# Diabetics take the shot in the stomach? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 25, 2008, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diabetics-take-the-shot-in-the-stomach/446848 "2008-04-25T14:30:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diabetics-take-the-shot-in-the-stomach/446848/1 "2008-04-25T14:30:03Z")
A friend of mine with diabeties mentioned they take their insulin shot in the stomach? I think I’m being whooshed. I didn’t probe for further details, however. I lived with a diabetic roommate for a while and they always used their upper leg. Is this something new or is someone having a laugh at my expense? ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diabetics-take-the-shot-in-the-stomach/446848/2 "2008-04-25T14:43:37Z")
It’s not literally their stomach, just the abdominal region. Diabetics will often rotate injection sites to avoid one area becoming irritated. The insulin injection is subcutaneous, which means the insulin is deposited under the skin in a vascular region, where it is gradually absorbed into the bloodstream. My dad usually injects in his abdomen as does your friend. Besides, your stomach is really located up toward your left rib, right under your lungs and diaphragm. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diabetics-take-the-shot-in-the-stomach/446848/3 "2008-04-25T15:05:51Z")
Using the same site too often can cause nerve and tissue damage or scarring. Diabetics are urged to rotate their injection sites, using a different one for each injection. They are often given a chart or diagram something like [this](http://www.humalog.com/images/240_340_a.gif) to check off each site as they use it. (Each individual square is one site on that drawing.) ---
**Author:** ![Huerta88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/82dd89/32.png) [@Huerta88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Huerta88)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diabetics-take-the-shot-in-the-stomach/446848/4 "2008-04-25T15:55:01Z")
Someone may be confusing different types of injections. Years ago, I remember hearing that rabies shots (specifically) had to be given only in the stomach, and were reputed to be very painful. Not sure if that was true, but that was the received wisdom passed on to me in the context of “hey don’t go near that strange dog.” ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diabetics-take-the-shot-in-the-stomach/446848/5 "2008-04-25T16:06:11Z")
[QUOTE=Huerta88] Someone may be confusing different types of injections. Years ago, I remember hearing that rabies shots (specifically) had to be given only in the stomach, and were reputed to be very painful. Not sure if that was true, but that was the received wisdom passed on to me in the context of “hey don’t go near that strange dog.” [/QUOTE] Rabies vaccine used to be given in the abdomen. Now the shots - pre and post exposure - are given in the deltoid (shoulder) muscle, or in children, in the thigh. [http://www.vaccineinformation.org/rabies/qandavax.asp](http://www.vaccineinformation.org/rabies/qandavax.asp) Insulin is indeed injected in the middle of the abdomen (not really into the stomach, the organ that digests food), the back of the arm, the front and side of the leg, the buttocks or the sides of the middle of the back. [http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/347816/tips\_for\_insulin\_injection\_sites.html](http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/347816/tips_for_insulin_injection_sites.html) ---
**Author:** ![Carnacki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Carnacki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnacki)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diabetics-take-the-shot-in-the-stomach/446848/6 "2008-04-25T16:36:39Z")
I’ve been taking injections for diabetes since I was 3, and until I was 15 or 16 I exclusively gave myself shots in my upper leg (or in my arm if someone else was shooting me). I never really considered anywhere else, nor thought about it much. I remember being amazed when someone recommended I use my belly as well. So, the OP is not the only one to initially think it sounds weird. To be honest, I have no idea why I was so surprised, other than I never gave it any thought, and my leg was working for me just fine. I’m on an insulin pump now, but whenever I switch to injections I end up favoring my belly mainly for one reason: I rarely wear shorts, and I prefer not to take my pants off when I have to shoot up. I did hear one diabetic tell me he injected into his leg through his jeans. I haven’t tried that one yet… ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diabetics-take-the-shot-in-the-stomach/446848/7 "2008-04-25T18:09:42Z")
I use [this](http://www.lantus.com/solostar/solostar_insulin_pen.aspx) daily. Back when I was on the hypodermic/vial routine I used my upper leg now and then, but that was the most sensitive spot, and often it stung. I rotate between my stomach (right then left sides) and my biceps. I don’t use any place more than once every four days. And if you administer the shot right, you hardly feel a thing anyway. Occasionally I’ll bruise, but that’s usually if I jab too hard. ---
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2008, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diabetics-take-the-shot-in-the-stomach/446848/8 "2008-04-25T21:47:55Z")
Mrs Marcus uses abdomen, hip, and thighs - rotating round in no order I’ve ever understood! Abdomed is useful when out as it is easy to discretely lift up a top and do the injection quickly without attracting much attention. ---
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diabetics-take-the-shot-in-the-stomach/446848/9 "2008-04-26T00:05:26Z")
I watched a friend of mine give himself insulin once. Not only did he inject it into his abdomen, he did it right through his tee shirt. I was amazed, but he was an amazing guy. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diabetics-take-the-shot-in-the-stomach/446848/10 "2008-04-26T02:04:36Z")
