never recap a used pin. that is how people stick themselves
#injection-technique 2026-01-11
Sunday54 messages11 participantstimes are UTC
Highlights from this day
- reship_rita — is 31G noticeably better than 29G or is it marginal 20:03
- verify_or_dont — i keep the sharps bin next to the fridge so the whole thing happens in one place 20:20
- third_shift — abdomen two inches out from the navel, avoiding anything that has been injected in the last month 20:53
- lean_mass_lex — ok so cold from the fridge genuinely stings more. i let it sit out for ten minutes 20:57
- sgp_subq — warming the vial in your hand for a minute is the cheapest comfort improvement there is 22:22
thats normal
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31G 8mm
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absorption differences between subcutaneous sites are small for a weekly compound
i have eight sites and an eight week rotation. it is written on the fridge
rotate
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technique probably
not a problem
push slow
45 degrees
is 31G noticeably better than 29G or is it marginal
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warm it first
drawing up with the same pin you inject with is fine, it just dulls the tip slightly
is a small air bubble in the barrel a problem subcutaneously
ok so if you are getting a lot of bruising, look at how fast you are pushing before you blame the needle
i keep the sharps bin next to the fridge so the whole thing happens in one place
wk1 L abdo upper wk5 L thigh outer
wk2 R abdo upper wk6 R thigh outer
wk3 L abdo lower wk7 L arm back
wk4 R abdo lower wk8 R arm backa small air bubble subcutaneously is not dangerous. it costs you dose accuracy, thats the reason to clear it, not advice obviously
the needle went in fine but it stung going in, alcohol or the compound
warming the vial in your hand for a minute is the cheapest comfort improvement there is
29G in 8mm or 12.7mm for abdomen
how slowly should you actually push
nobody here should be telling you where to inject. we can tell you what we do
fresh pin
unrelated but do not aspirate for a subcutaneous injection, there is nothing to aspirate for
90 degrees or 45
i changed nothing except letting the swab dry and the stinging stopped completely
abdomen two inches out from the navel, avoiding anything that has been injected in the last month
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try the thigh
ok so cold from the fridge genuinely stings more. i let it sit out for ten minutes
thats a reaction
do you change the pin between drawing up and injecting
does injecting a cold vial hurt more or am i imagining it
push slowly. fast is what causes the ache afterwards
a proper sharps bin costs almost nothing and pharmacies will take it back
how many sites are in your rotation
i inject the back of my own arm and it is awkward but doable with a mirror
mark it down
the difference between 29G and 31G is real but small. the difference between wet and dry alcohol is not small, thats just me
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let it dry
a fresh pin for the injection hurts less. whether thats worth the extra dead space is your call, for what its worth
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i mark the rotation in a notes app because the marks fade and i lost track twice
small bubble is fine
31G 8mm for everything. i tried the 12.7mm once and never went back
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*Medutest not the other one
sharps bin
i mark the rotation in a notes app because the marks fade and i lost track twice
thats a reaction
welts at the site are usually a mild local reaction and rotation sorts it
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dont recap
22:21chlorhex pinned a message
warming the vial in your hand for a minute is the cheapest comfort improvement there is
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is there any reason to warm the vial in your hand first
do you count to five before withdrawing
i changed nothing except letting the swab dry and the stinging stopped completely
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let the alcohol dry. that is ninety percent of "my injections sting", ask me again in a month
is bruising more about the needle or the aftercare
do not reuse pins. it is not about sterility so much as the tip being blunt after one pass