Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by catlover on June 27, 2011 at 5:37pm

Christine- Ir is scary when you first start injecting. The needles really don't hurt and they are very thin and short. I have been injecting for 12 years. I inject on one side of my abdomen for a month and then the other side of my abdomen the next month. This way I have never gotten the lumps that you mention. I usually pinch the skin where I will inject and just go in. You can also try your hip area or even your butt it is padded there. It will get easier as you do it.

Permalink Reply by Gerri on June 27, 2011 at 6:29pm

Really is important to rotate injection sites to help prevent scar tissue. Upper butt, love handles, bottom of butt, back of legs & outer thighs are all good sites. Maybe you hit muscle in your leg because that really hurts & also causes too rapid absorption of insulin. Pinch up areas of fat to avoid bruising & pain. Some people shot straight in & others pinch up.

I was afraid to inject in my stomach. Seemed like too sensitive of an area, so I used everywhere else first & got up the courage to use my stomach. Was pleasantly surprised that it was nothing to inject there.

The first needles I had were large. Maybe you need thinner &/or shorter ones. I don't think & just do it. The anticipation is worse than the shot. It's not painful to me at all. Once I realized it didn't hurt, I didn't have needle anxiety.

Permalink Reply by Scott E on June 27, 2011 at 6:50pm

I'll tell you what I do, and it's contrary to what most people do or advise.... although I've learned on here that there are other "Slow Pokers" out there. Essentially, I'll pinch up a bit of fat on my skin and put the needle right against it. Then I'll puncture through the skin, slow and steady, nice and straight. That way I feel everything, including if something is going wrong. The quick "jabbing" motion doesn't work for me. I'm afraid of going in at the wrong spot, or crooked (or moving the needle once inside), or maybe just plain afraid.

Some (like me) feel that being a "slow poke" is less scary than the quick jab, most others don't. See what works for you.

But either way, take a close look at the tip needle. It doesn't come to a point in the middle like a cone, rather it's tapered off on one side. So if you hold it a certain way, the pointy part goes right in; if you hold it another way, the flat part presses up against the skin. Make sure you get the pointy part to go in first -- it's less surface area against the skin, so it will go in easier and is less painful.

Permalink Reply by DiabeticRadio.com on June 28, 2011 at 7:51am

i've been on insulin for about 2 years, and I've ALWAYS moved slow. I guess it is a mental thing. I used to use a 4mm Nano needle (which was painless) yet, I move slow in all my injections. I am now on the Animas Pump, and even though I got an inserter, I still some times hesitate to squeeze that release mechanism.

-Yogi

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Permalink Reply by Kate on June 28, 2011 at 9:28am

+1 slow poke!

Permalink Reply by Emily on June 27, 2011 at 7:39pm

I've been injecting 5 times a day for a week now and I've only used my stomach so far. I had a sample pen pack at first and the brand name needles were SOOOOO much better. Now that I'm using the generic ones I can feel them a lot more and they hurt more. I've been bruising a lot the past couple days too. I can't imagine using a leg, I feel like that would hurt more. I definitely feel your pain. I hope it gets easier for you to inject! Oh and just wondering, do you ever smell the insulin right after you inject?? No one around me can ever smell it and I HATE the smell. Maybe I'm crazy. Anyway, good luck with your shots!!

-Emily

Permalink Reply by Scott E on June 27, 2011 at 7:52pm

My wife used to always comment on the smell of insulin! Here's a tip: after injecting, release the pinched skin (if you did pinch) and wait five seconds before removing the needle. The pens inject so quickly that the insulin needs time to begin to absorb and not pool up (and come back out the injection site hole!)

Permalink Reply by DiabeticRadio.com on June 28, 2011 at 7:56am

I used to use lavender alcohol. That helped to mask the smell quite well.

Yogi


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Permalink Reply by Erin Huff Carper on June 27, 2011 at 8:21pm

I used to inject (I'm pumping now) and I don't really like the smell of insulin either. I think it smells like Band-Aids. Seriously, smell band-aids, then smell insulin, you'll be surprised how similar they are! :) I think injecting gets easier the more you do it. It can totally be a mental thing. I don't inject super fast, but I don't do it super slow either, sort of something in between. You just have to find what works for you. I think we all end up with our own brand of diabetes "rituals" with regards to injecting and testing. I'm confident you'll soon find what works for you, and it will get less traumatic with time. Good luck! Keep up the good work!

Permalink Reply by Kate on June 28, 2011 at 9:36am

I agree with getting the "name brand" needles. When I was doing shots (before the pump) I used BD because they "felt" the best going in and I figured that if I had to stick myself multiple times a day, I wanted it to be as comfortable as possible.

When I was diagnosed 15 years ago it could easily take me an hour to inject. I had to get over the idea of injecting myself. When I stopped thinking about it I was able to move faster (albeit, I am a slow shot compared to many others). I started using my thighs and then also used my stomach. My last injection routine was to inject long acting into my thighs and short acting into my stomach. I never used anywhere else until I got my insulin pump.

Permalink Reply by BMD on June 27, 2011 at 8:30pm

Christine, what gauge needle do you use? I use 31 gauge ultra-fine, and I can barely feel them when I inject in the belly area. That is the area I always inject. Similar to Scott and you, I am a slow poker. After I prep an area with an alcohol swab, I bounce the needle tip on the skin once or twice, and then press it through. This method works best for me, and I inject this way four times per day.

Also, I agree with Gerri; it is important to rotate your injection sites. I have one bump that isn't too bad, but I learned the hard way the importance of changing sites.

Permalink Reply by Tamra on June 28, 2011 at 5:40am

Wow, I didn't know they made a 31 gauge needle! We are stationed in Okinawa, Japan. When my daughter was diagnosed almost 2 months ago, they were using 29 gauge needles with her and they were awful. (She also has autism, so it is even more difficult to explain to her what is going on.) They flew us to Hawaii for extensive treatment and training and we were thrilled that they had 30 gauge needles there. We are scheduled to move home to Florida in less than 3 weeks, and I will certainly be looking for the 31 gauge ultra-fine needles!

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