Which needle length for the pen?

[deluge]

kilimci33 said:

RascalRaccoon said:

For Tirz and Semax I'm using 4mm, while anything containing GHK-CU gets 8mm.

My prescription sema used to arrive with 4mm, so that's the size I bought a box of. After finishing this box, I'll test how the 8mm works for me, and if it doesn't, I'll move to 6mm.

What makes 8mm necessary when GHK-Cu is involved?

Injecting GHK-Cu deeper means you'll feel less of a sting. That's why I go with 8mm. It also makes diluting it much easier; for a 100mg vial I add 6ml BAC water (you'll have to divide that between 2 vials or pen cartridges or whatever).

Gluco-Care needles (aka Gluco-Stabs) aren't for me. With their 8mm 32ga, I've easily bent a dozen or more over the past 6 mo's.

My preference is the EZ-Touch 31ga 8mm, but when I order my next box of pen needles I'll be moving to the 6mm for everything except the GHK-Cu. EZ-Touch are virtually painless, even though they're thicker than the Gluco-Stab 32's.

 

[kilimci33]

deluge said:

kilimci33 said:

RascalRaccoon said:

For Tirz and Semax I'm using 4mm, while anything containing GHK-CU gets 8mm.

My prescription sema used to arrive with 4mm, so that's the size I bought a box of. After finishing this box, I'll test how the 8mm works for me, and if it doesn't, I'll move to 6mm.

What makes 8mm necessary when GHK-Cu is involved?

Injecting GHK-Cu deeper means you'll feel less of a sting. That's why I go with 8mm. It also makes diluting it much easier; for a 100mg vial I add 6ml BAC water (you'll have to divide that between 2 vials or pen cartridges or whatever).

Gluco-Care needles (aka Gluco-Stabs) aren't for me. With their 8mm 32ga, I've easily bent a dozen or more over the past 6 mo's.

My preference is the EZ-Touch 31ga 8mm, but when I order my next box of pen needles I'll be moving to the 6mm for everything except the GHK-Cu. EZ-Touch are virtually painless, even though they're thicker than the Gluco-Stab 32's.

What kind of pen are you using?

 

[deluge]

I've got V2 pens that came from PepPens.com. When I use them, though, the cap stays off so I can watch the process.

On a V2, the end is open and there's a spring loaded cover, which means you can inject while leaving the end cap in place. My preference is to watch the rubber stopper inside the cartridge travel, since that confirms the injection went correctly. There have been times, now and then, when the cart stopper didn't move at all, or the plastic ratchet arm inside the pen simply bent, and so on.

What I ran into, I believe, came from needing to re-use needles and carts because of unexpected circumstances in a remote spot, where for a month I had no way to get replacement supplies.

People don't think sled-dog delivery be like it is, but it do.

 

[PinKushn]

tcpnomad said:

Pocket said:

CandyCap said:

jperiod said:

Reta has gone in 2x a week for 2 months now and pinning still isn't any easier. In fairness my husband does it for me, since I'm a big chicken! So a V4 pen is on order and hidden needles are the plan. In my amazon cart sit 33g 4mm pen tips, and I keep second guessing whether 6 mm would be wiser. Fluffy is a fair description of me, so fat is plentiful. With the pen cap on, will 4 mm reach deep enough?

My pick would be the 6mm option. With the shorter 4mm needles, ISRs are more likely to occur.

Ugh. I went ahead and bought an entire box in 4mm. I'll still go through with them since they're probably okay anyway. You learn from experience.

You may be aware of this already, but the needles that ship with Lilly pens measure 4mm. Clearly they're onto something. From what I can tell, though, anything in the 4-8mm range works well. With the shorter options, there's no need to pinch the skin.

One of the manufacturers—can't recall whether it was Lilly—ran a study with obese participants. Absorption of GLPs came out the same whether a 4mm or 8mm needle was used. The 4mm version, however, went unnoticed by the majority of those taking part, and that's the reason it's the one they go with.

 

[deleted.user.26]

Just a heads-up from my own experience: with peptides that sting — Glow, Klow, Mots-c, and similar — the 4mm option feels like it doesn't go deep enough. Going with 6mm appears to place the dose beneath the layer that reacts most to those peptides. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Stace_wow]

deluge said:

kilimci33 said:

RascalRaccoon said:

For Tirz and Semax I'm using 4mm, while anything containing GHK-CU gets 8mm.

My prescription sema used to arrive with 4mm, so that's the size I bought a box of. After finishing this box, I'll test how the 8mm works for me, and if it doesn't, I'll move to 6mm.

What makes 8mm necessary when GHK-Cu is involved?

Injecting GHK-Cu deeper means you'll feel less of a sting. That's why I go with 8mm. It also makes diluting it much easier; for a 100mg vial I add 6ml BAC water (you'll have to divide that between 2 vials or pen cartridges or whatever).

