Injecting insulin

Injecting insulin is not very fun to do and I never can know how it is going to feel. I believe that is why it is always difficult for me.

Drawing up and injecting insulin

Usually insulin comes in a little bottle called a vial.

Before you draw up the insulin in your syringe or insulin pump cartridge, you must warm it first!

If you inject cold insulin it will hurt. Sometimes it feels like someone is pinching you really hard. Ouch!

You can warm it in your armpit or have someone hold it in their hands while you look for a good injection spot.

Next you fill your insulin syringe or insulin pump cartridge with air; the same amount as you would drawing up insulin.

For instance, if I am going to draw up 200ml than I fill the cartridge or insulin syringe with that much air first.

Then you insert the needle into the rubber top of the insulin vial and add the air.

Draw up the insulin and knock out the bubbles best you can.

You can use your finger to flick the bubbles out, but sometimes it needs a little more than that. I like to use a pen or something hard (comb, pen, pencil etc...) to knock out the bubbles.

The air bubbles take up space! Not only that, but it replaces that amount of insulin with air. So instead of giving yourself insulin, you are injecting air! Which can be very dangerous.

If you get a sizable bubble air bubble in your veins it could travel through your body to your brain and kill you. That's why it is important for you to pay special attention when you draw up your insulin.

Insulin Injection Sites

Instructions for injecting insulin

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