Since I was diagnosed last year with LADA. I have been injecting my basal insulin into my stomach. What are other locations I can inject my basal insulin? Are thighs good for long acting insulin or buttocks? Are there any issues with quick absorption if injected into thigh? If you are doing thigh where in the thigh is best?
With long-acting, I was never concerned about fast-absorption, so I tended to use other locations, like buttocks, thighs… I was never on long-acting only and used a rapid acting before meals, so I wanted to have different entire areas for the two to avoid scarring issues. There are plenty of potential locations – really depends on your build and fat stores.
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Considering that long acting insulin typically takes two to four hours to reach full effect anyway, trying to trim minutes off the reaction time really comes under the heading of micromanaging. I wouldn’t waste much worry on it. Fast acting, insulin, now . . . that’s a different story entirely.
So basically you can inject the basal insulin anywhere with fatty tissue correct?
Basal insulin should be injected in the subcutaneous bodyfat layer. This is critical for Lantus and Basaglar, but generally important for other basal insulin. The question of where you can inject your basal varies from individual to individual and depends upon technique. The abdomen is almost universally good since it has a good bodyfat layer. The butt is probably second best, followed by the thigh and back of the arm. If you are lean you may find you need to pinch on the abdomen and butt and the thigh and back of the arm don’t work at all. For some, with a pinch the thigh and back of the arm can work out. There is a technique where you push the back of your arm against a door frame to pinch.
I have only injected basal in my abdomen and butt. I don’t have enough bodyfat on my thighs to pinch and I’ve not tried the back of my arm.
ps. If Lantus/Basaglar is inadvertently injected into a muscle or vein it may act as a rapid insulin dropping you like a rock, so care is warranted.
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I am using Tresiba. Would that have the same effect as lantus if inserted to muscle?
I use upper thighs with Tresiba and have no issues. Not a lot of fat there either.
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Almost embarrassed to ask this question considering I have had diabetes for 20 years. I’ve been pumping for 14 years so injecting is still new to me. I ran high today and that’s very unusual but when I gave my injection I kept my pinch of the skin vs releasing it. I’m wondering if that is part of the reason I have been running high. Please let me know if they have any thoughts. I thought this thread might be a good place to ask. It literally was like I had no insulin in me.
I’m on Tresiba BTW
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When I first started insulin, I had so little fat on my body that there was little territory for injections. I also have arthritis in my spine which limits my flexibility to try to reach around and inject in my own butt. So I talked my partner into giving my Lantus in my butt. I’ve since gone from a scrawny 106 pounds to a normal weight 130, so I have more territory. But I still wouldn’t dare give injections in either my arms or thighs, as I just haven’t put weight on there. My partner still gives half of my injections for me, Lantus and breakfast bolus, so I can have greater area for rotation.
Are you splitting your Tresiba?
Both Levemir and Tresiba from NovoNordisk have a different mechanism of action for insulin dispersal. Neither Levemir nor Tresiba has the same risk of misinjection as Lantus/Basaglar. Lantus/Basaglar both caution in their prescribing information against injection into muscle or veins (there is no sort of caution with other basal insulin forms)
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No.
Reason I ask is because I am seeing a rise in the morning. I inject basal before I go to sleep.
I’ve read that some split but the big appeal of Tresiba for me is only having to take it once daily. It’s worked very well in that regard.
Funny story. When I started on insulin it was Regular and Lente. Of course the ®egular went on my right abdomen, the (L)ente went on my left. ®ight and (L)eft
Now, 45 years later basal (Toujeo) still goes in the left abdomen, bolus (novolog) goes in the right abdomen.
Some habits are hard to break!
I drew a (mental) diagram with 18 distinct sites. I just rotate through them sequentially so each one gets 2 or 3 days’ rest before being reused.
I can’t remember half what I said to people just this morning, much less 18 (!) rotation sites. To borrow a phrase from @rgcainmd, I do not have dementia (yet), but maybe I’m not taking my injection site management seriously enough!
It’s not as complicated as it sounds. They’re numbered sequentially, and anyway, ANYTHING becomes rote after a few years. LOL
I don’t need a mental diagram. I just rely on avoiding all the little red spots or bruises that have accumulated over the past week or two. That was a bit difficult when I first went on insulin and weighed only 106 pounds and there wasn’t much territory left with fat that wasn’t already bruised, but since I got back to a more normal weight, it is doable.
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one of the things that led me to join TuD in 2008 was problems I was having with poor absorption - I got encouragement to try new locations, and I actually kept a notebook of sites for a while, and my skin recovered eventually.