Pen needles

[noblehead]

Just changed from using the 8mm pen needle to the 5mm ones. What a difference, injecting doesn't bother me after all these years, however I don't see the need to use longer needles than is necessary. As insulin is only to be injected into the top layer of fat under the skin, I think that this needle length should be sufficient.

Is there anything that I should be careful with when using a shorter needle? I usually leave the needle in my skin for around 5-10 seconds after injecting to make sure I recieve the correct dose and no insulin leaks out.

Regards

Nigel

 

[MelanieL]

I've only been injecting for 5 weeks, and only have experience of the 5mm needles - but there is something a bit 'funny' I've noticed - no problems with the NovoRapid, but the Levemir seems to have a tendency to leak - even drips from the needle before injecting, and despite leaving it in the injection site for 10 seconds, there is often considerable leakage around the injection site.

Would welcome any tips or advice from experienced injectors!

 

[noblehead]

Melanie,

Don't worry about the drop of insulin at the end, this happens to us all and the amount is not measurable. I sometimes get a small leakage when I withdraw the pen, but you say it is quite considerable, I would ask your dsn about this, it may be that you need a longer needle.

Nigel

 

[MelanieL]

Thanks Nigel,

I'll add it to my list of queries!

Melanie

 

[sunflower333]

I changed my needles to the smaller ones too at christmas time on the advice of the dd, i got terrible bruises before, i'm also much happier with no mores problems

 

[tonyrees68]

apparently most pcts are changing the needles to 5mm i cant get these from my surgery on prescription as they are not available but my DN is trying to get them i have also found that the 5mm needles i have used (pinched from work dont tell anyone) have much better absorbency under the dermis than the 8 mm

 

[Jenni_1984]

When I first started using pen needles about 10 or so years ago I was using 12mm needles !! If I remember rightly they were worried that my insulin wasn't being absorbed properly. I went into the chemist to pick up a prescription one day and she was gobsmacked this was the size I was using. To be honest at the time it didn't bother me, but when I switched I could not believe what I had been using. When you compare the size from 12 to 8mm there's quite a bit of difference!!

Jenni