Bad reaction to insulin

[Insulinman]

As Eliminater said and all the rest of us, We have all been there done it got the T-shirt
I have done over 50,000 injections,been told by a Hospital Sister I was doing it wrong so???

you have been given all the very good advice, Only one bit is missing Inject "SLOWLY"
FAST Burns and hurts!
hope it helps

B

 

[merlinshepherd3]

Hi J,

I sometimes get sensitivity when inject in my abdomen. I use NovoRapid too. Sometimes the injection site itches for sometime after I've injected, even as long as 2 hours. I never get this sensitivity when I inject in other areas.

I also have other of the "immune" conditions, hay-fever, allergies, psoriasis, bronchiospasm (mild) and have found that when my abdomen reacts like this, it is also when the other conditions are worse. There may well be a link.

I also feel (excuse me if I missed other posts and am repeating things) that your son may be responding emotionally to the whole thing. That's not to say it isn't happening, but if he's afraid of diabetes (we've all been there!) then he will get angry with it and find a reason to hate it all the more...I can see that it might take some time for him to get used to the idea, but in the meantime if you can encourage him to use other injection sites.

Also tell him about me. I'm 46, live a really active life, travel a lot with work. I've had diabetes since I was 10 months old and up until now I am one of the lucky ones with my only complication being a TINY amount of retinopathy (the kind that the opticians say is common amongst people of my age WITHOUT diabetes)....you don't have to tell him about the retinopathy, but basically that it won't necessarily stop him leading a happy and healthy life.

I started injecting myself when I was 10. I'd already been diabetic for over 9 years but it took my parents quite a bit of persuading to get me to do it myself. I had grown up having injections since the age of 10 months and had got used to having my parents do the injections and urine testing with me. Curiously, when my father did my injections they almost always hurt and continued to itch for sometime afterwards, and when my mother did them, they were painless and simple.

This was clearly due to my father's anxiety about diabetes and my mother being more relaxed. They used to share the injection and testing time and we always did it away from my two elder brothers.

When I started injecting I found it really difficult to inject into my abdomen. It made me squeamish about the whole thing and I much preferred my thighs, buttocks or upper arms.

 

[Debloubed]

Hi I agree

I am a big burly 19 stone rugby player, but my injections still hurt some times. Some things that help reduce pain bruising.

1. make sure the needle enters at 90 degrees to body at an angle can hurt some times
2. try and get the needel in a nice flabby bit, grabbing a bit of love handle usually works best, but remember to keep changining locations
3. make sure the insulin is not chilled still
4. inject slowly as ill i shoot in quck i get a little lump and bruise
5. Some times it does just hurt for no reason!

non of my systems i would describe as burning though. It would speak to a decent diabetic specialist, in my experiance the quality varies if you are not happy with yours find another, it is important your son gets the treatment he deserves!

Injecting slowly is good advice, I always get bruises and lumps when I rush (sometimes you have to, I know, I know!)

 

[glitterzoe]

Dont forget that changing the site will help (because in years to come beleive me he WILL notice)
Also are the needles new every time he injects (sometime even I do it with the same one twice but you soon notice) I inject 4 times a day and sometimes theres not enough space left :lol: :lol:

 

[Debloubed]

eventualy we all have to go up to 8mm anyway.

Do we? Why is that?

 

[Eliminator]

eventualy we all have to go up to 8mm anyway.

Do we? Why is that?

I have no idea why, but I was told by my Doctor that both my son and I would have to use 8mm. I went straight on 8mm, but my son is still on 6mm.

I guess it might be to ensure you get through the tissue on well used sites ? I duno. :lol:

 

[hanadr]

For this one, It's worth contacting Diabetes UK. Try their website. They have loads of info for kids
Hana

 

[Debloubed]

well, I never knew that :? I was on 8mm for years until the Pharmacist gave me 5mm by mistake one day and I was converted! Never knew that needle length was an issue for tissue probs/sites etc either? I have never, ever injected in the same area twice in a row and thought that would stop any 'site' issues occuring? The things you learn on this site, :lol: love it!

