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BlueSky
03-03-2008, 05:52 PM
My blood sugar was 13 (234) when I tested at 11:30 this morning. I wanted to get it down before lunch (12:30), so I decided to test the notion that insulin acts much more quickly when injected into muscle. It worked really well, my blood glucose coming down to 10 (180) within half an hour. After an hour, it was down to 6.2 (112), at which point I had lunch. It usually takes me 3-4 hours to achieve that kind of drop.

It is odd that, after thirty years of injecting, this is the first time I have tried this. Possibly it is because of my needle phobia :eek: . Injecting into muscle always seemed too drastic, somehow. Anyway, if you want to try an intramuscular injection, test every half hour until you know what to expect. It definitely works much faster. You may also find that less insulin is needed when it is injected into muscle. Apparently exercising the muscle speeds up absorption even more.

I injected into the deltoid muscle (thats the big one on the outside of the upper arm), about 2 inches below the top of the shoulder. The needle went in very easily, and there was no discomfort. I should have started doing this years ago! :o

Scratch
03-03-2008, 06:13 PM
Yeah, the muscle shot is pretty sweet to correct a bad blood sugar quickly. The rate of absorption in muscle tissue is much faster, at least I know it is for me.

I too wish I had tried this earlier.

Emm
03-03-2008, 06:54 PM
I've tried this too - but how do you know you've hit muscle? I probably have a little too much chub for the needle to reach!

I have found that arm injections work faster on me - so it's possible I'm injecting muscle without even knowing it - I think?!

Jan B
03-03-2008, 07:15 PM
Would you suggest this be done with one of the "long needles" instead of the "newer" short ones?

SharpTail
03-03-2008, 07:15 PM
I think for 25 years I have heard the warnings to not inject directly into a muscle. Well here's a way to use to our advantage. With a little experimentation it looks like it can be a good thing.
What insulin did you inject for this?

duck
03-03-2008, 07:16 PM
Can I suggest you all be sure to use alcohol to clean before you do this?

BlueSky
03-03-2008, 07:31 PM
Would you suggest this be done with one of the "long needles" instead of the "newer" short ones?
The short needles worked fine with me. I injected into the deltoid because it there is very little fat there. But, as Em has found, the forearms should work too. SharpTail, I am using Novorapid. Duck's suggestion to clean well beforehand sounds like a good idea. A muscular infection could be nasty.

Alice
03-03-2008, 07:35 PM
I don't understand the need to do this.

owlyn
03-04-2008, 03:37 AM
Can I suggest you all be sure to use alcohol to clean before you do this?


Why? All it does it make germs angry. It doesn't kill them.

Subby
03-04-2008, 03:57 AM
I hit the arm muscle once many years ago and never went back there - it spasmed and I hated teh feeling of muscle on neede. Is there a way to avoid that? Are there better muscles to use, eg, easier?