Bleeding when injecting insulin

[MikeSA]

I am using 5mm pen needles but often I tend to bleed when I have withdrawn the needle. Why is that so? Am I doing something wrong?

 

[therower]

Hi @MikeSA . Occasionally bleed sometimes myself usually when I inject my thighs.
Is there any particular injection site that bleeds more often?
Where do you tend to inject?
Do you rotate your sites?
I use 4mm needles, you could drop down to that size but doubt it will make a great difference.
Do you pinch to inject?

 

[isjoberg]

This is why I don't buy white jeans!!

 

[Spencer67]

I find this can happen too if i pull out too fast, i do a count to ten then pull out, also maybe that the needle is overused, perhaps change to a new one more often.

 

[Juicyj]

Agree with @therower always pinch an inch when you inject, randomly when I used to inject (on a pump now) it would bleed but that was quite rare, so maybe a couple of times a month, i'm sure you do this already but hold for 10 seconds before withdrawing your pen.

 

[MikeSA]

Thanks for all the responses. Whether I pinch or not, I often bleed when I inject particularly anywhere below the tummy button - even if I count to ten and sometimes to twenty before withdrawing the needle. Furthermore, I do not re-use needles and do not pull out too fast. I also rotate injection sites, so what could I possibly be doing wrong? Perhaps I am hitting a nerve vessel all the time but can negative consequences eventually arise?

 

[librarising]

I am using 5mm pen needles but often I tend to bleed when I have withdrawn the needle. Why is that so? Am I doing something wrong?

Are you more on the skinny side ? Do your injections often hurt ? If so, injecting at an angleof 45 degrees should help. This is what Dr Bernstein in his Dr Bernstein's Diabetes Solution recommends.
Geoff

 

[Odin004]

Don't worry @MikeSA, this is normal - most likely just rupturing a capillary.

As others have said, pinching may help - but historically, the main reason for pinching is to avoid injecting into a muscle - which shouldn't really be an issue with modern needles; and in any case, probably wouldn't change the probability of hitting a capillary. Also, holding it in for 10 seconds will make sure the insulin dispenses properly - but again, won't affect the chances of hitting a capillary (as that happens on initial entry on the needle).

Does the bleeding happen mainly when you inject into the leg? - and are you injecting on the upper/outer region of the thigh? Also, are you quite lean? If so, perhaps do pinch a little in any case - or try giving the legs a rest and inject in the abdomen?

 

[isjoberg]

I wish school shirts weren't white. My girl's shirts have always got spots of blood on them. She injects into her tummy at lunchtime!

I know the look well! At least it isn't too hard to get out!

 

[PC16]

Took me a long time to get the art of injecting down to a "t" even after watching my mum inject for years. My doc or CCG or some pen pusher tried to save money and flob me off with a low cost needle, well I tried them for about a week and then went and moaned to the staff manager at the surgery, she was very understand, which made a change, and got me back on my hospital issued needles - BD Micro-Fine Plus with "penta point" I once got the same brand but ULTRA not plus and they made me bleed a lot but with PLUS am ok, I still bleed every now again but like others I have said rotate sites and go slow they should go in like a hot knife through butter - talk to your doc or nurse about changing needles