doing insulin shots in your legs

[catboogie]

for those of you who do shots in your legs (upper legs that is), in which location do you do them? i would like to use my legs more but certain spots are so dang tender, or else they tend to bruise easily.

i know that insulin doesn't absorb as quickly into your blood when you do shots on your legs. for people that use their theighs, do you ever find this to be a problem?

also, do you ever go through phases where you feel like your skin is sore/sensative everywhere you do shots? kind of like you are running out of spots to shots in? i get like this once every few months or so. i do all of my humalog shots on my torso basically--belly, sides, back. and i do my lantis always in my calves. i need to start including my arms into my humalog rotation because my skin is taking a beating.

laura

 

[Tess]

I don't use insulin or have cfrd so I cna't help.
Just wanted to say that it doesn't sound like
any fun at all. Good Luck ..... and take Care.

 

[Diane]

Yes Laura, i know exactly what you are talking about. I havent done any of my shots in my legs in over a year now because i hate the way it can feel sometimes. I do all of mine in my belly just a different spot each time. I noticed a few years ago when i did shots in my leg i would have to take extra insulin because it never worked the same as when i did it in my belly or arm. I used to have my mom do the shots in my arm, but i live alone now ( have for years) and my cats just refuse to learn how to do it for me....lol . so im stuck with my favorite spot, my belly. When i was younger (and more agile) i used to do them in my rear, but i can't twist around like i used to, to do be able to do that any more with 2 hands.

 

[DebbieC]

Sometimes I feel like a pin coushin. If you're close to your period, that can really up your sensitivity to pain. What size needles are you using? It's always a pain in the butt to find new equipment, but maybe you can find some that are shorter.

 

[ladybug]

Laura,

I actually always used my belly for my humalog until last night I got tired of trying to find a new spot, so I moved to my thigh. I thought it went in a lot easier... with less of the pain. However, I do notice today a slight red dot, so since its shorts season, I may not do this again. Anyway, can't help you with the soreness, as I usually get much more sore in my belly from the shots, but I've only done the leg once, so probably not much help. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[anonymous]

I use my thighs probably the most... the needle hurts less there, and the insulin usually doesn't burn there. The way I do it is to sit down to get the skin/muscle above my knee to relax. About 3-6 inches above my knee on the inside part works best... it seems like I can find a less sensitive spot just by touching the needle to my skin at random spots. Last time I asked a nurse, she said the inner thigh, like halfway between your hips and knee, works too.. but it seems like it might be sensitve there. Haven't tried it.

Another place to try is your hips, while you're sitting down. I've tried it a few times, and while the needle doesn't hurt it really BURNS! I hear a lot about using your stomach, but it has always been really painful for me (the needle and burning). Maybe I'm just too skinny? I'm pretty sure this would make an insulin pump a hassle for me.

The smallest needles I've found are "BD Ultrafine II Short Needle" that hold 1/3cc. The needle is short and thin, but I think the Humalog insulin pen had the skinniest needles ever. They were so narrow I was really afraid they would break off in my skin, so I went back to syringes! Plus, the pen was kind of bulky and awkward to depress the plunger while holding the pen still... but they slid into the skin very easily, like a mosquito bite <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

---------------------
Lou, 21 with CF and CFRD

 

[JazzysMom]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>Diane</b></i>

Yes Laura, i know exactly what you are talking about. I havent done any of my shots in my legs in over a year now because i hate the way it can feel sometimes. I do all of mine in my belly just a different spot each time. I noticed a few years ago when i did shots in my leg i would have to take extra insulin because it never worked the same as when i did it in my belly or arm. I used to have my mom do the shots in my arm, but i live alone now ( have for years) and my cats just refuse to learn how to do it for me....lol . so im stuck with my favorite spot, my belly. When i was younger (and more agile) i used to do them in my rear, but i can't twist around like i used to, to do be able to do that any more with 2 hands.</end quote></div>


I had to laugh Diane......damn cats can be so stubborn & as far as your lack of agility...hmmmm sounds like you need to swing from the chandeliers again!