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Injection tips

N

Natalie

Member
Messages
22
Hi everyone,

I was diagnosed at Christmas as a Type 1 and had to do 4 injections a day. While I was doing this I had no problems with the injections, they were easy and painless. But when I started attending a diabetic clinic, their opinion is that I'm a Type 2 and now I only do 2 injections a day. Since then, the injection sites harden and the skin around it turns pink with most injections. Some of them bruise too, especially on my thighs and hips. I've been told to rotate the sites as much as possible, which I do, and not to inject cold insulin, so I don't. But I still get these hard, tender lumps!

I know it might just be something I have to put up with, but if anyone has any tips that might help it would be much appreciated!

Thanks

Natalie

xx
 
hi Natalie,
If you're re-using needles, then try using a fresh needle with each injection.
I notice an improvement in my sites after taking this advice, but it did
take a few months.

all the best.
 
Hi Natalie,

This is a fairly common problem. Make sure you're injecting into a fatty bit, if you have one. Rotating your sites will always help, but if you're using large doses, that's the biggest single cause. Unless you can reduce your doses gradually, you might try injecting your doses in separate sites, a half in each?

All the best,

fergus
 
Thank you for all the comments:

I do use a fresh needle every time, but only started this a couple of weeks ago, so it may take a while to make a difference..

The insulin is Levemir/Determir, 15 units twice a day. Could this be a high enough dose to cause problems, do you think?

I have mentioned it to my doctor but she hasn't had much advice to offer, that's why I wanted ideas from people here - hopefully if it persists though she will look into ways to help a bit more thoroughly :?
 
Natalie,

There are two common sites of injecting insulin, your Tighs and belly.
Try maybe 3 in your belly but at different sides of your belly then, maybe after 3 in your belly move to your tighs and then after some there go back to your belly again. But yeah, you really do have to rotate the area you inject.


:mrgreen: Hope it gets easier for you.
 
Hello,

I have been a type one diabetic for 3 years now and I had problems injectecting into my thighs as well. They were getting bruised and very swollen even though I had been changing the injection needle every day and was injecting into the fat bit.

I explained my problem to my diabetic team and they said that Levimir needed to be injected into the thigh or the bum for a slow release. So now I inject into my bum and it's so much better. Pain free.
 
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