Anyone ever inject with their pen through clothing? What type of clothing? Problems?
I’ve injected through T-shirts and Lands’ End polo shirts. For some reason I almost always get a bleeder that I don’t see until later!
I’ve read that this is OK, but I really wonder if it is…I worry when I can’t see right where I’m injecting.
I inject through my clothing all the time … in fact, most injections are through my shirt and I’ve never had problems with it. One thing you might need to consider, however, is making sure you use the right pen needle size. The short ones generally won’t work!
Excellent point about short needles!
I inject through my clothing all the time. At work my workspace is open; no privacy. So nowhere to fix my clothes if I remove them for a shot.
I reduce the bleeding by keeping the needle in for about 30 seconds and then I remove it quickly. I use 31G or 33G needles.
I wear mostly Land’s End dress shirts and polos with an undershirt and inject through that.
I constantly inject if I’m in public and wearing thinner clothing (usually a cotton t-shirt). Just gotta do some good guesswork regarding the injection site…
I’m afraid I’ll break the needle, even through a thin cloth.
I’ve never had a needle break. I’ve had one bend while trying to put on the little cap, but never break. I’m thinking that would be extremely unlikely.
I’ve heard that people give themselves shots through their clothing all of the time. I’ve never done it. To me it just doesn’t seem like it would be to sanitary but that’s just me.
Almost every jab I do goes through clothing. I mostly jab in my thigh straight through my trousers, and occasionally though my top / singlet or whatever - but never through more than one layer.
No problems with it, other than the odd blood spot on my clothes.
No needle breakages, nor even a bend - and sometimes I inject through thick jeans, so I guess they can handle a lot!
Just make sure you’re aware if you have bruises, stretch marks, etc that you want to avoid. OUCHIES!
All the time. I’ve finally worked out the precise sensation that means “You’ve got a bleeder” and so manage to stem the blood flow with my fingers just before it hits the fabric.
I have recently switched from injecting my tummy to using the upper top of my thigh because I got really really tired of being full of big black bruises. For some reason the upper part of the thigh rarely bruises, and when it does, it isn’t the huge ugly black mess that the tummy gets. The thigh doesn’t bleed much either This might not work if you are a very thin male but I have enough fat there to pinch up enough to inject with a short needle. It does need to be pinched.
It’s summer now so I’m wearing shorts, but a couple times I’ve injected through pants. The biggest problem is that because I use such thin needles, I’m not always sure I’ve gotten through.
BTW, injecting in the thigh is supposed to be slower, but I haven’t seen this to be the case. I use very small doses–anywhere from 1- at most 4 units so that might be part of it.
I find the opposite, my thighs really hurt when I inject, but I can’t even feel it in my tummy. I think part of it is that there is more fat on my stomach than on my legs, so it’s easier not to hit a muscle. I also have a HUGE problem with hitting large blood vessels in my thighs… eeep!
I have injected through my jeans and stuff like that.I rather not do it but sometimes it just makes it easier ,especially in a restaurant.
I inject through my pants all the time. Sometimes its hard though because you can’t always tell if it has gone in.
I’ve never injected through my clothes. But I also use the thinnest gauge, shortest length needle possible, so I’d think it would bend. Plus, I think I would probably wind up drawing more blood. It happens sometimes anyway, but I’d think it would be more difficult putting it in flush against the skin and straight.
I inject in my tummy, so I can discreetly pick up my shirt a little to do it. However, if I injected in my thigh, I might try through the fabric.
I also inject through my clothing regularly. Typically it’s through a collared shirt w/t-shirt underneath while at work, but I’ve also poked myself through jeans at a restaurant etc. I don’t usually have bleeders though, so that makes it easy for me I guess.
When I started on insulin in Nov of 2007, I would always go to the mensroom while at work or at a restaurant. The work mensroom is fine as it’s usually clean. I tried the mensrooms at various restaurants and you’re either standing in the middle of a small area trying to stay out of the way - with your pants half down or there isn’t anywhere even close to sanitary to put your pen down for a few moments etc. Now, I just test and inject right at the table. I’m way over caring that anyone will see anything. If anyone has a problem with it, I’ll just throw my pen and monitor at them 
Corey
I used to inject through khaki pants and even jeans! It was my doctor who had informed me about doing that, so when I was on break at work, that’s what I would do. Blood stains on my clothes is a big problem as a diabetic…I’ve bled through my pants after injecting several times and when I go to the doctor and the nurse takes my blood sugar, she pricks my finger too deep and I end up bleeding all over the place.
I just started using insulin (with a pen) and didn’t know that injecting through clothing was possible. Most of the time I won’t have to do that (I’m at home, don’t work), but it’s nice to know it is an option.
I’ve never injected through my clothes - I like to look at where I’m injecting. Plus these days I don’t feel uncomfortable about doing it in restaurants or the like - hell I do it sitting at my desk at work. If I’m ever anywhere I’m uncomfortable about doing it, I’ll go to the mensroom instead.
I too have heard that thigh is slower to absorb - I was advised to only do my Levemir there, but to inject the Novorapid into my tummy. Tummy hurts less than thigh too 
A looooong time ago when I was a member of the Compuserve Diabetes Forum… they were having just this discussion. I’d been diabetic a long time and always injected in private, but was only doing two injections a day at that point if I recall correctly.
When I switched to more injections… something inside my brain went EEEEEENGH, and Stuart started going through clothes (clean clothes btw)… had needles bend on both pen & the normal syringes with or without clothing… iron skin
Only time it gets remotely messy is if it hits a capillary, vein, then you get droplets of red… well ok, going through flannel in winter can be interesting too but ; ) a little planning and a button or two… no problems at all injecting through clothing…
My dry cleaner sometimes loves me, sometimes hates me depends on the month
Stuart