Why Does Insulin Sting After Injections?
Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please,join our community todayto contribute and support the site. This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies. I've been on insulin ~ 8 weeks and have gotten used to the daily injections. However, I don't understand why sometimes it stings quite a lot when the insulin enters my body. The shot doesn't hurt but the insulin stings but not all the time. I bolus 3 times daily with Apidra pen and Lantus at bedtime (2 shots in different parts of body to absorb the insulin better). Also when I run out of one vial in the middle of a shot I have to take an additional shot to complete the dosage Does anybody else have this problem. Current doses are Apidra 16/14/20 units and Lantus is 83 units. Some people complain of stinging with insulin. Try a different location. I inject on side of my belly (where there is more fat) and I don't even feel the needle (31 Gauge Pen). The front or lower front of the belly is more sensitive. I guess that's why the docs use the hips or other fatty areas for shots. It is also possible that some people are more sensitive to insulin than others. I am a new user and don't have much experience. Lantus is well known to have a sting. I believe it's because it's acid based. If you will draw up your lantus and let it come to room temp before injecting, it will help. Lantus is well known to have a sting. I believe it's because it's acid based. If you will draw up your lantus and let it come to room temp before injecting, it will help. My injections used to always hurt if I did it straight out of the fridge. Let it sit out for a while or rub it between your hands for a few seconds first. The insulin I'm using is always at room temperature. I only store the vials I'm not using. I learned that Continue reading >>
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How To Avoid Pain While Injecting The Insulin Injection ?
Diabetes Forum The Global Diabetes Community Find support, ask questions and share your experiences. Join the community How to avoid pain while injecting the insulin injection ? Whenever i inject the insulin needle or Pen insulin needle, i get some little bit more pain. Is there tips or trick to avoid the pain ? when i was in hospital, i was getting very less pain. I will store my insulin and Pen Insulin in refrigerator. Is it the root cause ? is it recommended give cold insulin ? I generally inject the pen Insulin on my stomach and other injection on my upper arm . When I used to inject, I found my stomach more painful than my leg, so used to use my thighs almost exclusively. I would only every use pens that were at room temperature, and would inject slowly, aiming in-between the hair follicles, but I think its a case of trial and error and personal preference. As weird as it sounds, I believed the pain of injections was mind over matter, so just used to tell myself it wouldn't hurt, and on the occasions I thought it was going to, it did. I think it comes more down to relaxing, than anything else though Good morning @Chandradev819 It is not recommended to inject insulin direct from the fridge as it is very uncomfortable - so wait until it's room temperature, also the insulin is not as effective when used cold. When injecting what size needles are you using ? When injecting pinch a layer of fat between your fingers and inject into this, it should be more comfortable also doing it this way Cold insulin may sting, as others have said keep your in-use insulin at room temperature. To reduce the pain try not to tense-up beforehand, but also make sure you use a new needle every-time and inject the insulin slowly, if you force the insulin in this tends to hurt and can leave t Continue reading >>
Painful Fat Necrosis Resulting From Insulin Injections
Go to: The case is a 34-year-old woman with long-standing type 1 diabetes mellitus with existing follow-up in the outpatient clinic at the Warwickshire Institute for the Study of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, UHCW. She had maintained good glycaemic control and glycaemic stability with basal bolus regimen for many years. She had not developed any diabetes-related complications and had no other co-morbidities. Six months ago, she presented to A&E with sudden-onset, well-localised and severe pain in the right iliac fossa, just lateral to the para-umbilical area. Her biochemistry was normal. Ultrasound scan, however, revealed a right-sided ovarian cyst, which was thought to have caused pain to her. She was discharged from A&E with simple analgesia. On subsequent gynaecological follow-up 4 weeks later, her pain remained severe and examination revealed an exquisitely tender subcutaneous nodule at the same location measuring 2 cm in diameter. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan at the time revealed a 1 cm mass in the subcutaneous adipose tissue, which co-localised to her pain. The mass demonstrated a central fat signal surrounded by a peripheral ring: observations consistent with fat necrosis. There were other smaller subcutaneous nodules also observed in the left para-umbilical area. Subsequent surgical resection of the main area of fat necrosis was performed. The patient made an excellent recovery and her pain resolved post-operatively. Histology confirmed the presence of fat necrosis. Fat necrosis is a rare complication of s.c. insulin injection. This case illustrates the importance of considering this diagnosis in patients who inject insulin and develop localised injection-site pain. Fat necrosis is a rare complication of insulin injections that can manifest wi Continue reading >>
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Is There A Better Way To Give An Insulin Injection?
