• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

Insulin injections

A

Alexv124

Newbie
Messages
2
Type of diabetes
Type 1
I have type 1 diabetes and i take 54 units of levemire in my legs once a day and novorapid in my stomach 3 times a day. The stomach is fine but when I'm injecting in my legs its very painful and bruised. I do move it around my legs just wondering if there is anything i can do to make it less painful. Thanks.
 
Check with your DSN first but you could try splitting your basal dose so that you don't inject the full 54u dose into one area, this would surely ease the discomfort a little.

When I was on MDI I would mainly inject my basal insulin (lantus) into my bum which was nearly always pain-free, but you can also use your arms which is an alternative injection site for your Novo doses.

Also, just be sure to use a new needle with each injection as this again will ease the pain.
 
@Alexv124 . Agree with @noblehead and what he has said. 54 units in one injection in to a leg seems a lot.
Would definitely consider splitting injection into parts and use buttocks.
 
Thankyou guys, didnt know i could inject into my buttoks going to try this and split the doses and hope its less painful. Thankyou again!!
 
My legs always hurt. I use my stomach for bolus and my love handles for basal. Tried legs three times and that was enough. I too agree with splitting the dose into different sites. That's a lot of fluid to inject in one area
 
Alexv124 said:
I have type 1 diabetes and i take 54 units of levemire in my legs once a day and novorapid in my stomach 3 times a day. The stomach is fine but when I'm injecting in my legs its very painful and bruised. I do move it around my legs just wondering if there is anything i can do to make it less painful. Thanks.
Click to expand...
I am type 2 but take Insulin. NovoRapid at 3 meals per day in my stomach. Lantus at night in my thighs, which does hurt, even if I split the doses. I have taken up to 96 units per night, although now only take 46 or 48, but often still split it. I can't reach my bottom or upper arms so just put up with painful injections. There are worse things in life than a little pain, which is saving my life !
 
I do my basal in my thighs and find it does hurt a bit I do 56 units 26 morning 30 evening (per doctors instruction) I sometimes find they hurt during the day randomly too but no bruises or lumps! I do my bolus in my stomach and very rarely hurts to do it
 
I had been taking my novorapid in my tummy and levimer (38units split) in my thighs but was so painful and I was getting red lumps like hives without the itch. After seeing @kristen251 suggest love handles on another post I've been using that for the levimer with ease
 
I take 60 units in my thighs I find it stings on odd occasions I get the odd bruising .. I take the nova rapid in my stomach 3 time's a day I'm T2 was told I could take my levimir in my legs or my bottom ☺
 
I only really inject into my tummy as legs are always painful!
I hadn't considered my bottom before, but I'm starting to need more rotation - just curios - I've picked up that people only seem to inject basal into their bottom -is there a reason not to do bolos or is it more of a practicality thing?
 
Hi guys,

I'm on a lot less basal.. Thighs at night though.. (& there are many reasons for the amount you guys use. So no judgement from me!)
However. Don't bang it in like a button on a car dashboard or a nib on a ball point pen? Slow & steady to administer the dose.. Do you guys "pinch up" skin when injecting...? May help?
You probably know this s41t already. But I apreciate the "chore" that needs getting over with....
 
You can inject either bolus or basal in these areas but its best to inject basal and bolus in different areas to each other to prevent absorbtion issues which may arise if both types of insulin are injected in the same area.

Regards

Martin
 
Alexv124 said:
I have type 1 diabetes and i take 54 units of levemire in my legs once a day and novorapid in my stomach 3 times a day. The stomach is fine but when I'm injecting in my legs its very painful and bruised. I do move it around my legs just wondering if there is anything i can do to make it less painful. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Last week when I injected it left a big bump in my skin (abdomen) I had to apply pressure for it to get the lump down
I just signed up about 5mins ago and have already learned so much.
 
emilyj17 said:
I hadn't considered my bottom before, but I'm starting to need more rotation - just curios - I've picked up that people only seem to inject basal into their bottom -is there a reason not to do bolos or is it more of a practicality thing?
Click to expand...

It's just that insulin is absorbed fastest in the stomach & secondly the arms, so if you want to reduce postprandial spikes it's better that you inject in those areas as opposed to the legs or bum, but suppose you could also use your bum and work out yourself how long it takes for the insulin to start working.
 
Ok get this

I inject 260 units of Toujeo in my thighs every night and I don't split it

Sometimes a little tingle or sting but usually ok

I alternate thighs so left one night then right the next

Novorapid I inject in my tummy belt with meals and snacks my units to carb ratio is 5u to 10c tummy does not hurt

I can't do under my arms or my backside just the thought makes me wince

I press down on the pen really slowly and wait 10 secs before withdrawing

I was on Levemir and split doses morning and night I prefer single injections Levemir did not work for me as sugars were poorly controlled
Toujeo has been a godsend - consultant switched me onto it and said to just inject it once daily

I know we are all different and what works for one does not work for another

To the original poster I hope you a pain free future with injection sites and stability with your sugars
 
I have type 2 and have to inject 30 units novarapid 3 times a day and 40 units xultophy I inject in my belly and legs
 
Levimir has a different pH to that of blood; it is slightly acidic. This is the cause of the pain and to reduce the pain, I would split your dosage into two smaller ones.

It is also the same for those using Lantus.

I discovered this about 5 years ago when I used to be on injections and I had the same problem with my long acting insulin (Levimir and then Lantus). Novorapid doesn't hurt because it's the same pH as blood.

Hope this helps for all because I know it helped me into changing into a pump with only Novorapid!
 
Cumberland said:
Ok get this

I inject 260 units of Toujeo in my thighs every night and I don't split it

Sometimes a little tingle or sting but usually ok

I alternate thighs so left one night then right the next

Novorapid I inject in my tummy belt with meals and snacks my units to carb ratio is 5u to 10c tummy does not hurt

I can't do under my arms or my backside just the thought makes me wince

I press down on the pen really slowly and wait 10 secs before withdrawing

I was on Levemir and split doses morning and night I prefer single injections Levemir did not work for me as sugars were poorly controlled
Toujeo has been a godsend - consultant switched me onto it and said to just inject it once daily

I know we are all different and what works for one does not work for another

To the original poster I hope you a pain free future with injection sites and stability with your sugars
Click to expand...

I'm assuming you meant 26 units and not 260? :P
 
Back
Top