Gluco-Care needles (aka Gluco-Stabs) aren't for me. With their 8mm 32ga, I've easily bent a dozen or more over the past 6 mo's.

My preference is the EZ-Touch 31ga 8mm, but when I order my next box of pen needles I'll be moving to the 6mm for everything except the GHK-Cu. EZ-Touch are virtually painless, even though they're thicker than the Gluco-Stab 32's.

Appreciate it! I'll remember that!

 

[WLBLD]

I go with the 4mm 32g since I'm a wimp and would rather not feel a thing, ha ha

 

[jperiod]

I've now tried a 5mm 32g needle from gluco care on 2 occasions, and I can definitely feel it. Neither my husband nor my son has that problem. What makes me different, I really don't know.

 

[eidos]

jperiod said:

I've now tried a 5mm 32g needle from gluco care on 2 occasions, and I can definitely feel it. Neither my husband nor my son has that problem. What makes me different, I really don't know.

Find an area of skin with fewer nociceptors: begin at your "love handles" and the upper part of your buttocks. If weight loss has left your skin loose, use the folds that appear. If not, pinch up a fold of skin before you put the needle in. Try injecting while breathing in versus breathing out to see if either changes things.

 

[PurpleSage]

jperiod said:

I've now tried a 5mm 32g needle from gluco care on 2 occasions, and I can definitely feel it. Neither my husband nor my son has that problem. What makes me different, I really don't know.

I came across a tip that coughing while you inject keeps the pain away. For me, it does.

 

[jperiod]

PurpleSage said:

jperiod said:

I've now tried a 5mm 32g needle from gluco care on 2 occasions, and I can definitely feel it. Neither my husband nor my son has that problem. What makes me different, I really don't know.

I came across a tip that coughing while you inject keeps the pain away. For me, it does.

I'm worried that if I shift, I could accidentally worsen things!

 

[Stace_wow]

jperiod said:

PurpleSage said:

jperiod said:

I've now tried a 5mm 32g needle from gluco care on 2 occasions, and I can definitely feel it. Neither my husband nor my son has that problem. What makes me different, I really don't know.

I came across a tip that coughing while you inject keeps the pain away. For me, it does.

I'm worried that if I shift, I could accidentally worsen things!

Honestly!

 

[PurpleSage]

jperiod said:

PurpleSage said:

jperiod said:

I've now tried a 5mm 32g needle from gluco care on 2 occasions, and I can definitely feel it. Neither my husband nor my son has that problem. What makes me different, I really don't know.

I came across a tip that coughing while you inject keeps the pain away. For me, it does.

I'm worried that if I shift, I could accidentally worsen things!

Oh, sweetheart. It does get better with time. Sounds like you're determined, so don't stop.

 

[jperiod]

PurpleSage said:

jperiod said:

PurpleSage said:

jperiod said:

I've now tried a 5mm 32g needle from gluco care on 2 occasions, and I can definitely feel it. Neither my husband nor my son has that problem. What makes me different, I really don't know.

I came across a tip that coughing while you inject keeps the pain away. For me, it does.

I'm worried that if I shift, I could accidentally worsen things!

Oh, sweetheart. It does get better with time. Sounds like you're determined, so don't stop.

Since May 9th I've been doing 2 injections per week, and it's only gotten harder. My anxiety is actually worse now, if anything, but I'm at the point of desperation, so here I am! Blood-Injection-Injury phobia appears to be inherited from my dad's side, and it affects some of us more severely than others, with everyone a bit different. Exposure therapy is meant to be helpful, but I'm still waiting for it to kick in!

 

[WLBLD]

jperiod said:

PurpleSage said:

jperiod said:

PurpleSage said:

jperiod said:

I've now tried a 5mm 32g needle from gluco care on 2 occasions, and I can definitely feel it. Neither my husband nor my son has that problem. What makes me different, I really don't know.

I came across a tip that coughing while you inject keeps the pain away. For me, it does.

I'm worried that if I shift, I could accidentally worsen things!

Oh, sweetheart. It does get better with time. Sounds like you're determined, so don't stop.

Since May 9th I've been doing 2 injections per week, and it's only gotten harder. My anxiety is actually worse now, if anything, but I'm at the point of desperation, so here I am! Blood-Injection-Injury phobia appears to be inherited from my dad's side, and it affects some of us more severely than others, with everyone a bit different. Exposure therapy is meant to be helpful, but I'm still waiting for it to kick in!

Before you inject, have you given icing a shot? I'm still doing it months down the line since, like I said, I'm a baby & would rather not feel anything. On top of that, I throw on headphones with something calming, shut my eyes, and just unwind

 

[reta-stacker]

HouseCat said:

Pocket said:

CandyCap said:

jperiod said:

Reta has gone in 2x a week for 2 months now and pinning still isn't any easier. In fairness my husband does it for me, since I'm a big chicken! So a V4 pen is on order and hidden needles are the plan. In my amazon cart sit 33g 4mm pen tips, and I keep second guessing whether 6 mm would be wiser. Fluffy is a fair description of me, so fat is plentiful. With the pen cap on, will 4 mm reach deep enough?

