That's what all insulin pens do, I think it's about the part where the needle goes in the skin, and @DiabeticDi being uncomfortable not being able to see it.
Please correct me if I misunderstood, DiabeticDi!
What I learned early on, don't hesitate when injecting oneself. Sometimes, I hit a nerve ending when injecting myself, but overwhelmingly I don't feel anything. I have not kept score, but i estimate that during the last 12 years, I must have given myself somewhere between 10 to 15 thousand injections!
I think you should ask them to do it via pharmacist, nurse, hired orderly or dr. him/herself.
Can you not get community nurses come in to do your injections?
Getting a community nurse or anyone else to come over to inject 4 to 10 times a day, at different times each day isn't very practical.
Insulin use in T1's is very dynamic, and depending on countless factors. It's not as if you can just have someone inject a fixed amount twice a day and that is that.
Being able to do your own injections is the difference between being very dependent on outside help, losing all opportunities for spontaneous decisions, and leading an almost normal life.
If I take myself as an example, I may wake up at 5AM to see I need some insulin, even though I usually don't need it until 8. I can just take half a minute to inject and put out the light to sleep for a couple more hours.
But what if I'd need to call someone to come over to give me that injection? No more sleep in that case.
Or say my neighbour asks me to come over for a cup of tea. Can't do that, because the nurses visit has been planned at that time, and I'll have to eat right after her visit.
Or the nurse has been for my pre-meal injection, and it turned out I needed a little more insulin for that meal.
Can I call her to come back two hours later to give me some more insulin?
Believe me, being dependent on outside help for your insulin is a nightmare any T1 will want to avoid at all costs, if in any way possible.
Before my mother passed away, the CLSC here in Canada would send a nurse every week to give her the Warfarin medication. I understand that a week is longer than a daily requirement, but if you look at commercial services, they can do it; so why can't the medical services do it? Also, there are private health care services that you may afford to hire them for this service.
Can I ask, what is it specifically that you need to see the needle for? Is it a phobia thing, or just making sure you are in a different place each time?
I ask because I do mine more by feel that sight, and it really is pick a spot, plunge it in, make sure it’s flush with the skin (I’ve had an occasional one that seemed blunt and just pushed the skin down rather than penetrating properly), then hit the inject button.
I only have one a day now so tend to just do belly and legs where I could watch if I wanted, but I don’t need to. Even the amount is easy as I count the clicks.
I am just concerned that the needle has to go in properly as i can't see it well enough
At the moment I use 5mm needles but I've used 6mm and 4mm as well, they all work fine for me. I don't bruise easily so that's not an issue, but I do have stretch marks. The diabetic nurse told me to avoid them but I never pay attention to that (mainly because I'm in the bad habit of injecting through my shirt), and my insulin works just fine so I don't worry about it.Hi
Thanks for your reply and for the info about the needles. Can I ask what size and make of needles you use? I understand what you mean about not needing to see the needle going in, but don't you ever wonder if it has not bent or if you are injecting into a bruised area etc. I don't know whether a short fine needle would be best for me or a longer thicker one, if I am just jabbing it in as you say. lAfter 41 years my skin is a bit leathery but I do moisturise it every day. Have you ever been offered a pump?
I just jab it in until the pen itself rests on my skin, which is far enough.How do I know if it has gone in far enough, will the needle bend, what if it doesn't go in and insulin leaks...I have always been a nervy injector even though I've been doing it 41 years.
What's the faffing about you're doing? What else can you do with an insulin needle except taking off the lid, push it in, push the button and remove?I have had some leakage of insulin because of all my faffing around with it.
How do I know if it has gone in far enough, will the needle bend, what if it doesn't go in and insulin leaks...I have always been a nervy injector even though I've been doing it 41 years.
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