Alternative injection sites

Hi, I have been using my stomach as my sole injection site for the 3 years i've been diabetic because I don't have any fat anywhere else that I can inject in to. My doctor has told me to change so I have been using my arms, legs and buttocks but when I inject I get a dull throbbing pain afterwards. I literally struggle to pinch 1cm of skin and I wasn't sure if I was injecting in to something I shouldn't. Has anyone else experienced this? Or does anyone have any tips?

I have seen a dietician to try to put weight on but I really struggle. I eat more than most people and a lot of what I eat is carby. I also run and play squash but don't want to stop excercise just to give myself something to inject in to.

I asked my doctor about the possibilty of a pump but he said that the trust won't pay for them. Does anybody have any info about this as well? I thought nice guidelines meant it was patient choice

I had this problem a few years back as I'm also very slim and found my injections sites were getting very sore.

I found a simple solution which was to use a smaller sized needle (I wasn't aware that they came in different lengths until someone else told me). I'm now on the smallest size needle (6mm) and that really helps (I think I was on a 12mm before).
You may have already tried this, but if not I hope it helps.

Hi, sorry i forgot to mention but I'm already on the 6mm ones. I couldn't even use the 8mm ones on my stomach.

Thanks for the tip though jpotter!

Hi, don't know if shorter needles would help. May be worth a try. BD microfine needles come in a 5mm length and they are due to launch a 4mm needle soon.(your local diabetes specialist nurse may have some samples of 5mm needles to try with) If you have no sub cutaneous fat to speak of you could possibly be hitting muscle when you inject?? Good luck

Hello, Its maybe a bit late to reply to this post now but I've had the same issues as you with regards to painful injection sites as I too am really thin and it is really difficult for me to find enough fat to inject comfortably in to (I also use the 6mm needles). At my DAFNE course recently a nurse had a look at my injection sites (which were all marked with purple bruises) and suggested that my injection technique could be improved to make the injections less painful. She thought that I might be injecting with too much force for such a thin area. I have since been practicing by resting the needle on my skin and then very gently but quickly sliding the needle into my skin, it still stings slightly for a few seconds afterwards but I am definitely bruising much less often and the sting doesn't last nearly as long as it did before. Perhaps you could try being more gentle with your injections too and see if it then less painful, we really don't need any force at all on thin areas as there is no real resistance there. I hope it gets easier.

thanks for the replies to this. since i posted i was moved on to 5mm needles which helped but i've also been referred for a pump which should fix the problem altogether hopefully!

i was having random highs and lows that i couldnt sort using dafne principles but after talking it over with the pump nuse she thinks its all down to my injection sites

i'll try your tip until i get the pump tho heather b, thanks!