Your first injection
Prime two clicks, pinch if you need to, insert at ninety degrees, press the plunger fully, then hold the needle in place for ten full seconds before withdrawing. The ten-second hold is the step beginners skip and it is the reason doses leak back out.
This guide covers the mechanics of using the equipment. It is not medical advice, and what you choose to inject is a matter for you and a qualified professional.
Before you start
- Hands washed and dried
- Cartridge loaded, pen dialled to zero
- A fresh needle, still sealed
- An alcohol wipe and somewhere to put the used needle
- The liquid at room temperature, not straight from the fridge
Cold liquid stings noticeably more. Taking the pen out fifteen minutes beforehand removes most of the discomfort people attribute to the needle.
Step by step
Fit the needle
Screw it on straight until firm, then take off the outer cap and the inner cap. Straight matters: cross-threading bends the hub and it will leak.
Prime two clicks
Point the pen upward, dial two, press. A bead should appear at the tip. If nothing appears, prime again. This clears the air in the needle and proves the pen is delivering.
Dial your dose
Count the clicks and then check the window. Two confirmations, because dialling past and coming back is easy to do without noticing.
Choose and clean the site
Abdomen, at least two inches away from the navel, is the usual first choice. Wipe it and let the alcohol dry completely; injecting through wet alcohol is what makes it sting.
Insert at ninety degrees
Straight in, one smooth movement, not slow. With a 6mm needle no pinch is needed for most people. If you are lean, lift a fold gently between finger and thumb without squeezing hard.
Press the plunger all the way down
Firm and steady. The dial returns to zero as it goes. Do not stop partway.
Hold for ten seconds
Count them out. The liquid needs time to disperse, and pulling out early is exactly why people see a droplet on the skin afterwards.
Withdraw and dispose
Straight out, same angle. Do not rub the site. Unscrew the needle and put it straight in a sharps bin, never back in a drawer.
What is normal afterwards
A pinprick of blood, a small red mark, or slight tenderness for an hour or two are all ordinary. A tiny wet spot means the ten-second hold was too short. Persistent swelling, heat, spreading redness or anything that gets worse over a day is not ordinary and warrants a doctor.
On being nervous
Nearly everyone is, the first time. A 31G needle is a quarter of a millimetre across, and most people say afterwards that the alcohol wipe stung more. Do it decisively. Hovering is the unpleasant part.
Questions
- Do I need to pinch the skin?
- With a 6mm needle, usually not. If you are very lean, lift a gentle fold rather than a hard squeeze. Compressing the tissue hard defeats the point.
- What if I see a drop of liquid come back out?
- Almost always the ten-second hold was cut short. It is a very small amount. Do not re-dose to compensate; hold longer next time.
- What if I forget whether I dialled correctly?
- Dial back to zero and start again. Never guess. Nothing is lost by re-dialling.
- Where do used needles go?
- A sharps bin, obtainable from a pharmacy or your council, which they then collect. Never in household waste.
Starter Kit
Reusable pen, two extra cartridges, ten needles and ten swabs.