New T1 and problems with insulin

[KC49]

Hi, I’ve tried looking for advice on this and can’t find anything. I was recently diagnosed T1 after DKA (they said it was severe) and initially I felt better (I had been feeling like **** for a while, I hate doctors so I left it until I could hardly stand or walk or breath before deciding something was wrong) but after being sent home from hospital with Novorapid and Insulatard pens, I got more and more pain in my thighs. Felt like sunburn/bruising on both thighs (where I do the long-acting) and the injections would sting. I have been switched to Levemir now and its not getting worse, sometimes it’s better sometimes not so much, but a week later my thigh skin is still very sensitive. (EDIT: just to be clear, I don’t mean bruising as in actual bruises being the problem, more that it feels like my entire thigh is bruised/sunburnt, clothes feel like sandpaper/anything that touches hurts like it would if it was bruised, but there aren’t any visual bruises)

does anyone have experience of this, or know how long it would take for the effects of reaction to insulatard to wear off? I’d really like to be able to wear my normal clothes again, not just soft loose joggers, and it’s hard to focus on the rest of life when your body hurts all the time.

I can only find stuff about nerve pain and injection site problems, and it’s neither of them. Thanks in advance if anyone knows what I’m on about

 

[Hopeful34]

Hello @KC49 and welcome to the forum. I had similar problems with all long acting insulin. In the end, this was one of the reasons I got my insulin pump sooner than planned. Sorry I don't know how long it will take for the effects of the Insulatard to wear off, but hope it's not too long. It's a horrible pain!! I stuck it for years with it getting worse all the time, so it's not a comparable timescale to you.
Hopefully others will be along soon who can help you more. In the meantime do read around the forum and ask any questions you have.

 

[In Response]

Sorry you are experiencing pain for Insulatard. When I was first diagnosed I used a mixed version for a couple of months until I was, thankfully, changed to basal/bolus. I did not experience any reaction to it apart from reluctance to have to eat my insulin.

If it was me, I would be avoiding injecting any insulin in my thighs until the pain has subsided.
I have quite muscular legs so have rarely injected into them and used my belly area for both bolus and basal. After more than 15 years I have no lumps as I change my injection spot each time. I came up with a pattern which helps me remember (as do the bruises). So I inject on the left side on odd numbered dates (1st, 3rd, 5th, ... of the month) and right side for even dates. I use the same hand for finger pricks as I do for injections to reinforce this. Then I do a kind of circle of injections on the appropriate side throughout the day.
I know some people inject their basal in their buttocks which is another option.

 

[KC49]

Hello @KC49 and welcome to the forum. I had similar problems with all long acting insulin. In the end, this was one of the reasons I got my insulin pump sooner than planned. Sorry I don't know how long it will take for the effects of the Insulatard to wear off, but hope it's not too long. It's a horrible pain!! I stuck it for years with it getting worse all the time, so it's not a comparable timescale to you.
Hopefully others will be along soon who can help you more. In the meantime do read around the forum and ask any questions you have.

thanks for the reply! Helps to hear it’s not just me, and I’ve been reassuring myself that at least it seems to just be the long acting. It wasn’t an issue with whatever they have in the IV drips, and the fast acting into my tummy has been fine. Hopefully it improves with the Levemir, my first two weeks out of hospital I was hiking and went surfing and feeling more like myself, and now I feel like a sick person and don’t want to do anything (tho I do bc yoga/walking seems to help for a while).

 

[Antje77]

Hi @KC49 , and welcome to the forum!

I got more and more pain in my thighs. Felt like sunburn/bruising on both thighs (where I do the long-acting) and the injections would sting.

Personally, I hate injecting in my thighs, feels very uncomfortable to me, so I don't. Instead, I take my long acting in my arms, hips or bottom, and occasionally in the tummy which I usually reserve for my short acting.

 

[KC49]

Sorry you are experiencing pain for Insulatard. When I was first diagnosed I used a mixed version for a couple of months until I was, thankfully, changed to basal/bolus. I did not experience any reaction to it apart from reluctance to have to eat my insulin.

If it was me, I would be avoiding injecting any insulin in my thighs until the pain has subsided.
I have quite muscular legs so have rarely injected into them and used my belly area for both bolus and basal. After more than 15 years I have no lumps as I change my injection spot each time. I came up with a pattern which helps me remember (as do the bruises). So I inject on the left side on odd numbered dates (1st, 3rd, 5th, ... of the month) and right side for even dates. I use the same hand for finger pricks as I do for injections to reinforce this. Then I do a kind of circle of injections on the appropriate side throughout the day.
I know some people inject their basal in their buttocks which is another option.

thanks- I’ve been doing similar with switching left to right, but I’m nervous of doing the Levemir into my belly in case I end up with this pain on my whole body and not just my thighs. I could try my bum, and see if that’s any better!

 

[ert]

I had heightened sensitivity to insulin injections, bruised all over and they stung. After a month, it passed. I don't think it's uncommon. My stomach was the worse place. I found my lower back and bottom better.

 

[KC49]

I had heightened sensitivity to insulin injections, bruised all over and they stung. After a month, it passed. I don't think it's uncommon. My stomach was the worse place. I found my lower back and bottom better.

Thanks
Maybe I’ll try bottom with the new one then. They said to wait a month or so bc the itching/stinging often passes but it just got steadily worse so they’ve switched it to see if it’s better with Levemir

 

[bmtest]

I remember in early days similar reaction and used to wipe injection site with tissue and water and made sure not to get insulin on outer skin which solved problem. But the needles were at least 20mm long lot shorter now so you get more spillage.