I've been dying to ask this question: do you inject your self through your clothes and if you re-use your needles how often to your re-use them?
I do inject through my clothes and I only use my needles twice unless I inject through my jeans, then its a throw away after that. Been doing this for at least 15 maybe even 20 years and I learned it at a camp called "bearskin meadow" here in California from a female camper lol...
I pinch a little skin and inject.
My family had a discussion at Thanksgiving about me in front of my face on this subject (injecting thru clothes). I refuse to go to the bathroom to inject and I won't pull my tucked in shirts out. I've never seen any real reason to not inject through clothes. I still pinch and will on rare occaisons get a spot of blood. But I mostly wear t-shirts under my dress shirts and they really don't show damage. And I've never noticed any harmful effects on my clothes.
But I never reuse needles or syringes. My cost after insurance is the same and I do think there is a concern with re-used needles destroying insulin. Dr. Bernstein believes that insulin that remains in the syringe tip can become polymerized and when you stick needle back in the vial and inject air, you can introduce the polymerized insulin to the vial and lead to early insulin death. You can avoid this by using a separate syringe for air injections, but it is just not worth it.
Just before leaving a Relatives' home last night, I quickly drew up 3 units and injected through my jeans. It was quick and worked fine, as usual. I tossed the needle. My Relative was shocked and had never seen an injection through clothing. I assured her that many do it and it works as well. I looked at the spot this morning. No blood on my jeans and I see no disturbance in the injection area. I do not pinch the skin usually in this instance and do not reuse the syringe.
I also have not injected air into the Insulin vial since the 1980's and I insist that my Hubby not do it either, if for some reason he has to draw my Insulin.
I have never injected through my clothes I lift my shirt up scrub top up. if I eat out I inject as soon as I get bck in the car. I use a needle only once safer from germ standpoint...but that is me.
I have never injected thru my clothes, but if I had to I probably could. I usually wear a top over my pants and I just lift up the top and inject. I do it really fast 'cause my husband sometimes says to me "Did you take your insulin?" If we go out with friends, I still do it the same way. I don't go to the bathroom, I just sit and chat at the table while injecting. No one has ever said anything, but if they did I would just tell them not to look.
I have no shame in when and where I inject. DIabetes is part of me, and I don't feel like hiding it. I find that in most cases, people around me don't even notice that I have pulled out a needle, a vial and stuck it into my stomach! I inject through my clothing when I am out in public or in an unfamiliar situation (and generally wear thin cotton clothing, so there is no real issue). When I am home or with friends or family, I always lift my shirt and inject. I sometimes feel nervous when injecting through clothing that I didn't actually make it into the skin. I am a bit ashamed to say that I reuse needles sometimes as many as 6 times, and I probably replace my lancet once a month (I know, ouch). I try to be a "good" diabetic, but there are some routine things (like replacing my needle) that I still can't get the hang of.
Thanks all for the input, it makes me feel normal :)