Insulin technique, more stable BG

[Pattylynne and Tigger]

Read recently that if you pull needle immediately after injection you may get a drop of leaking of insulin through the injection site. I can't see this but apparently others have. At times I do get a light smell of insulin. About 2 weeks ago I started injecting, release the skin, leave needle in for 3-4 seconds, then remove.
Tigger's numbers have been blue and green except for 1 reading of 229 and he ate an hour before AMPS. His numbers have been significantly more stable since then. Had a hard time with time change but since holding shot for a second there is a big change. Hope this holds out, might be worth a try for others. Good luck.

 

[SaraMV]

Interesting. I will definately start leaving it in there for a couple of seconds and see if it seems to make a difference. Thank you for mentioning this.

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

If you keep the plunger pressed down firmly as you remove the needle you shouldn’t get any leaking of insulin.

 

[Hendrick Cuddleclaw]

If you keep the plunger pressed down firmly as you remove the needle you shouldn’t get any leaking of insulin.

and by firmly you mean as hard as you possibly can right? That has been my experience. If I don't press as hard as I can while the needle is inserted, there is a drop of insulin left behind in the syringe, easily .25u - .5u

 

[SaraMV]

and by firmly you mean as hard as you possibly can right? That has been my experience. If I don't press as hard as I can while the needle is inserted, there is a drop of insulin left behind in the syringe, easily .25u - .5u

It doesn't matter how l hard I press it, I always have that tiny drop left over after I remove the needle.

 

[Pattylynne and Tigger]

Not referring so much to the amount remaining in the cylinder, I believe that is counted in with manufacture and calibration of the syringe. This is insulin that was injected under the skin, you need to hold syringe in for just a few seconds while the insulin is disbursed in the subcutaneous tissue then it doesn't run out the tiny hole the syringe made in the skin as you remove the syringe.

 

[Larry and Kitties]

The Lantus manufacturer says:
Slowly push in the plunger of the syringe all the way, making sure you have injected all the insulin. Leave the needle in the skin for 10 seconds.
Similar instructions for using pen needles:
Laura: Keep the button pressed all the way in. Slowly count to 10 before you withdraw the needle from the skin. This ensures that the full dose will be delivered.
https://www.lantus.com/how-to-use/how-to-inject

 

[Hendrick Cuddleclaw]

interesting. When we had a vet tech give insulin they did it in a flash -- inserted and injected all in one motion and withdrew instantly

 

[Katya]

Thank you for the information. I started to leave the syringe in for a few seconds yesterday and the numbers have come down considerably. Reading tonight was down to 6.1 (110) and we only ever had high teens or twenties (over 400) before. Seems incredible that this could make so much difference.

 

[Hendrick Cuddleclaw]

wife and I counted to five for last night's PM dose, but no freaking way are we doing 10 seconds like the Lantus people say

even five is a stretch. Hendrick would prefer we shoot quick and be done with it!

 

[SaraMV]

I started counting to 5 on Wednesday evening, and we have seen considerably lower numbers since then. We even earned our first reduction Thursday night. It can totally be coincidental, but maybe not.