M.S., R.D., L.D.N., C.D.E. Manager of Nutritional Education at Joslin Diabetes Center Is there a proper way to give an insulin injection? Yes, according to a report that came out of the Third Injection Technique workshop in Athens (TITAN) in September 2009. Prior to this report there was very little consensus on the proper way to inject insulin and even less research available to back it up. Health practitioners like to use evidenced-based guidelines as the foundation for the recommendations we give to patients. That means that we have the results of controlled research studies at our disposal. But medicine is both an art and a science, and although we would like to have research to back up our decisions sometimes ,we often rely on consensus statements or fall back on prior personal experience. Until recently there was little standardization across the country on how to best teach patients to give an injection. In September of last year, the Journal Diabetes & Metabolism published a special issue devoted to the results from the TITAN workshop on injection recommendations for patients with diabetes. One hundred and twenty-seven injection experts from around the world reviewed 157 articles and the survey results of 4300 insulin-injecting patients with diabetes and came up with a set of new recommendations. These recommendations have not been accepted universally, but we at Joslin Diabetes Center are in the processing of looking at our own procedures in light of them. Why We Need Standards – Results of the Injection Survey Some findings: 21% of patients admitted injecting into the same site for a whole day or even for a few days. 50% of patients had symptoms suggestive of lipohypertrophy (a lump under the skin caused by accumulation of extra fat at the site of many subcu Continue reading >>
How To Give Your Loved One An Insulin Injection
We all grew up with some dread about those occasional visits to the doctor — and usually it was that fear of getting a shot. Now that you’re the one commissioned to give the shot, we know you may have reservations and a heightened fear at pricking your loved one. Remember though, that insulin injections are subcutaneous, meaning the area between the skin and the muscle, so the needles are usually smaller and shorter than you’re imagining. We also know that you want it to be as pain-free as possible, so it’s important to keep in mind that confidence (while gained with practice) may also be faked in order to help put your loved one at ease. If you are cringing every time you give a shot, this will also increase anxiety and fear in the person receiving the injection. So try to relax! Talking to your loved one and asking them questions may also help reduce anxiety. This communication (that isn’t about the injection) helps to distract the person receiving it. Before you both know it, it’ll all be over for both of you. Speed is another key way to decrease discomfort. And the more you do it, the faster you’ll become. You aren’t going to be a pro at the start, so don’t expect to be. With a little bit of practice though, you’ll be able to administer insulin in your sleep (although we don’t recommend this). Note: This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. For specific guidance on giving an insulin injection, please talk with your doctor. CHECK YOUR INSULIN Insulin has an expiration date, so be mindful of this and don’t use expired insulin. Seriously — just toss it. Insulin also can’t be stored in the freezer, or left in direct sunlight. If you were keeping it cool in a bag or the refrigerator, give it time (30 minutes) Continue reading >>
Insulin Injection Sites: Where And How To Inject
Insulin is a hormone that helps cells use glucose (sugar) for energy. It works as a “key,” allowing the sugar to go from the blood and into the cell. In type 1 diabetes, the body doesn’t make insulin. In type 2 diabetes, the body doesn’t use insulin correctly, which can lead to the pancreas not being able to produce enough — or any, depending on the progression of the disease —insulin to meet your body’s needs. Diabetes is normally managed with diet and exercise, with medications, including insulin, added as needed. If you have type 1 diabetes, insulin is required for life. This may seem difficult at first, but you can learn to successfully administer insulin with the support of your healthcare team, determination, and a little practice. There are different ways to take insulin, including syringes, insulin pens, insulin pumps, and jet injectors. Your doctor will help you decide which technique is best for you. Syringes remain a common method of insulin delivery. They’re the least expensive option, and most insurance companies cover them. Syringes Syringes vary by the amount of insulin they hold and the size of the needle. They’re made of plastic and should be discarded after one use. Traditionally, needles used in insulin therapy were 12.7 millimeters (mm) in length. Recent research shows that smaller 8 mm, 6 mm, and 4 mm needles are just as effective, regardless of body mass. This means insulin injection is less painful than it was in the past. Insulin is injected subcutaneously, which means into the fat layer under the skin. In this type of injection, a short needle is used to inject insulin into the fatty layer between the skin and the muscle. Insulin should be injected into the fatty tissue just below your skin. If you inject the insulin deeper int Continue reading >>
Getting Up To Speed On New Injection Guidelines (part 2)
Last week I mentioned that there are new insulin injection guidelines (as of 2010) that came out of a workshop called TITAN. These guidelines are important because they aim to achieve clarity about and consistency in how people with diabetes inject their insulin. Sadly, however, I suspect that not many health-care professionals, let alone people with diabetes, are familiar with these guidelines. As a person with diabetes who injects insulin (or will be injecting insulin in the future), you need to rely on your physician or diabetes educator to use the proper technique for everything diabetes-related: blood glucose monitoring, injecting insulin, counting carbs, etc. But the reality is that this doesn’t always happen, and that means that YOU need to be updated and familiar with the latest and greatest. This week, I’ll share some of the key recommendations to come out of this TITAN workshop. Hopefully none of these are too surprising. If they are, talk to your doctor or educator. You can actually help them get up to speed by mentioning these guidelines. So, here’s what to know: Shorter pen needles are fine. Pen needles come in standard lengths (8 millimeter, or mm, and 12.7 mm). But there’s no real reason to use these length needles specifically. Any adult, regardless of body size can use a shorter needle, meaning a 4-, 5-, or 6-mm needle. If you’re worried that you carry extra weight and that the needle won’t be long enough, don’t. Skin thickness is pretty much the same among all adults, regardless of body fat, body weight, or gender. Remember that the needle injects through the skin layer, and shouldn’t be injecting into muscle. And studies back this up. There’s no evidence that shorter needle use among heavier folks causes insulin leakage, scar tissue Continue reading >>
