Injection Sites

My husband takes a minimum of two shots a day. He rotates the sites from the stomach to the upper arms. He says the insulin absorbs faster in the arms also.

I take insulin only once a day, but I rotate my sites daily. that
way its easier on the arms,thighs and stomach.

When we first started giving shots (enlighten me here) …the needles' shaft was pretty long, then later we ran out and got another box - these are much shorter needles (labled 3/10cc 30 gauge x 5/16" length.) Is that too short you think? What is the ideal size.?

The 3/10 cc short needle is fine for thin to moderate weight people. If you are heavier you need the longer needle to get the dose further into the subcutaneous tissue.

anotherwords down into the muscles…right?

I did it, I gave myself a shot in the leg and in the upper arm…come to find out that my doctor prescribed me 4mm pen needles, because with them you do not have to pinch the skin, therefore I can do it in my upper arms without the third arm I so desperatly need…And if I am in "mixed" company I am not comfortable giving myself a shot in the stomach, for I refuse to rip it out in public…no thank you!!!…LOL…

Thanks for all of your encouragment and advice…it helped me so much!!!

Vicki

i only give it in my stomach no problems with it. i have osteo arthritis makes it harder to give it any where else, i use the lantus solo star pen.

I know this is different than insulin,but I had to do two shots of byetta ever day for six months. I put thest shot on either side of my stomach then sometimes I switched to my upper arms.I hope this helps

Thanks…any advice works great…

Vicki

I have used my stomach since around 1990 or so & still no lumps. The dr. checks my stomach every time I go in. Sometimes I give myself a pretty nasty bruise though.

I use to bruise too. Doc said it was because there must have been a little air in there. It just takes a little to cause it. I use to fill the syringe and then thumb it a couple of times to see if it got them all out.

Oh yes the wonderful stomach bruises…they are also caused by not pinching enough skin I think…when I first got home from the hospital I was giving myself my shot way too far from the belly button I had HUUUGE baseball size bruises…

Vicki

Currently I am using my upper arms for my Lantus, and my abdomen for my Novolin R.

Sometimes I feel like I'm running out of places to poke myself. I'm starting to get the "bumps" thing on the abdomen, and trust me, I really cannot afford for my waist to expand any more than it already was!!!!!!!

I tried using my thighs for my Lantus injection, but it hurt too much — I don't have a lot of fat on my thighs, ironically enough. Even with "pinching" I still felt a sore spot on my thighs for days after. I haven't repeated using those sites yet.

I know my NP told me that using the abdomen is best, but when you poke yourself 4 times or more a day, it's tough to find places to poke.

ETA: in order to inject into my upper arms, I use an injection device - the Autoject 2. It's a spring loaded thingamabob that allows you to press a button and the needle is inserted then the syringe is pressed as well. Otherwise I'd need a third arm to balance the syringe, lol.

I was thinking my upper arms too, but I am using a 4mm syringe now, and according to its website, with this length you dont need to pinch the skin…I'm hoping that is right. I will talk to my doctor more about it, then try it…

I know what you mean about the stomach thing…mine is going down little by little, and I don't want to see it go up again lump by lump…

Vicki

I had used my stomach for 4 years and no problems or bumps. I was like you, that always seemed they place to do it. That is where they do it in the hospital too. Now I am off insulin and still no bumps or lumps.

that is so good to know…when i was in the hospital they were using the back of my arm, but i can't pinch it and inject at the same time. But from what i have researched, the needles I am using now for my new pens doesnt need you to pinch the skin, so i might start using the back of my arm…i am still hesitant on my thighs…and i dont know why…

Thanks