# Wedding dresses and insulin injections



## Cleo (May 7, 2013)

Hi all
Awkward question : has anyone ever had to deal with the delightful combination of having to inject insulin in a wedding dress?? (haha cant think of anything classier .  I have my first fitting on Friday and its just dawned on me that I'll need to deal with this issue....when I was first diagnosed I was told that arms are ok, but on a recent dafne course we were told that its a no-go area when it comes to injections.  Its a fish tail dress, obviously I want to look my best so it will need to be fitted properly but I cant really go without my insulin either.....any thoughts  / advice would be great!!!
thanks.


----------



## delb t (May 7, 2013)

No thoughts cleo - only weve been told Arms are fine-use 1 every teatime in fact -Im sure others do as well how odd that were all told different things!


----------



## Northerner (May 7, 2013)

I've heard a lot of members say that they use their arms. I've only tried it a couple of times and gave up because my arms are very skinny and I found it awkward. I believe the upper arm is what is used, at the back.


----------



## Lauras87 (May 7, 2013)

I use my arm occasionally for smaller doses of insulin.

Am trying to picture a fish tail dress for tightness on legs


----------



## HOBIE (May 7, 2013)

Thats a new one on me !  When on mdi i used to do at leased 2 a day (40yrs plus). School injections are allways in arms.  Who ever was doing coure needs to go back to training


----------



## Lauras87 (May 7, 2013)

HOBIE said:


> Thats a new one on me !  When on mdi i used to do at leased 2 a day (40yrs plus). School injections are allways in arms.  Who ever was doing coure needs to go back to training



I've been told not to do it in my arms too but I don't listen & do it every so often


----------



## Pumper_Sue (May 7, 2013)

I never had a problem with injections in the arm, infact they were used for over 40 years with other injection sites.


----------



## Northerner (May 7, 2013)

Pumper_Sue said:


> I never had a problem with injections in the arm, infact they were used for over 40 years with other injection sites.



And don't a lot of people with Omnipods wear them on their arms?


----------



## Cleo (May 7, 2013)

Thanks all !!.  Seems like the general consensus is the arm.....I only ever tried it once or twice - I never really mastered the technique, but I guess now is the time to start practicing 
I really have no idea why we were told not to use the arms...



Lauras87 said:


> Am trying to picture a fish tail dress for tightness on legs



Laura am pasting a link to the dress so you can see what I mean, and why I dont want to be pulling the dress up and down and faffing about with injections in the thigh...

http://www.mikaellabridal.com/2012/11/08/2013-premiere-collection-style-1750/


----------



## delb t (May 7, 2013)

Cleo the dress is just fab


----------



## Lauras87 (May 7, 2013)

Cleo said:


> Laura am pasting a link to the dress so you can see what I mean, and why I dont want to be pulling the dress up and down and faffing about with injections in the thigh...
> 
> http://www.mikaellabridal.com/2012/11/08/2013-premiere-collection-style-1750/



Yeah I can see why you don't want to be faffing about.

Looks beautiful btw


----------



## Cleo (May 7, 2013)

aarrghhh thanks Delb! really appreciate it .  I wanted something nice, simple and elegant, have spent hours at the gym and have had loads of hypos so it better all be worth it!!!


----------



## Cleo (May 7, 2013)

Lauras87 said:


> Looks beautiful btw



Thanks Laura !!!


----------



## cazscot (May 7, 2013)

My friend (a t1 for 36ish years) got married a week ago and injected in her arm. Her bridesmaid also carried a "dolly bag" with all her supplies in it so she wasn't worrying about where her supplies were. 

Your dress looks gorgeous


----------



## Lauren (May 7, 2013)

Hi Cleo, when I got married I had this problem! I had a huge wedding dress with a full skirt and didn't want to use my arms because I find it uncomfortable injecting there. I sat on the floor and bunched my skirt up with one hand and injected into my thigh with the other. But because I couldn't see over the dress I had my bridesmaid tell me when the needle was in! It would probably be awkward in a fishtail dress but I'm sure you'll find a way


----------



## Pattidevans (May 7, 2013)

Absolutely beautiful dress Cleo!

Just last week on my carb counting course they said arms were OK.  If you have to do it in the back of the arm could you get someone else to do it for you?


----------



## Ndel (May 7, 2013)

Absolutely gorg dress.
I got married nearly 3 years ago. I was lucky enough to have my dad there and he was a male nurse around 45-50 years ago.  But he injected in my arm. He had it done on seconds. Other than that it would have been very awkward indeed. 
Noelle


----------



## newbs (May 7, 2013)

Your dress is stunning! 

