This is a bit of a random question. I wondered if there are any nurses or auto-injector experts on here?
I take an injection for migraines once a month. It is an auto injector (like an epipen) that I do myself. I have done 10 with no issue.
Last night I took my 11th. As soon as the medication was injected, I went from being able to see no vein under my skin, to seeing a vein blow up like a varicose vein (without the purple colour). Clearly injected myself into a vein and not just under the skin.
Immediately felt hot and dizzy. Not Sure if that was due to what I did or panicking about it. Rang the Drs, he said I’d be fine and to compress and ice the area. Couldn’t tell me if medication would still be effective.
Anyway! I do not want to repeat this experience. Does anyone have any advice on how not to accidentally inject into a vein? The only difference possibly to every other time was I might have been a bit higher up the thigh than normal. I do not have a lot of fat, so I use the skin pinch method to avoid hitting muscle (I have no idea how long that needle is).
What is the length of the needles? For years I used 8mm bu t my Dr. put me down to 6mm. If you are skinny 8 may be two long. Try 6 and if you are on 6 try 4 mm.
It’s unlikely you hit a vein, more likely a capillary which is much smaller. It would be almost impossible to inject into a capillary. You likely nicked it and it leaked. That ‘varicose vein’ is more likely just dried blood. It will disappear over time…
I’ve been injecting insulin multiple times a day for over 50 years.
I’ve done that I few times over the years and it’s always been fine. It’s a handful of times out of literally hundreds.
I use the automatic pen things twice a month (it was every week until about a year ago) and try to pinch the skin about two thirds of the way up the thigh from the knee and a bit higher than the mid line horizontally if lying down. I alternate legs to avoid always doing it in the same place.
Doses may be administered subcutaneously in the upper arm, thigh, or abdomen,
The needle length may be a little long but as it is also for US market that could be the reason.
You might want to try injecting in the abdomen, if you’ve got enough between skin and muscles. For the upper arm you likely need someone to inject you there as it’s more difficult to position properly.
As mentioned you are not injecting into a vein, so it isn’t dangerous and it will disappear with time.
It looked something like this straight after injecting (this is not my leg, just an example). It went down straight away as I massaged it. I assumed it was the medication going into a blood vessel.
I’m not so bothered about how it looked. More bothered that the medication might not be going where it should be going. Also nearly passing out afterwards was not so much fun.
Also I just examined the skin on my thighs and though it is not obvious I can see blue veins everywhere when looking closely.
My experience is with injecting lab rats! With the the needle lengths mentioned it is possible to hit a vein. Using the pinch method normally avoids this.
