It always pains me to see people injecting insulin or pricking their finger to measure their blood sugar levels. I loathe needles, and I praise the people with diabetes who bravely face all the luggage that comes with this chronic disease.
If you’ve just joined the insulin bandwagon, here are four crucial tips to keep in mind. Long-time insulin users should also give this article a read since time can wash away valuable advice from your memory.
Fresh Needle Every Time
I know it’s very tempting to use the same needle multiple times, but you’re doing yourself more harm than good. Because modern needles are made thinner compared to the earlier ones, they are easily bent and more likely to cut the skin. Reusing needles also increases your risk of scarring, hinders the adequate delivery of insulin into your body, and can cause more pain (ouch).
Moral of the story: Don’t be cheap and lazy.
What is the maximum amount of insulin to inject?
To my knowledge, there is currently no study that has evaluated the maximum safety amount of insulin to be injected at a single site. Generally, people with diabetes start to feel pain when the amount of insulin is >50 units. If you experience any discomfort, speak with your healthcare provider to look into the possibility of administering the insulin at two separate sites.
Leave the Lumpy Areas Alone
Multiple injections at the same site can lead to the development of lipodystrophy, commonly known as lumpy skin. If this problem occurs, you should not continue to inject insulin at this site since the scarring of tissue hampers the absorption of insulin. Instead, discuss with your doctor about other possible injection sites and leave the lumpy area alone for a couple of months.
The 10-Second Rule
One of the biggest mistake people usually make when injecting insulin is not waiting long enough before they remove the needle. It is important to leave it in for ten seconds to ensure that every last drop of insulin is absorbed into the body.