My pick would be the 6mm option. With the shorter 4mm needles, ISRs are more likely to occur.

Ugh. I went ahead and bought an entire box in 4mm. I'll still go through with them since they're probably okay anyway. You learn from experience.

SAME HERE! A new pen kit I recently purchased came with 4, 5, 6 & 8mm samples, and the 4mm ones were so pleasant, particularly when used on the arm. I bought a 100ct box. With Ipamorelin and 4mm, there's been no ISR. My 8mm ones are still around for glute injections. (Wow, that came out wrong )

It probably comes down to whom you ask.

 

[jperiod]

WLBLD said:

jperiod said:

PurpleSage said:

jperiod said:

PurpleSage said:

jperiod said:

I've now tried a 5mm 32g needle from gluco care on 2 occasions, and I can definitely feel it. Neither my husband nor my son has that problem. What makes me different, I really don't know.

I came across a tip that coughing while you inject keeps the pain away. For me, it does.

I'm worried that if I shift, I could accidentally worsen things!

Oh, sweetheart. It does get better with time. Sounds like you're determined, so don't stop.

Since May 9th I've been doing 2 injections per week, and it's only gotten harder. My anxiety is actually worse now, if anything, but I'm at the point of desperation, so here I am! Blood-Injection-Injury phobia appears to be inherited from my dad's side, and it affects some of us more severely than others, with everyone a bit different. Exposure therapy is meant to be helpful, but I'm still waiting for it to kick in!

Before you inject, have you given icing a shot? I'm still doing it months down the line since, like I said, I'm a baby & would rather not feel anything. On top of that, I throw on headphones with something calming, shut my eyes, and just unwind

At what point does cleaning happen for you — prior to icing, or afterward? I gave it a go one time, but the alcohol had evaporated by then (10-15 seconds), and the numbing effect appeared to be gone.

 

[Cafetero1108]

For GHKCU I go with 4mm, and stinging has basically never been an issue for me. That said, injecting does become less daunting over time—I improved a lot once I started doing it solo and paying attention to how I guided the needle in. A smooth, steady push means less discomfort, while pausing gives your head a chance to psych you out.

 

[WLBLD]

jperiod said:

WLBLD said:

jperiod said:

PurpleSage said:

jperiod said:

PurpleSage said:

jperiod said:

I've now tried a 5mm 32g needle from gluco care on 2 occasions, and I can definitely feel it. Neither my husband nor my son has that problem. What makes me different, I really don't know.

I came across a tip that coughing while you inject keeps the pain away. For me, it does.

I'm worried that if I shift, I could accidentally worsen things!

Oh, sweetheart. It does get better with time. Sounds like you're determined, so don't stop.

Since May 9th I've been doing 2 injections per week, and it's only gotten harder. My anxiety is actually worse now, if anything, but I'm at the point of desperation, so here I am! Blood-Injection-Injury phobia appears to be inherited from my dad's side, and it affects some of us more severely than others, with everyone a bit different. Exposure therapy is meant to be helpful, but I'm still waiting for it to kick in!

Before you inject, have you given icing a shot? I'm still doing it months down the line since, like I said, I'm a baby & would rather not feel anything. On top of that, I throw on headphones with something calming, shut my eyes, and just unwind

At what point does cleaning happen for you — prior to icing, or afterward? I gave it a go one time, but the alcohol had evaporated by then (10-15 seconds), and the numbing effect appeared to be gone.

Beforehand, I apply a reusable ice bag — the type that has a screw-on cap — for 15-20 min. Right before the injection, I remove it, then swab with alcohol to ensure cleanliness. The area remains cold for a while afterward as well.

 

[Masil]

kilimci33 said:

Masil said:

eidos said:

GT, a pen manufacturer, has published a schema and documentation: https://ganleediabetes.com/needle/

• At 4 or 5 mm, the needle reaches the correct layer by itself
  
• At 6 mm, a skin fold has to be made.
  
• At 8 mm, the injection must be given at a 45° angle (8/1.414 = 5.7 mm).

Injecting into muscle is the danger: muscle holds blood vessels, and diffusion there works differently. A further hazard is tearing the fascia (the connective tissue sheath) when a large volume goes in. Infection can follow, and surgery is occasionally needed (you could wind up like Dr. House, with a piece of muscle gone).

The pen needles I normally use: 32g, 4mm BD (Embecta)

1ml syringes: 31g, 6mm

Same here — 4mm is what I settled on, and I've been using that size for a good stretch now. Really happy with these (Europe) Mylife Clickfine Pen Needles 4mm 32G, 100 pcs - for some reason I barely notice them going in.

What type of pen are you using?

I own a variety of them - Gansulin is what I like best, though I also have a Novo4 fitted with a modified adapter and I use other brands too - being in Europe, I got mine from china