5/16" vs 1/2" needles
Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2022 3:16 pm
I am writing this out of frustration.
I started tri-mix with 1/2" x 29 gauge needles, I used an auto-injector but had shimmed the applicator so only 5/16" would penetrate the skin. It worked well for a while, but after a few failures and noticed the injector didn't always hold the needle in the center so sometimes the needle would not go in perpendicular and may have been the reason for the misfires.
I decided to ditch the auto-injector. I had purchased the 1/2" needle syringes, but my compounding pharmacy sends 5/16" x 31 ga. needles. I am used to injecting now and it doesn't bother me to push the needle in, but I have had 3 failures in a row. I follow the common guidelines, 10 or 2 o'clock and perpendicular to the skin. I feel for the proper area then inject. I push the 5/16" needle all the way in.
I notice the 5/16" 31 gauge needles have more resistance when just pushing air only out, it makes sense because the passages are much smaller in the 31 ga. vs the 29 ga. When I have had the recent failures the plunger on the syringe has been difficult to push, I believe in what is said, "If you are in the right spot it almost sucks it in." I am wondering if the 5/16" needles are just not long enough to hit the sweet spot.
What are your experiences with the 5/16" length vs the 1/2" length?
I started tri-mix with 1/2" x 29 gauge needles, I used an auto-injector but had shimmed the applicator so only 5/16" would penetrate the skin. It worked well for a while, but after a few failures and noticed the injector didn't always hold the needle in the center so sometimes the needle would not go in perpendicular and may have been the reason for the misfires.
I decided to ditch the auto-injector. I had purchased the 1/2" needle syringes, but my compounding pharmacy sends 5/16" x 31 ga. needles. I am used to injecting now and it doesn't bother me to push the needle in, but I have had 3 failures in a row. I follow the common guidelines, 10 or 2 o'clock and perpendicular to the skin. I feel for the proper area then inject. I push the 5/16" needle all the way in.
I notice the 5/16" 31 gauge needles have more resistance when just pushing air only out, it makes sense because the passages are much smaller in the 31 ga. vs the 29 ga. When I have had the recent failures the plunger on the syringe has been difficult to push, I believe in what is said, "If you are in the right spot it almost sucks it in." I am wondering if the 5/16" needles are just not long enough to hit the sweet spot.
What are your experiences with the 5/16" length vs the 1/2" length?