 

[Eliminator]

well, I never knew that :? I was on 8mm for years until the Pharmacist gave me 5mm by mistake one day and I was converted! Never knew that needle length was an issue for tissue probs/sites etc either? I have never, ever injected in the same area twice in a row and thought that would stop any 'site' issues occuring? The things you learn on this site, :lol: love it!

I don't know, maybe your right. I am only guessing from what I was told. :wink:

 

[skybluegilby]

I have found injecting Novorapid that the stomach can be the most painful place, I would suggest trying legs or thigh. I sometimes get bruises which are hard to see and this obviously makes it very painful to!

 

[Eliminator]

I guess I am lucky on one way, I can block all pain from my arms, so when I inject it never realy hurts. somtimes I hit a nerve and thats a bit nasty for a split second. and I don't bruise.

I sometimes hit a recent site, as it it 100% painless, but thats not a good thing is it.

 

[Sid Bonkers]

Regards needle length, I seem to remember looking at the Novofine web site when my pharmacist gave me 6mm needles by mistake that they recommend 6mm for fit people who dont have a lot of fat and 8mm needles for the rest of us that have a beer keg rather than a 6 pack :lol:

 

[Debloubed]

Regards needle length, I seem to remember looking at the Novofine web site when my pharmacist gave me 6mm needles by mistake that they recommend 6mm for fit people who dont have a lot of fat and 8mm needles for the rest of us that have a beer keg rather than a 6 pack :lol:

:lol: that made me spit my coffee out!! I don't have a keg or a 6 pack but I use 5mm, hurts less and quicker in my opinion

 

[JP1980]

I started injecting around my naval/abdomen area when I was first dignosed...with a 6mm needle as there isn't much of me...ended up with a hard areas around there as a result..having a six pack and these strange lumps didn't look good!
Also, hitting the same sites hurt, stung and provided much discomfort.

Now, with the Novorapid, I pinch and inch around the obliques and rump of my backside..I call it the side bum...or the fronts of my thighs...get no issues there really.

 

[Matt1212]

I see a lot of advise to inject slowly - anyone use insuman ?
the pen for this insulin fires the lot in straight away no option to gradually release like the novarapid pen.
could this be the reason why our 5 yr hates the insuman injections but has no probs with levemir/novarapid ?
can you get other pens for insuman ?

thanks
Matt

 

[JP1980]

With the speed thing Matt, I agree...even with Novorapid, if you fire it in quick..it can/does hurt...I do it gradually, as with my Glargine at night, which is generally a bigger volume of insulin too.

 

[jopar]

Don't know much about insuman, but it is made by the same manufacturer as Lantus! And Lantus is know to a slightly different PH balance to Levimer which causes Lantus to sting for some people.. Wonder if this is the same for the companies other insulin??

 

[noblehead]

Try not to use insulin that has come straight from the fridge. Most insulin's are safe to use at room temperature for around 4 weeks, and when injected it is less painful than when the insulin is cold. I use to be terrible for not changing the needle each time, but now I always change it after every use, as the manufacturers recommend, blunt needles can cause all sorts of problems, and years of experience has taught me this lesson. :roll:

Nigel

 

[debbietowns]

Hi my 12 year old son has started saying his Lantus stings really bad.

I asked the nurse and she said 20% of children have a bad reaction to Lantus and the symptom of that is stinging. She changed him to Levemir from tomorrow so i hope that solves the problem.
I hate it when he gets upset and has to be really brave to get over the fear.

Debbie

 

[dianeb]

Hi

As an absolute coward and new insulin user on Novorapid - sometimes they injections do sting.

I am using Novofine Autorecover needles which mean you don't see the needle going in and it's really hard to not get it in at 90 degrees. Could there be a bit of needle-phobia?

The nurse also suggested chilling the site with ice before the injection ( I am seriously squeamish) to help if it hurt too much.

Do you make sure he injects into a piece of flabby flesh? It the skin is pinched too tight or the flesh is too firm/more muscly(?) it hurts more. Also I found injecting into generally less fleshy areas like legs hurts more, although the stinging does pass within minutes, but still isn't very nice.

Good luck - it's not nice watching some one you love go through this but it does get easier.