How To Give A Painless Injection
If you have Type 2 diabetes, sooner or later you may require insulin injections, either temporarily (as during infections) or permanently. This is nothing to be afraid of, even though many people with long-standing Type 2 diabetes literally spend years worrying about it. I usually teach all my patients how to inject themselves at our first or second meeting, before there’s any urgency. Once they give themselves a sample injection of sterile saline (salt water), they find out how easy and painless it can be, and they are spared years of anxiety. If you’re anxious about injections, after you read this section, please ask your physician or diabetes educator to allow you to try a self-administered injection. Insulin is usually injected subcutaneously This means Into a layer of fat under the skin The regions of the body that usually contain appropriate deposits of fat are illustrated in Figure 1 Examine your body to see if you have enough fat at the illustrated sites to comfortably grab a big hunk between your thumb and first finger. Fig 1 Potential sites for subcutaneous injections. To show you how painless a shot can be, your teacher should give himself or herself a shot and leave the syringe dangling in place, illustrating that no pain is felt Your teacher should next give you a shot of saline to prove the point. Now it’s time for you to give yourself an injection, using a syringe that’s been partly filled for you with about 5 “units” of saline. 1. With your “nonshooting” hand, grab as big a chunk of skin plus underlying fat as you can hold comfortably. If you have a nice roll of fat around your waist, use this site. If not, select another site from those illustrated in Figure 1 Nearly everyone has enough subcutaneous buttocks fat to inject there without g Continue reading >>
Painful Insulin Injections May Be A Thing Of The Past
One of the biggest complaints of those diagnosed with diabetes or fear of those who have heard their doctor’s mention ‘insulin’ is the pain associated with the injections. For millions of people worldwide with diabetes, these painful injections may be a thing of the past soon. This is all possible thanks to an innovative invention from the researches at the University of NC State and North Carolina. What have they created to make these injections go away? An Invention that May Save Lives There are many type 2 patients who refuse an insulin treatment regime simply because they do not want to give themselves insulin injections. Whether they are afraid of needles or simply do not want to deal with the pain that comes along with them, this new invention could literally save their lives. They have designed a smart insulin patch that will detect any increase in blood sugar and then secretes a dose of insulin into their bloodstream when it is needed. This amazing device is no bigger than that of a penny and on it has hundreds of teeny tiny needles that are only the size of an eyelash. These needles are known as microneedles. I recommend reading the following articles: These microneedles really make the world of a difference. They have microscopic storage for units of insulin and the glucose sensing enzymes which will release when blood sugar levels get to be too high. The study conducted had found that this painless little patch was able to lower the blood sugar levels in the mice subjects who had type 1 diabetes for up to nine hours. There is more clinical testing needed and then clinical trials for humans will be required before the patch can be used on patients, but it’s definitely something that is showing wonderful promise for those with diabetes. Removing Human E Continue reading >>
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The Role Of Comfort And Discomfort In Insulin Therapy
The Role of Comfort and Discomfort in Insulin Therapy Despite the recognized importance of optimal insulin therapy, patient adherence to insulin therapy is an ongoing clinical care challenge. Insulin omission continues to be frequent and underestimated and has been correlated with poorer glycemic control and increased rates of diabetes-related complications. Insulin users consistently indentify multiple factors that contribute to insulin injection-related anxiety and to non-adherence. Injection-related discomfort continues to bear a significant contribution. Over the last decade, with advances in needle manufacturing technology, shorter and narrower needles have been associated with progressively improving patient self-rating of injection discomfort. Consequently, patient surveys of insulin users show discomfort to rank in the bottom third of significant contributors by prevalence. However, healthcare providers (HCP) and family member care providers continue to demonstrate a high level of anticipated and perceived pain for the patient. HCP anxiety and pain anticipation are each associated with patient anxiety and may therefore play a significant contributing role in patient non-adherence. ince the 1922 introduction of insulin, patient self-care challenges have played a prominent role, leading, for example, to the early switch from intramuscular to subcutaneous injection. Awareness of intensive glycemic control grew significantly following the mid-1990s publication of the Diabetes Control and Complication Trial 1 and the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study. 2 Their impact on clinical care standards was nearly immediate, effectively eliminating the then-common practice of dosing in response to hyperglycemia symptoms. The subsequent growth of evidence-based practice Continue reading >>
Are Diabetes Insulin Injections Painful?