I got married before I was diagnosed so didn't have this problem but would definitely inject my arm if I was wearing the dress that you will be.  I don't inject my arms very often but now and then I do, usually when wearing a dress.  My brother injected his arms for years but was told last year by a new consultant that he should never inject his arms - I don't think he was given a reason though.


----------



## Cleo (May 8, 2013)

thanks all for your lovely comments about the dress and on the tips re injecting  - Lauren : I am impressed with your very creative approach!, "you gotta do what you gotta do" right? 

I will def do the deed in my arm, I think that makes the most sense.  I'll need someone to 'pinch' the skin though so that will either be my partner, bridesmaids or good ol' reliable mum ! 

Great to have a forum like this where you can post random questions and get valuable feedback!.  

C x


----------



## Copepod (May 8, 2013)

Lovely dress, Cleo. Your own wedding is probably one time that my approach as a wedding guest of wearing either a trouser suit or long kilt and top isn't appropriate. 

How about hitching up your dress when seated and injecting into thighs (or even calf - I know it's not a recommended site, but it will be only 1 or 2 injections)? Then make sure the blood stops before dropping hem.


----------



## Ivy (May 8, 2013)

I use my arms every day, it's my first choice as it's the least painful :S Even if you've generally been told not to it's only one day so I'd say do it!


----------



## Cleo (May 8, 2013)

Ivy said:


> I use my arms every day, it's my first choice as it's the least painful :S Even if you've generally been told not to it's only one day so I'd say do it!



Thanks Ivy - agree its only one day so I doubt it will be detrimental in any way .  Are you able to give yourself the injections or do you need some help?  I def need someone to pinch the skin otherwise the needle wont go in.


----------



## Vicsetter (May 8, 2013)

It's only a guess but using the arms you could be more likely to inject into a muscle and not fat which is not good for control. Depends on your arms I would have thought.


----------



## Northerner (May 8, 2013)

Vicsetter said:


> It's only a guess but using the arms you could be more likely to inject into a muscle and not fat which is not good for control. Depends on your arms I would have thought.



Yes, it's the reason I don't use my arms or legs, no fatty tissue to inject into, it's all on my abdomen and rump!  Mind you, I'm also unlikely to be wearing a wedding dress any time soon...


----------



## newbs (May 8, 2013)

I don't have much fat either, the only way I can inject my arm is by holding my left arm across the front of my body as tight as possible then injecting with my right, iykwim!  I don't trust others to inject me


----------



## Cleo (May 8, 2013)

Vicsetter said:


> It's only a guess but using the arms you could be more likely to inject into a muscle and not fat which is not good for control. Depends on your arms I would have thought.



Yes, I think you are absolutely right which is why I said I'll need someone to pinch my arm so the insulin gets injected into the fat as opposed to the muscle - I will def. need third party assistance as cant do it on my own 



Northerner said:


> Mind you, I'm also unlikely to be wearing a wedding dress any time soon...



Haha good to hear that you're unlikely to wear a wedding dress any time soon


----------



## delb t (May 8, 2013)

yup we have to pinch H 's arm too- and even at his mates house they pinch for him - he can do it squashed against the arm of the sofa - but it looks kinda awkward- I do recall the nurses saying pressed against a door jam but we never quite got the hang of that one!


----------



## novorapidboi26 (May 8, 2013)

As a lot of folk have said........

Your arms will be fine.........

I have never heard any HCP say its wrong etc..........arms were always perfectly fine for me.......

Diabetes is for life, you need to use as many different sites as possible.....


----------



## Ivy (May 8, 2013)

Cleo said:


> Thanks Ivy - agree its only one day so I doubt it will be detrimental in any way .  Are you able to give yourself the injections or do you need some help?  I def need someone to pinch the skin otherwise the needle wont go in.




I can do it myself, I do it right at the back, where there isn't muscle.


----------



## rachelha (May 8, 2013)

Stunning dress, I am trying to remember what I did, I think I just hauled up my dress and injected into my leg through my tights.


----------



## Flutterby (May 8, 2013)

Beautiful dress you will look stunning.


----------



## Cleo (May 9, 2013)

rachelha said:


> Stunning dress, I am trying to remember what I did, I think I just hauled up my dress and injected into my leg through my tights.





Flutterby said:


> Beautiful dress you will look stunning.



thanks rachelha & flutterby! xx


----------



## Vix (May 9, 2013)

wow, what a gorgeous dress!!! I got married a couple of years ago and at that point nobody had ever told me not to inject in my arms so I did, having said that my blood sugars ran high all day, but think that was more to do with the stress and excitement and not wanting to go hypo whilst reading my vows than anything else... One of my bridesmaids did have some gluco gel down her dress though just incase  xx


----------