[QUOTE=dalej42] A friend of mine with diabeties mentioned they take their insulin shot in the stomach? I think I’m being whooshed. I didn’t probe for further details, however. I lived with a diabetic roommate for a while and they always used their upper leg. Is this something new or is someone having a laugh at my expense? [/QUOTE] Are you sure it is insulin? There is a relatively new drug for diabetes treatment called Byetta that controls blood sugar but isn’t insulin. It is self-administered by injection into the abdomen a few minutes before a meal. My wife uses it and it works very well. A side-effect of the drug is weight loss, which makes it pretty popular. link: [http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/byetta/AN01315](http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/byetta/AN01315) ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diabetics-take-the-shot-in-the-stomach/446848/11 "2008-04-26T06:44:41Z")
Insulin and Byetta are both given [subcutaneously](http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=8265). SubQ injections can be given in many locations on the body, including the abdomen, thighs or upper arms. Rotating the injection sites keeps large areas of scar tissue from forming. Intramuscular or IM injections must be given in a fairly large muscle, so the areas available are more limited. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diabetics-take-the-shot-in-the-stomach/446848/12 "2008-04-26T07:10:40Z")
[QUOTE=rbroome] Are you sure it is insulin? There is a relatively new drug for diabetes treatment called Byetta that controls blood sugar but isn’t insulin. It is self-administered by injection into the abdomen a few minutes before a meal. My wife uses it and it works very well. A side-effect of the drug is weight loss, which makes it pretty popular. link: [http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/byetta/AN01315](http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/byetta/AN01315) [/QUOTE] The interesting thing about Byetta is that it’s the synthetic version of an enzyme secreted in the saliva of the gila monster. Now somebody please explain to me how they discovered that gila monster saliva is beneficial to diabetics. Back to the OP: I inject my insulin into the fat fold on the SIDE of my belly: left side in the morning, right side in the evening. For me, it’s less painful than in the leg, and fewer bleeders. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diabetics-take-the-shot-in-the-stomach/446848/13 "2008-04-26T17:55:25Z")
One advantage of injecting insulin into the abdominal (“stomach”) area is that blood flow to that region is pretty well constant. That is a real plus since it means that insulin absorption from that site will be predictable. On the other hand, if you inject into your leg and then go for a walk, the insulin absorption can be quite rapid due to the increased blood flowing into and out of the leg as a result of exercise. On another day, you might inject into your leg and then just sit around. In that case, blood flow to the leg will be reduced compared to the exercise day and insulin absorbtion reduced too. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diabetics-take-the-shot-in-the-stomach/446848/14 "2008-04-26T20:14:48Z")
[QUOTE=panache45] Now somebody please explain to me how they discovered that gila monster saliva is beneficial to diabetics. [/QUOTE] > [@](#): > > “Well, it’s weird. You have to wonder how you can go from Gila monster saliva to something that works in humans,” said Sandra Leal, a pharmacist and diabetes expert at El Rio Community Health Center. > “But when we explain it to patients, we talk about how infrequently Gila monsters eat, and how this chemical helps them digest meals slowly over time. That’s very advantageous for controlling diabetes.” [http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/health/74182.php](http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/health/74182.php) > [@](#): > > In the 1980s an endocrinologist named Dr. John Eng worked in the Solomon A. Berson Research Laboratory, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Bronx, New York. His mentor there, Dr. Rosalyn S. Yalow, won the 1977 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the development of radioimmunoassays of peptide hormones. > > Dr. Eng wanted to discover new hormones, he told me recently. Radioimmunoassays are insensitive and not a good way to discover new hormones. But chemical assays are sensitive. So he developed a new type of chemical assay and looked for hormones that no one had discovered. > > Dr. Eng first discovered a new hormone in the venom of the Mexican beaded lizard, which in 1990 he named exendin-3. But this hormone was vasoactive, which means that it contracts or dilates blood vessels. > > That prompted Dr. Eng to look at the venom of the Gila monster, which is not vasoactive. There he discovered a hormone, which he named exendin-4, that was similar in structure to glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1). While GLP-1 regulates blood glucose and satiety, as a potential drug it has a short half-life requiring multiple daily injections. He published his key paper on exendin-4 in a 1992 issue of The Journal of Biological Chemistry. > > But exendin-4 works for 12 or more hours. “That’s how it is better,” Dr. Eng says. And that is the basis for Amylin Pharmaceuticals in San Diego to invest millions of dollars to develop it. > **[The Monster Drug](http://www.mendosa.com/monster.htm)** ---
**Author:** ![GythaOgg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@GythaOgg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GythaOgg)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2008, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diabetics-take-the-shot-in-the-stomach/446848/15 "2008-04-26T21:01:14Z")
[QUOTE=picunurse] Insulin and Byetta are both given [subcutaneously](http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=8265). SubQ injections can be given in many locations on the body, including the abdomen, thighs or upper arms. Rotating the injection sites keeps large areas of scar tissue from forming. Intramuscular or IM injections must be given in a fairly large muscle, so the areas available are more limited. [/QUOTE] As a sidenote, there are other self-injectable medications aside from ones for diabetes that are also given subQ - for example, the arthritis medications Enbrel and Humira. I rotate my Enbrel (taken only weekly, but it does leave a heck of a reddened area) around the different sites mentioned. Some types of blood thinners are also injected SubQ.