Injecting yourself with insulin several times a day to manage your diabetes might be easier than you think. Follow these expert steps to help minimise the pain and calm your fears. 1. Know that it won't be as bad as you imagine Most people are nervous about injecting themselves but soon realise they can handle it. In fact thinking about it is worse than doing it and once you get over the 'hurdle' of the first few injections and become more confident, it's usually pretty smooth sailing. It could be that myths about what's involved are fuelling your fears. Some people think they'll have to inject the medication with a large needle into a muscle or a vein or that insulin injections will hurt more than the finger pricks they've been doing to test their blood sugar . This isn't true. The reality is the needles used to inject insulin are small as the insulin only needs to be injected under the skin (subcutaneously) and you inject into areas that have far fewer nerve endings than your fingertips. There may be some discomfort when the needle is first inserted but to ease any anxiety your doctor or a specialist diabetes nurse can show you the correct way to inject. If big needles freak you out, downsize. Insulin syringes and pen needles range in size and thickness (gauge), so ask your doctor or pharmacist for the most suitable shortest, thinnest one available. It's also important to use a fresh needle every time as just one use will dull the needle causing discomfort if it's reused. Wondering whether you should opt for a syringe or a pen? If you're anxious about getting the dose right then a pen may be the best choice. It's easier to dial the dose on a pen than it is to see the markings on a syringe. Some people also think pens are easier to grasp and that they look less like a Continue reading >>
- Smart Insulin Patch Could Replace Painful Injections for Diabetes
- Relative effectiveness of insulin pump treatment over multiple daily injections and structured education during flexible intensive insulin treatment for type 1 diabetes: cluster randomised trial (REPOSE)
- Type 2 diabetes - new way to control blood sugar could get rid of painful monitoring
25 September 12 Tips For Reducing Pain With Insulin Injections
For those of you with diabetes who take insulin, take heart! While insulin injections can sometimes cause pain or discomfort, there are tips for reducing or eliminating pain. Most of the tips reported here are taken from a presentation given by Stacey Seggelke, MS, RN, CNS, CDE, BC-ADM at the Rocky Mountain Metabolic Syndrome Symposium on May 14, 2010. Alcohol After swabbing your injection site with alcohol, wait for it to DRY before injecting insulin. Alcohol can feel like a burning sensation if it gets pushed in along with the insulin. Temperature Injecting insulin that is cold will hurt more than if it is at room temperature. Remove your unopened insulin from the refrigerator long enough in advance before use so that it is at room temperature when you need to use it. Once your vial or pen is in use, you can store it at room temperature (59F – 86F). Insulin vials can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 month. Most rapid-acting or long acting insulin pens can be stored for up to 28 days at room temperature. However, premixed insulin or intermediate N or NPH pens should be stored for up to only 10 – 14 days. Never guess at your insulin's room temperature storage guidelines - always check the information provided with your insulin for number of days it can be used at room temperature. Unopened insulin can be stored in the refrigerator (36F-46F) up until the expiration date. However, once the expiration date is reached, do not use the insulin – discard it. Dose Higher doses can hurt more than lower doses of insulin. For those of you with Type 2 diabetes, losing weight and regular exercise could improve your insulin sensitivity enough so that less insulin is needed to control your diabetes. And for folks with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, good carb counting skills Continue reading >>
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Tips For Taking Insulin
