
Picky Picky
There once was a time when it took my mother sitting on me in order for a needle to get anywhere close to my skin. I'm talking about her literally sitting down on top of me, arms spread across and pinned down on each side of the chair to make sure there was no escape route. I've had the same doctors draw my blood since I was born and whenever they see me coming they know its bound to be a very trying session. That's why when my doctor told me I was going to have to give myself insulin shots I just knew this was the end of the road. My mind instantly thought "Ok if this is whats going to keep me alive, let's start planning the funeral now". How was I going to keep myself alive if the main action was something I feared most in life? I felt like the Lion in the Wizard of Oz, I needed some courage and I needed it fast! However, there was no yellow brick road to follow, nor a wizard that could grant me that wish; I was going to have to put on my big girl panties and handle my business. Over time courage has inadvertently allowed me to view this disease as a blessing. I have faced and overcome so many previous fears I probably wouldn't have if I weren't diagnosed with diabetes, and for that I'm thankful.
My flexpens are harmless devices until I have to screw that pen needle on. When I first got diagnosed my doctor prescribed the BD .33mm x 12.7mm pen needles, the ones with the pink caps. When I screwed it on I almost passed out, the needle seemed as long as the flex pen itself. There were times when I felt like the needle was going to come out the other end of my hip or arm when I used them as injection sites. I was seriously freaking out. Even though I know I was being a little dramatic I couldn't wrap my mind around me putting this long needle into my body multiple times a day, possibly for the rest of my life. I knew I had to suck it up and come up with a way to block the size of the needle from my mind. Sumer was just around the corner and I had too many unworn pairs of shoes to be spending any time at home sick because I was too scared to take my insulin.
My life changed the day I went to fill my prescription and my pharmacist informed me they were out of my specific pen needles. Right before I left he asked if I would be interested in trying out a different needle, BD .23mm x 4mm the ones with the green cap. Seeing as I was in need of the needles due to a bad case of procrastination I took him up on his offer. GREATEST decision yet! The length of this new needle seemed significantly shorter than what I was used to. I felt like Christmas came early! While I wanted to call my doctor and figure out why this size wasn't recommended to me in the first place there was no way I could contain my new found excitement. For the first time, I wasn't too concerned with puncturing some internal organ while giving myself insulin, lol. The needle was significantly shorter than my previous needle, so the visual aspect of giving myself insulin wasn't going to be as dire as before. When I pushed the needle into my hip I had to look down a couple of times to make sure the needle had even pierced my skin, all I felt was a little pinch. Now with both the visual and physical tortures removed from giving myself insulin, I knew this process would be so much easier.
Needless to say, I love these green topped needles! They have made things a lot easier when it comes to my anxiety of injecting at certain sites and they are so much more convenient If you are using a longer needle than this like I previously was, I urge you to speak with your doctor about prescribing something shorter. I know you will be just as grateful as I am.
Let me know if you have come across anything else that has made it easier for you to inject your insulin!