Injecting with pen, to pinch or not to pinch?

[cmci]

I've been using the pens for a few months now after switching from the syringe (I didn't ask to change, it just happened when I switched from the hospital supplying them to having the Healthcare at Home people delivering them) Anyway, I see in the leaflets with the pens and on the website it says to pinch the skin, however when I was trained up by the nurse she just placed the pen straight on to my leg and injected without pinching, so for the past couple of months I've injected without pinching too. I've never really thought anything of it til now but for some reason today I'm feeling paranoid about it..

 

[Rachael P.]

I say don't change anything if what you are doing works. I pinch, because that is how I was instructed. I will say that one time I didn't pinch, I think some of the liquid started releasing before the needle completely punctured. But then again, something else could have been going wrong as well.

 

[Miss Underestimated]

I pinch - I think the reason for pinching is to push the fatty tissue up, so that you don't inject into muscle. However, if not pinching works for you, I'd say "if it works, don't fix it."

 

[Samboi]

I pinch really hard to detract from the sting.

 

[rxgirl]

I use Cimzia, but I pinch the skin on my stomach. It seems to distract me more .

 

[Mary:)]

I pinch really hard also...and I inject myself in my tummy.

 

[cmci]

Thanks folks. I just did my injection again, pinched this time to be safe. I'll pinch from now on I think, just for peace of mind.

 

[Chicken1983]

Healthcare at home nurse told me not to pinch leg but to pinch stomach. It really hurt in my stomach so I'm sticking with no pinching in the leg x I'm guessing the muscle in the leg x

 

[shermel2]

This is a subcutanous injection which means in the subQ fat. You should not be injecting it into the muscle. It's the same kind of injection diabetics use when injecting insulin. I think the pinching helps grab the subQ fat and lift it up. Just a thought.....

 

[greeneyes1079]

I pinch, but mostly to make sure the needle goes in...it also seems that I'm one of the odd ones who prefers the stomach over the thigh. Tried the thigh 2 shots ago, and it was horrible, but my belly is just fine. I think I attribute it to the nice layer of fat there though

 

[Manzyb]

I would do whatever works for you. I never really did the pinch thing, and when they would screw up and give me the pens, I still didn't do it. I don't think it matters too much either way Just whatever works for you.

 

[mbishop]

I do a light pinch - more of a bunching up of the tissue above the muscle in my leg. It keeps me from hitting the muscle tissue itself, which tends to bruise more. The big thing I've found that helps is to relax the muscle as much as possible (still trying to find the best position to make this happen - standing, sitting, balancing on one leg, etc... - anyone have any good/bad experiences with position?)

 

[Chicken1983]

Sitting down with a relaxed leg just resting foot on floor no pinching I don't get any bruising then or bleeding but my stomach is really sore after bled and bruised and I pinched but not got much fat reserves on my tummy at the moment so might be why the steroids have swollen it up water retention or something so that may be the reason. X

 

[exit4]

Not only do I pinch the skin on my belly, I also ice the spot prior to the shot (and after the shot) while the pen is warming up from the fridge for about 5 – 10 min. I find that I do not swell or itch that much with icing.