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Injection site bruising

Adam.froud

Active Member
Messages
42
Location
Suffolk
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
This may be a silly question but is it normal to have bruising at injection sites? I was diagnosed just over a week ago and I've noticed some quite large £2-coin sized yellowish bruises appearing on my stomach.

Am I doing something wrong or is this just a normal consequence of multiple daily injections?

Sorry if this if a dumb question!

Adam
 
I'm always covered in bruises.

This is whilst I was pregnant. Often black bruises too.

 
You could ask about trying a shorter needle, but unfortunately bruises aren't totally avoidable.
 
Ask for 4mm needles, they are the shortest. There's no need to pinch to stick the needle in but that seemed to cushion the blow for me. It might be if your hesitant doing the sticking in that might be causing a bruise, but sometimes no matter what you do you're always going to catch a blood vessel on the odd occasion and end up with a bruise at injection site. Try and give the area around the bruise a rest to heal - good sign posting for site rotation. Hopefully they aren't sore bruises, just colourful battle scars.
 
I'm currently using 6mm needles - the injections don't hurt and the bruises aren't sore at all. I haven't really been rotating injection sites properly, more jabbing at random!
 
@Adam.froud you MUST do your best to rotate injection sites, you can use stomach, thighs, upper arms, top of bottom.

Try to remember what area your using then each time move by at least few cm's.

I ruined my thighs back in the 1970's by not properly rotating, so much so that they are mostly now unusable for injections.

Bruising should happen less with good rotation but its is unavoidable, if bruised give it time to repair before injecting close to it.
 
I've been alternating left and right sides of my stomach, any suggestions how to keep track of where I'm injecting, other than drawing a picture?

I haven't been told about injecting anywhere other than my stomach.
 
Adam.froud said:
I've been alternating left and right sides of my stomach, any suggestions how to keep track of where I'm injecting, other than drawing a picture?

.
Click to expand...

Its not easy and you can get lazy (like I did in my teens).

As an example stomach, I start just under ribs on the say left then move 2 or so cm's to the right, once on the right hand side then move down 2cm or so and move across again.

Others do it by rotating in a circle on one side then the other.

For pumpers its much easier as you can see the last cannula (with the sticky pad).
 
Adam.froud said:
I haven't been told about injecting anywhere other than my stomach.
Click to expand...

Probably best you stick with stomach to start with, the insulin absorption rates through your skin does vary in the different sites, not by too much but its much better to be stabilised before you experiment with other area's.
 
I get bruises all the time and I have been doing it for three decades and I have the 4mm needles. Rotating sites is essential, I use my upper arms, upper legs and some parts of my stomach, at nighttime, I normally inject in my bottom.
Good luck, it will get easier in time, take care.
 
My dsn game me a variety of needles when I asked her. Settled on BD 4mm ultra never had problems since
 
You could go in a figure of 8, maybe make yourself a diagram and tick them off as you go?

It is really important to rotate injection sites, or you will get 'lipos' forming under the skin if you continually inject in pretty much the same spot - literally lumps of fat - which will mean you don't absorb insulin so well in that area. They will go away if you leave them for a while - a few months, in my case - but it is better to never have them at all!
 
My wife jokingly suggested getting a clock face tattooed on either side of my abdomen and injecting on the hours - now I'm actually thinking it may not be the worst idea in the world!
 
Adam.froud said:
My wife jokingly suggested getting a clock face tattooed on either side of my abdomen and injecting on the hours - now I'm actually thinking it may not be the worst idea in the world!
Click to expand...

You could have Culture Club on in the background...................
 
I think it has all be said well, site rotation, maybe a shorter needle, sorry for the fact that you are having to inject, I hope you will soon find it something that just comes natural.
 
Also make sure you use new needles every time..........a blunt needle will more likely cause more bruising than a fresh new one..................I too get some nice yellow bruises.
 
I find that sometimes I just seem to hit the "wrong" spot and utility hurts like hell and bruises badly. It is unfortunately something that happens with diabetes but like others have said ask 4mm needles
 
I had bruising for about the first 2 wks of using insluin , it stopped now, still stings every now and then but getting used to now after u weeks.
 
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