[Diabetic-Canada]

Hi Everyone... Just a quick question...would it be possible to become a little resistant to insulin in a certain spot if you inject there too often?

[gettingby]

Don't really know but I guess anything is possible.

[Dewey]

Diabetic-Canada,

I do believe it is possible if any scar tissue has developed in an area that is injected repeatedly. I've noticed (though I use a pump) that after trying to use a site that has been used (or is close to one that was previously used), that my body seems more resistant or doesn't absorb the insulin as well. Also, sites are generally supposed to be rotated, so I'm not certain if you're using one spot, or one area consistently. It may just be an absorption issue. Hope this helps some.

[Diabetic-Canada]

I am using a insulin pen, and I only currently I only use my tummy... I try and rotate around my tummy, but it seems that i need to take a bit more insulin than I used to, with no change to lifestyle, or diet.

My understanding is that it is best to inject the insulin into fat, right? If I am correct about this, then I am somewhat limited as to where I can inject.

[buzzborne]

I agree with Dewey on this, it may just be an absorption problem because of a build up of scar tissue, and this makes sense as you havent changed your lifestyle or diet.

Have you tried your thighs, or even your buttocks, just to give your stomach a slight break... Though I have the same problem with you, I have limited areas really of where I can inject, i'm pretty sure that insulin is supposed to be injected into fat.

[Dewey]

Thanks, buzzborne. I think your ideas for using the buttocks or thighs are great. Another good area to try is the hips. Although it may sound odd, it works for me, and when I run out of places on my tummy to insert sets, I resort to them (hips). Each person has different amounts of fat, but for those who are leaner, I think at least the places buzzborne mentioned would be ideal. Hope this helps.

[Eri's mom]

I have to laugh b/c Eri, her dad and I are having this discussion now...lol.
She ONLY wants her shots(she uses the pens) in her arms...and her endo said it would only be a bit longer b/f she has to switch sites. I do get it in her stomach or her rear or her legs while she is sleeping, but when she's awake....OMGOSH...the girl is fanatical about using her arms.
She's 411 right now, and her attitude is out of control...oh LORD how I love puberty!!!
I've just grounded her from Teen Scene and the phone.
UGH....now my husband wants me to go in and talk to her AGAIN...so I'm off....
(can I EVER not ramble on????!!!)

[duck]

I've asked multiple endos about this. In the old days of beef and pork insulins, you HAD to rotate sites or else they would indeed become infected (basically, your body was reacting badly to the foreign insulin at the injection site), or develop a scar. Older diabetics may remember this. The newer analogs are safer in that regard, but you can create a milder case of the same issue by not rotating sites. Plus, add in the fact that the needle is indeed a foreign object penetrating the skin, and your body will naturally treat such an intrusion as an attack, and you should rotate sites.

[LauRa Lu]

The reason I came onto here today was to post this same question shpoooky!

At the moment I only inject in my belly. I've tried and tried to inject in my thighs but it always hurts and i always get little bumps. Like Dewey and buzzborne, I too am limited to where i can inject and the easiest place for me is my tummy. I tried it in my buttocks once (i thought it was certainly fat enough) but it tingled and again left a little bump...

The hips sounds like a good idea for me tho... is it ok to inject there?

[rzrbks]

Upper thighs (High as I can go) seems less painful than lower on the thigh, posterior--interesting time reaching, sometimes

Oh, yeah, and stomach.

[eevee]

Here is a link which has a picture of the areas one can use.... It has other useful info also.

www.vh.org/adult/patient/ internalmedicine/injectinginsulin/

....Eve

PS...if the link doesn't work, and you are unsure about this question, it is worth typing in the address.

[lgvincent]

Pressing my arm against something like a dorway will create a small area between two muscle groups in the upper arm. When I insert the needle at an angle I've found it to be the most comfortable place to inject the insulin.