6 INJECTION SITE ROTATION
Lumps that appear on the surface
of your skin can be a common
side effect of injecting. They may
be uncomfortable, and even
unsightly, but they can also affect
how you absorb your insulin.
With the right knowledge, you
can avoid developing them.
Lipohypertrophy - ofen called
lipos - is a thickened area of
tissue or lump that can develop
under the skin where insulin
injections are given repeatedly.
It's a common problem, affecting
two out of three people.
If you inject into a lipo, insulin
may not be absorbed properly.
This may cause highs (hypers)
and lows (hypos) and may mean
you need to either take more
insulin or have some sugar.
MAKE THIS YOUR
DAILY ROUTINE
DETECT
Look and feel for lipos around
your injection sites. If you feel
any lumps, talk to your nurse
or doctor.
PROTECT
Don't inject into a lipo. Ask
your nurse or doctor to review
your insulin dose.
PREVENT
Remember, you can reduce
your risk of lipos by:
It's important to rotate your
injection sites. Use a single
injection spot no more than
every four weeks. Speak with
your nurse or doctor if you would
like a BD injection site rotation
grid pack.
• You can inject into different
sites such as your abdomen,
buttocks, thighs, or the back of
your arms.
• Injections within each site
should be 1cm away from the
last injection and should not be
used again for at least four
weeks.
• Rotate through your sites
and spots within these areas
regularly.
LIPOS
• rotating your injections
each time
• using a new needle every
time you inject.
ABOVE: the detail on site rotation, from
where on your bod you can inject, to how to
rotate around a site (in this case the stomach)
as well as guidance to inject at least
1cm away from your last injection site.
BELOW: Dont' inject like this if you want to
avoid lipohypertrophy ('lipos').
Images supplied by BD.