Unable to inject

[ParentofT1]

My daughter was diagnosed T1 2 years ago at 17 and has been unable to self inject even though she has really tried. Seeing her holding the pen close to her skin and then getting so anxious and emotional is so hard. We have now crossed over to her being classed as an adult and accessing services becomes tough. She has been referred for cbt therapy but the waiting list is at least 8 months and at her time of life it’s having a real impact. All we have been told over the last 2 years is be patient. Any advice truly welcome. Thanks for reading.

 

[Kaylz]

Have you tried any aids? Such as the I-Port or TickleFLEX? xx

 

[ParentofT1]

Have you tried any aids? Such as the I-Port or TickleFLEX? xx

Thank you for those suggestions the best our diabetic team team came up with last time was a couple of hidden needle tips which were out of date and said try them out on something soft like a stress ball.

 

[Kaylz]

Thank you for those suggestions the best our diabetic team team came up with last time was a couple of hidden needle tips which were out of date and said try them out on something soft like a stress ball.

I haven't used either aids personally but know people that have either themselves or for their children and it's always good reports, the TicklFLEX is the cheaper option of the 2 and it's a sort of distracting mechanism due to the feel of it, it's what I'd try if I were in your daughters situation xx

 

[ParentofT1]

I haven't used either aids personally but know people that have either themselves or for their children and it's always good reports, the TicklFLEX is the cheaper option of the 2 and it's a sort of distracting mechanism due to the feel of it, it's what I'd try if I were in your daughters situation xx

Tickleflex ordered so will see in a couple of days how we get on.

 

[Lucyr]

Tickleflex ordered so will see in a couple of days how we get on.

Let us know how it goes, I hope it helps

 

[trophywench]

Also have a look at https://mmc.medtronic-diabetes.co.uk/iport/

 

[Inka]

My daughter was diagnosed T1 2 years ago at 17 and has been unable to self inject even though she has really tried. Seeing her holding the pen close to her skin and then getting so anxious and emotional is so hard. We have now crossed over to her being classed as an adult and accessing services becomes tough. She has been referred for cbt therapy but the waiting list is at least 8 months and at her time of life it’s having a real impact. All we have been told over the last 2 years is be patient. Any advice truly welcome. Thanks for reading.

What is her exact fear @ParentofT1 ? I have - and still have to a lesser extent - a needle phobia. For me it’s the actual piercing of the skin. Hard to explain but it’s a deep response in my gut and can make me feel faint.

I found ‘thinking through’ the injection worked - that is, thinking beyond it. What also helped was starting on a good body area, having a good nurse, and being talked through properly. But the short answer is that it’s a mental ‘place’ you need to learn to put yourself in for the few seconds in which you do the injection.

Let her know she’s not alone in feeling like this, and that others have overcome it.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry to hear about your daughter’s needle phobia, and the lengthy delay in accessing CBT.

Hope the tickleflex helps when it arrives, and that she is able to get herself into the right headspace at injection times to ease the stress, anxiety and worry - must be very hard for you both

 

[ParentofT1]

What is her exact fear @ParentofT1 ? I have - and still have to a lesser extent - a needle phobia. For me it’s the actual piercing of the skin. Hard to explain but it’s a deep response in my gut and can make me feel faint.

I found ‘thinking through’ the injection worked - that is, thinking beyond it. What also helped was starting on a good body area, having a good nurse, and being talked through properly. But the short answer is that it’s a mental ‘place’ you need to learn to put yourself in for the few seconds in which you do the injection.

Let her know she’s not alone in feeling like this, and that others have overcome it.

She has got as far as holding the pen Ready to inject but it’s then that the anxiety kicks in and she gets emotional. I know that she wants to do it especially because of the choices she’s had to make and don’t feel the overall impact is fully appreciated and that she could really do with a mentor or some further support from the diabetes team at Worthing. Thanks for your response I will sit down and talk to her.

 

[TheClockworkDodo]

I am needle-phobic and would be completely unable to inject without hidden needles, @ParentofT1 , so I know just how difficult it must be for your daughter. I have NovoFine autocover needles, which were prescribed for me in the hospital when I was first diagnosed, as the DSNs could see I was never going to be able to inject with normal needles. I tried other hidden needles too, but I liked the Novofine ones much better than the others - so it's worth asking your daughter's diabetes team (or GP if you can't manage to get in touch with the hospital at the moment) to try some more, in-date ones, as she may find some are OK for her and others are not. I never practiced on fruit, I managed to inject myself straight away with the covered ones. So long as I don't look too closely (!) I can't really see the needle at all, and I don't have to touch the needle to my skin, so it really is just like pressing a pen against my skin, not like having to insert a needle. The only downside is that they are bit longer than the usual needles used by diabetics (which are really, really tiny - mine are still pretty small) so I do occasionally get a bruise or mark from using them. But I would much rather put up with that than the alternative!

 

[Inka]

Just to say that I never learnt to inject on fruit either! Interesting what @TheClockworkDodo said above because I don’t look at the needle either. I never realised that. I look at the pen end and when I do the actual injection I almost cross my eyes so I don’t see the needle at all. When I first managed to inject with the help of a lovely nurse, I did it in my thigh and she helped me to basically ‘drop’ the needle in rather than bring it tentatively up to the skin and try to push it. Technique is everything. Not injection technique, a careful way that works for the individual.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Just to say that I never learnt to inject on fruit either!

Pretty sure I did, but this was ~40 years ago with rather different needles. Policies change, I guess.

 

[TheClockworkDodo]

It is (or was) the way they train nurses, I believe - some of them may just pass that on to the patients.

One other thing which ocurred to me is that I always pinch up a bit of flesh to inject into - I don't think they tell people to do that any more, but it was the way I was taught to inject and I think it makes it much easier if you are needle-phobic. Somehow it feels as though I'm injecting into this abstract area of skin I'm holding with my other hand rather than as though I'm injecting into my thigh or my abdomen or whatever.

 

[Bruce Stephens]

I don't think they tell people to do that any more,

No, I think with the current needle length it's not recommended, but you're right that it used to be the way. (Bit tricky to do that with most fruit, admittedly.)

 

[Inka]

It is (or was) the way they train nurses, I believe - some of them may just pass that on to the patients.

One other thing which ocurred to me is that I always pinch up a bit of flesh to inject into - I don't think they tell people to do that any more, but it was the way I was taught to inject and I think it makes it much easier if you are needle-phobic. Somehow it feels as though I'm injecting into this abstract area of skin I'm holding with my other hand rather than as though I'm injecting into my thigh or my abdomen or whatever.

I pinch up too and always have. When I use my pens (I have a pump but take breaks) I use 5mm needles and pinching up works fine. It hurts less too.

 

[helli]

I think whether to pinch or not is partially down to how much fat you have.
I use 4mm needles (when not pumping) and, being slim, I find they go in too deep if I don't pinch.