I’m really new to insulin injections…less than a week. And since I’ve been injecting I’ve been lucky enough to be able to do so in the comfort of my own home or at my boyfriend’s place.
And that all changed yesterday!
I spent the day in downtown Phoenix, and ended up giving myself an injection in a Starbucks bathroom. As I was prepping the shot I imagined that a lot of you insulin-injecting veterans probably have some funny stories about odd locations where you’ve injected. Is that true?
I have injected everywhere from my apartment to the airplane. I used to be self conscious about it but now I whip out the syringe and vial no matter where I am at and I don’t bother to hide it.
when i was using syringes, i was much more discreet and usually used the bathrooms at whatever establishment i was at. now that i use pens, i just lift up my shirt a little bit or go right through the shirt. noone even notices.
Injecting in my car while sitting in a parking lot and having someone walk by. Boy did they give me a strange look.
Where haven’t I injected?
The worst [uh-oh are you all going to tell me off?]: injecting while driving. I know I should probably pull over but I’ve got the knack of doing it one handed and can even get the little cap back on the needle without any hassles… all without looking away from the road except for 3 quick glances - one to make sure I have the right pen, one to make sure I’ve dialled the right number, and one to line up the cap with the needle.
tut tut. I know.
Other than that… I’m mostly discreet, so it’s boring stuff - in my thigh while sitting at a table (no one can see a thing). standing outside in the garden. But mostly in my bedroom or dining room, and almost always through my clothing. NEVER in a toilet… just doesn’t feel right doing something that needs to be hygienic in a bathroom.
Mike,
I don’t stick myself in bathrooms. They are the full of germs and doing it there suggests there is something wrong or sleazy about injecting myself with a lifesaving medication.
I have injected in many restaurants and public places. I don’t make a big deal out of it and no one seems to notice or care. I was using R with syringes for quite a while, too. Pens are more 'discreet" but like I say, I don’t think we are the object of fascination to others we sometime think we are.
I have to agree with Jenny, a restroom is usually dirty and I’ve found you’re actually less likely to have people looking at you when you inject in the dining room of a restaurant vs. in the men’s room. I do, however, inject through my clothing (unless I’m wearing a heavy sweater or something) all the time, mainly because its faster and easier. On the run, however, its easier to inject in the arms or abdomen, as its tough to inject through denim jeans!
I’ve never injected in a washroom. I wouldn’t go there to take asprin, so why go there for insulin. When I inject (normally use a pump though) I just inject where ever I happen to be before I eat. Once I injected in a movie theater to eat popcorn. Hubby had to flick his lighter so I could see what I was doing. I heard the conversation of the family behind us telling their kids not to worry, I was just taking medication and wasn’t a junkie.
I stuck in a public restroom and a kid walked up to me and asked if I was on drugs.
LOL!
I’m glad someone started this thread as I’m a new diabetic and still feel really weird injecting when I’m in public. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone give themselves an injection (before myself, of course), but now I’m thinking many people have probably injected within my view but its just not that obvious so I never noticed.
Thanks for sharing, everyone!
I sat in Denny’s when the waitress saw the vial and syringe on my lap she smiled and said her grandmom was a diabetic and never saw the reason to go to the toilet and use the syringe in there. Also the time I was injecting in my bosses office at the restaurant I work at. The restroom was occupied and it was time for my evening shot… She walked in and I asked her if she needed a hit… he mom was diabetic and she reached over took the needle and told me to bend over and shoot me…hahaha crazy lady.
My daughter is 11 and type 1, we use the pen and have injected in lots of locations, restuarants in the dining area, the car, school, wherever. She likes to be discreet, so we just do it quickly!! Great topic though, lots of interesting stories out there I’m sure!!
I’ve got a real weird place. I had forgoten to inject my lunch shot when I was on vacation and my sister reminded me… right as soon as we were getting ready for a ride at Walt Disney World… So I whip out the pen (YEA PEN!!!) and shoot up just before my 0-60 launch on Rock-N-Roll roller coaster… right through the shirt. no time to untuck or anything…