but we will see,
Thanks for the reply x
 
DaveB said:
Hi. Try your buttocks like I do.
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I found buttocks good for basal too (the top half on either side, as far around as I could reach gave lots of available space).
 
I wonder if a daily antihistamine might be worth trying when you mention that it is itchy first and then sore as that sounds like an allergic reaction.
 
RoseH said:
Thank you I’ll defo give this a try thank you, I think it’s going to end with a change of insulin which is strange because it’s been fine for a year and now suddenly like this , but tried buttock tonight and injection site instantly itchy which is what’s been happening then it gets sore so not ideal but we will see,
Thanks for the reply x
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Doesn't sound good, better to change basal insulin then see how you get on.
 
nonethewiser said:
Doesn't sound good, better to change basal insulin then see how you get on.
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Yep it’s lumped again underneath too so no change no matter where I inject , just so strange after being on it since diagnosis a year ago that this is now happening , only differences are half a stone weight gain ( but still only 9 stone ) and I’ve been put on a contraceptive pill which I didn’t think that would do anything . But bar that nothing has changed
 
RoseH said:
Yep it’s lumped again underneath too so no change no matter where I inject , just so strange after being on it since diagnosis a year ago that this is now happening , only differences are half a stone weight gain ( but still only 9 stone ) and I’ve been put on a contraceptive pill which I didn’t think that would do anything . But bar that nothing has changed
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Best to seek help from your diabetes specialists, surprised that such small doses would lump under skin.

Tip I got with larger doses was to split it, so half in one site rest in another, did this myself on injections before moving over to pump, basal dose was 20u once daily.
 
My lantus stings sometimes, not always, and does lump more than my previous insulin.

It's not my skin and I am about the same weight as you.

Back/butt bits I find best. Do you rub the sight to warm it up before? Sometimes if I am cool then I lump, but then also if warm I bleed.
 
RoseH said:
Update - my diabetes nurse was totally stumped as to why this was happening to, so to be safe she’s requested for the gp to change me from levemir to lantus
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Was using lantus before switch to pump, didn't need to take it 2x daily like I did previously with levemir. Basal is good, tried few before settling on lantus, hope it works for you.
 
nonethewiser said:
Was using lantus before switch to pump, didn't need to take it 2x daily like I did previously with levemir. Basal is good, tried few before settling on lantus, hope it works for you.
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They’ve told me to stick to my usual night and morning dose hopefully it’s good , I have bad anxiety so fills me with dread changing medication
 
RoseH said:
They’ve told me to stick to my usual night and morning dose hopefully it’s good , I have bad anxiety so fills me with dread changing medication
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Yes some folk do split dose, all is not lost if lantus doesn't work as others are available.
 
nonethewiser said:
Yes some folk do split dose, all is not lost if lantus doesn't work as others are available.
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Yeah I think my fear is being allergic and being unwell ( joys of being diabetic with anxiety haha ) but my diabetes team said the chances of that are low as they’re all quite similar anyway so just need to relax and hope this is a problem fixer x
 
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