Learning to give an insulin injection can be frightening. Over time it gets easier. Insulin is needed to help keep blood sugar under control. What are some of the latest thoughts about insulin? The following practices were tested and found to be safe. Please check with your doctor before including them in your daily routine. Alcohol for the Skin Research has shown the number of bacteria carried by an insulin needle is not enough to cause an infection. Most people clean the area where they are going to give insulin with alcohol. Let the alcohol dry. Then give your insulin. If the area is still wet, you may feel a burning sensation. Angle of Injection People with diabetes are taught to give injections at a 90 degree angle. This is to insure the insulin goes into the fat layer. The fat layer is just under the skin. You do not want to inject insulin into the muscle. Rotating Sites Research has found insulin is absorbed at different rates in different sites. The best site to inject insulin is the abdomen. Insulin is absorbed here more consistently then other sites. You can also use the arms, thighs and hips. The hip area is the slowest to absorb insulin. The current recommendation is that you rotate sites at one location, preferably the abdomen. Storing Insulin If insulin is not stored properly, it may not work right. The insulin bottle in use can be kept at room temperature (less than 86°F). Extra bottles should be stored in the refrigerator. Once opened, insulin in a vial remains stable at room temperature for 28-30 days. Insulin pens remain stable at room temperature for 10-28 days depending on the type of insulin being used. Give insulin at room temperature to prevent a burning sensation. Be sure to read the directions that come with your insulin vial or insulin pen. Im Continue reading >>
Painful And Prolonged Muscle Cramps Following Insulin Injections In A Patient With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Revisiting The 1992 Duke Case
1Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon 2Calcium Metabolism and Osteoporosis Program, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon A 56-year-old middle-eastern male with a long-standing history of poorly controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus presented to us complaining of severely painful bilateral upper and lower extremity cramps occurring shortly after his rapid-acting insulin analog injection(s). The cramps had started 6 months ago and have been occurring intermittently in non-predictable episodes since then. He had otherwise never experienced any insulin-related adverse reaction(s) before. His cramps are very painful and debilitating, interfering with his daily activities and placing him in a state of constant fear/anxiety of re-experiencing them. This caused him to become non-adherent with his prescribed treatment and poorly compliant with his follow-up regimens. Thorough examination showed a diffuse loss of sensation over the lower limbs. This was subsequently confirmed with a combined electromyography–nerve conduction study which indicated extensive diabetic axonal polyneuropathy. By contrast, lower extremity segmental arterial pressures were negative for peripheral vasculo-occlusive disease, ruling out vascular insufficiency as a possible etiology of the cramps. We then measured the levels of serum electrolytes right-before and 30 min right-after injecting the patient with his insulin. Potassium dropped by about 16% from its initial level, compared to a drop of only around 4% for calcium and none (0%) for magnesium. Thus, we speculated this insulin-induced sharp drop in serum potassium levels as potentiating the patient’s already existing advanced diabetic Continue reading >>
Tips To Help Reduce Injection Discomfort
Insulin is administered as an injection using either an insulin syringe or pen needle tip (a pen needle tip is attached to the top of an insulin pen ).* One of the biggest fears of starting insulin therapy is the fear of injection pain. This article will provide tips to help reduce injection discomfort. *Insulin may also be administered using a continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion device (insulin pump). Tips to Help Reduce Injection Discomfort: Gauge describes the thickness of a needle. The larger the gauge the thinner the needle. Thinner needles usually cause less injection pain. Insulin syringes and pen needle tips come in various lengths. Some people find that using a shorter needle helps to reduce injection discomfort. An insulin syringe or pen needle tip that is too long may increase the risk of intramuscular injection. Injecting insulin into the muscle causes more discomfort and alters that way insulin in absorbed (insulin should be injected into the subcutaneous tissue which is the area just beneath the skin). Insulin syringe length options: 6 mm, 8 mm, 12.7 mm Pen needle tip length options: 4 mm, 5 mm, 8 mm, 12.7 mm For reference: 1 inch= 25.4 mm (millimeters) Use of an insulin pen allows the user to choose a shorter needle (either 4 mm or 5 mm).* *For larger amounts of insulin, your physician may prefer that you use a longer needle to prevent insulin from leaking out of injection site. Injecting in to the muscle, as mentioned above, can increase injection discomfort. To avoid injecting into muscle: Pinch up the skin at the injection site. This will help separate fat from muscle, helping to ensure that insulin is injected into the fat (not the muscle). Ask your doctor about using a shorter needle (pen needle tips: 4mm or 5 mm; syringes: 6 mm). Allow alcohol Continue reading >>
