Do You Inject THROUGH Clothing?

I just wrote this article for Diabetes Mine about injecting insulin through clothing:

http://www.diabetesmine.com/2013/01/injecting-insulin-through-clothing-is-it-safe-gasp-or-not.html

I'm curious if you guys feel that injecting is safe.

If you do inject through clothing, does your doctor know about it...or do you, like Jaimie in the article, omit this info when talking with your doc?

When I was on MDI I did it all the time. On a moving train, in the middle of a restaurant, it was just easier than partially disrobing, or removing myself from festivities when the food arrives. NEVER had any problems and never even thought to discuss it with a doctor. If it works, it works.

And, I felt a lot better about doing that in some cases (like a three stall bathroom at work that services 45 woman) than injecting in some public bathrooms.

I agree that doing a shot through clothing is so much better than hiding in a dirty bathroom stall!

i do it quite a lot but never thought of mentioning it to my doc. maybe i will next time i go just to get a rise out of her...

Even if you weren't hoping to get a rise, I believe it's good for my doctor to know EVERYTHING I'm doing...regardless of if she likes it or not.

My doctor doesn't like that I drink a few nights a month...but she knows that I do and can treat me with that in mind. If I omit details when talking with her, she can't treat my full-self.

Do shots through clothing all the time. Don't discuss with docs.

The docs discuss injection sites and site rotation, but not what's over the injection sites!

Actually they don't emphasize site rotation like when I was a kid. Maybe they figure since I've had diabetes for longer they've been alive, that I don't need site rotation lectures.

I did read the article on the 'Mine the other day - and yes I have been known to inject through clothing on occasion when using MDI. Only when in a hurry though :slight_smile: I never experienced any infections or anything from it

When I was still on mdi I did it all the time. There were few that did not go thru the clothes. I knew it was not the recommended way but saw little chance for harm

Guess I just like living life on the edge. haha.

I've always inject through my clothes. My wife hates it, suggesting that it leaves holes and blood stains on my clothes. I took her to an appointment with my endo and she brought it up, hoping that my endo would "correct" my terrible behavior. My endo failed to criticize my behavior, leaving my wife terrible bitter about the whole thing. So I still jab the needle through my clothes.

The only issue I have deal with is that with clothes with a fine weave, apparently the fibers can clog the needle. So if I feel resistance, I remove the needle and try another injection site.

As diabetics, it is amazing the things we consider: fine weave fabric, well used latrines, needle size, what we tell the docs.. We are amazingly focused. GO, D's. We rock!

I don't do it through clothes. When I did shots I'd pull my shirt up if it wasn't tucked in, pull the leg of my pants up or undo a couple of buttons. I've never used a bathroom for shots.

When I was doing MDI I would go through my clothes only if the occasion called for it. I'm not shy, and as long as I wasn't in like, plain sight I would just hike up my shirt and dose off where I was :D

Never done it through my clothes. Bleeding too often to risk that.
I usually do it right in front of everybody, unless it's a really noble environment.

When I was on MDI, yes I would, never had any problems. LOL I'd also reuse the syringe too and NEVER any problems with that either. And no I don't feel the need to share EVERY detail of how I treat my d with the doc.

I was a dancer growing up and I asked my doc if it was okay to inject through my ballet tights. She said she didn't see a problem with it!

For the first 13 or so years of diabetes, I did injections in places like bathrooms. Then in my early 20s I decided that this was ridiculous, and I started injecting anywhere I needed to—in restaurants, classrooms, on the train ... Obviously, this involved injecting through clothing. I never told my doctor about it, mostly because I didn't feel it was relevant. I never would have been able to switch from three shots a day (R + NPH) to six to eight (MDI) if I hadn't felt comfortable doing injections everywhere and anywhere. I never ran into any trouble doing injections in public other than once when a lady ran up to me freaked out because she thought I was doing some sort of emergency injection and needed help (which is understandable). I've since moved on to the pump (only did MDI for two years) so don't do it anymore, the odd times I do an injection I'm usually doing a site change at the same time, which I've only done in public once!

I don't inject through clothing because I hate the bruising and bleeding that happen when I hit a vein. Maybe some people are more prone to bruising than others? I inject openly at home, and I've pulled up my sleeve to inject in public a few times (I've done it on a moving train, too, Spock!), but most often I excuse myself to do it in the bathroom. D is still sort of new for me, and I'm not ready to deal with the possibility of any extra attention. I hope in time I'll become less self-conscious about it.

Nope never, sometimes I bleed a little and do not want the stain in my cloths. I have never had a problem using my arm or pulling my shirt up in public...I don't think my Doctor would care he knows we do all kinds of things that are not clinically approved....I'm sure he takes the don't ask don't tell approach for things like this.

although i no longer use daily syringes (am on the pump now) i ALWAYS injected through my clothing. particularly through my blue jeans. if i were out with strangers and didnt want them to see me inject, i would descretely inject under the tablecloth. i always hated to excuse myself and get up to go to the ladies room. it was just easier.