GlucoRx Pen Needles How To Use

Tips When Using Pen Needles
Comfortable Injection
If your injections hurt, try the following:
• Let your doctor decide which pen needle size is best for you; consult them about using a different needle size/pen/
injection site
• Never reuse your pen needle; this can cause bacterial growth on the needle and dull the tip, resulting in painful
injection and risk of it breaking off / dislodging in your skin.
• Remove the outer and inner caps carefully so not to bend the needle
• Inject insulin when at room temperature
• Ensure correct injection technique (i.e. skin fold), penetrate your skin quickly and relax your muscles
• Injections of smaller insulin doses hurt less; ask your doctor if you can split large doses.
Bleeding at Injection Site
It is not unusual for the needle to puncture a tiny blood vessel so some blood appears when injecting. This can be
stopped by putting light pressure on the injection site with a cotton ball, without rubbing to prevent bruising. If a
bruise appears, do not use that injection site again until the bruise goes. If you bleed frequently, consult your health-
care professional on your injection technique and/or if you have another medical problem.
Blockage
If it is hard to press the pen button or plunger down, clogging may be due to:
• Small amounts of insulin caught in the needle from previous use - use a new pen needle for each injection.
• Clump in the insulin - properly mix insulin before drawing it up.
• Prematurely drawing insulin before ready to inject, causing some to dry inside the needle - fill syringe closer to
injection time.
• Dialling excess dosage than the amount of medication in the pen - start a new pen.
Leakage from the Pen or Skin After Needle Removal
If this happens, you may not be leaving the needle under your skin long enough - try to count up to 10 slowly before
withdrawing the needle. There may still be some leakage after withdrawing a needle anyway, but this should not
affect your blood glucose control.
You should also check that if using the skinfold technique, release the pinch before you remove the needle from your
skin.
Also never carry an insulin pen with the needle already attached; this causes air to enter the cartridge and slow the
insulin dosage time.
Skin Problems at Injection Site
These can sometimes occur at the injection site due to changes in the subcutaneous fat:
1. Lipohypertrophy - appears as soft, grape-like lumps under the skin from insulin reaction or needle reuse. Rotate
injection sites to prevent development.
2. Lipoatrophy - loss of fat under skin so it dips is a rare occurrence with impure insulins.
Although less painful, never inject into lumps because insulin does not absorb well there.
Do not forget your scheduled insulin injections as this can affect your glucose levels and overall health.
Reference - http://www.fit4diabetes.com/files/6714/4293/6325/FIT_Injection_Technique_Recommendations_3rd_Edition_lo_res.pdf
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Pen Needles