Dealing with rubbish injection sites

[nskelton]

Hello people,

Being back at Uni now and its really starting to bug me. I inject all over the place and try and rotate and the majority of the time the stomach is the only place where the insulin seems to work the best (though the majority of it is the victim of lipohypertrophy from years ago ). The sights that aren't affected on my stomach, i use and they work great.

However elsewhere; My arms, bum and legs, they are SO unreliable! Sometimes they work and i find my blood is fine afterwards, but often they can be a load of s.... (rubbish). And being a student and needing to work, i start to be all tired as my bloods are high!

Anyone else experience any similar things??

(Oh and my HBA1C last was 6.5, so apart from that, it's alright!)

 

[urbanracer]

Hello people,

Being back at Uni now and its really starting to bug me. I inject all over the place and try and rotate and the majority of the time the stomach is the only place where the insulin seems to work the best (though the majority of it is the victim of lipohypertrophy from years ago ). The sights that aren't affected on my stomach, i use and they work great.

However elsewhere; My arms, bum and legs, they are SO unreliable! Sometimes they work and i find my blood is fine afterwards, but often they can be a load of s.... (rubbish). And being a student and needing to work, i start to be all tired as my bloods are high!

Anyone else experience any similar things??

(Oh and my HBA1C last was 6.5, so apart from that, it's alright!)

For me, injecting into limbs is OK if I am a little active afterwards, I assumed it helps to get the insulin circulating. So if I know I'm going to be sedentary afterwards, I use my stomach.

 

[nskelton]

For me, injecting into limbs is OK if I am a little active afterwards, I assumed it helps to get the insulin circulating. So if I know I'm going to be sedentary afterwards, I use my stomach.

Hmm yeah I would say similar if I'm walking to uni and do it but I still don't get as tight control as within stomach

 

[noblehead]

However elsewhere; My arms, bum and legs, they are SO unreliable! Sometimes they work and i find my blood is fine afterwards, but often they can be a load of s.... (rubbish). And being a student and needing to work, i start to be all tired as my bloods are high!

I've experienced lipo issues too so know what its like @nskelton

I found injecting the basal into my bum/ legs and bolus doses in the arms & stomach provided the best results, since changing to a pump I've been using my sides for my infusion sites and have had great results, worth a try if you've not used this area before.

 

[nskelton]

I've experienced lipo issues too so know what its like @nskelton

I found injecting the basal into my bum/ legs and bolus doses in the arms & stomach provided the best results, since changing to a pump I've been using my sides for my infusion sites and have had great results, worth a try if you've not used this area before.

I would say i do the same. Basal in legs! Never touch them otherwise but they're still battered

 

[azure]

I used to use my upper arm for boluses and that worked well. Worth a try. If you usually pinch up like I do, then it's still possible by pressing your arm against a doorframe or similar.

I've also used my sides for the odd bolus and that was fine.

It's frustrating, I know.

 

[noblehead]

I would say i do the same. Basal in legs! Never touch them otherwise but they're still battered

Use your bum for your basal.

 

[GrantGam]

Use your bum for your basal.

I'll second that area for the basal insulin.

If you split each cheek in half vertically and use one half of each cheek for a week, then that will give you pretty good rotation. i.e. your whole bum will give you four weeks before being back to the start.

Before adopting the above approach, I tended to find myself using the same areas on both cheeks too regularly. I think this was due to twisting round being fairly awkward at times and visibility being a bit of an issue.

It might help you to stand in front of a mirror until you get your technique sorted. At least I found that helpful myself.

Good luck,
Grant

 

[redtree92]

Hello people,

Being back at Uni now and its really starting to bug me. I inject all over the place and try and rotate and the majority of the time the stomach is the only place where the insulin seems to work the best (though the majority of it is the victim of lipohypertrophy from years ago ). The sights that aren't affected on my stomach, i use and they work great.

However elsewhere; My arms, bum and legs, they are SO unreliable! Sometimes they work and i find my blood is fine afterwards, but often they can be a load of s.... (rubbish). And being a student and needing to work, i start to be all tired as my bloods are high!

Anyone else experience any similar things??

(Oh and my HBA1C last was 6.5, so apart from that, it's alright!)

Hmm sort of,

A few years ago I had issues with my injection sites, and I got some little canula's from my diabetes nurse, I can't remember exactly what they were called, but tiny little butterfly canula's and you change it every few days, and inject directly into the tube, it takes the insulin deeper and avoids any lumps

I'm not sure if anyone else has used them, but yeah I hope that helps, may be an option you can consider !

x

 

[nskelton]

Hmm sort of,

A few years ago I had issues with my injection sites, and I got some little canula's from my diabetes nurse, I can't remember exactly what they were called, but tiny little butterfly canula's and you change it every few days, and inject directly into the tube, it takes the insulin deeper and avoids any lumps

I'm not sure if anyone else has used them, but yeah I hope that helps, may be an option you can consider !

x

Sounds interesting! Never heard of them. Being a sporty guy and everything I bruise so easily!

 

[noblehead]

A few years ago I had issues with my injection sites, and I got some little canula's from my diabetes nurse, I can't remember exactly what they were called, but tiny little butterfly canula's and you change it every few days, and inject directly into the tube, it takes the insulin deeper and avoids any lumps

The product is called i-Port:

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetic-products/iport-injection-port.html

Sounds interesting! Never heard of them. Being a sporty guy and everything I bruise so easily!

I'll tag @tim2000s as I'm sure he was using the i-Ports before moving to a pump.

 

[tim2000s]

@nskelton I was indeed using the iPorts and found they worked very well. There are two sorts. The i-port as listed by @noblehead and the INsuflon device was the other one. I wrote a few entries about them on my blog. I preferred the i-Ports for what it's worth.

http://www.diabettech.com/diabetes/sugarsurfing-on-mdi-a-solution-to-the-down-side-injection-ports/
http://www.diabettech.com/diabetes/injection-ports-onto-the-second-type/
http://www.diabettech.com/diabetes/injection-ports-the-big-decision/

You may be able to get them through your healthcare provider, but I had to pay for them.