Billegitimate
New member
I tend to do a lot of experimenting and analysis to optimize certain things in my life.
(There, see how much better that sounds than calling myself OCD?)
I've been doing subcutaneous T shots since the end of February. I've never backloaded, and started using 29g 1/2" insulin syringes. It took a minute or two to load, but it worked fine if I was just patient, and only pulled the plunger back far enough to create a bit of a vacuum, waited till that filled and pulled it again. Injection was very slow though. My father in law had some 30g 3/8" syringes, and I tried one thinking it would take forever but it actually filled and injected faster! The length of the needle is a factor as well!
So I jumped online, and ordered small amounts of everything from 26g to 31g syringes. I had 7 different sizes and guages from 3 different manufacturers. Say it with me: Analytical, not OCD! <GRIN> But these things are cheap, so why not find the most comfortable and easy to use?
I eventually settled on two different syringes. A BD 31g 5/16" .3CC and a BD 27g 3/8" .5CC. If you're okay using an insulin syringe, don't have super thick oil as your base, and don't mind a little extra time to fill the BD 31g works great. The small .3cc barrel means accurate measurement of dosages (obviously below .3cc each) and the tiny diameter of the barrel generates good pressure to drive the oil out when injecting.
Before I get to the 27g, I'll mention the tuberculin syringes with separate needle tips. They waste quite a bit of oil in the detachable tip. In fact, if you take very small amounts (.13cc EOD) like I do, some of the tuberculin syringes with separate needles waste as much as .05cc! That's more than 1/3 of my intended dose wasted in the tip. So I did try a 26g tuberculin syringe with removable tip, it worked fine, but I wanted a syringe that had zero waste like the insulin needle but with a slightly larger gauge needle. And I still wanted a small barrel for accurately measuring my smaller doses.
I eventually found the BD 305536. I believe it's only sold in a set of 25 in what's called an Allergist Tray. The syringe has a cap over the needle, but no cap over the plunger, which works great for me. And I've seen a tray of 25 for as little as $2.75...or about 11 cents a syringe.
So here's what you get: A 27g 3/8" permanently attached needle and a .5cc barrel. This seems just about perfect. Easily draws the oil, not too large a needle to make me bleed after injection, and just about painless to penetrate the skin. It has an intradermal bevel on the tip, which wouldn't seem optimal, but it works just fine. It's a zero loss design, just like a slightly overgrown insulin syringe. The .5cc barrel generates higher pressure and more accurate readings than a 1cc barrel. It's small, cheap, convenient.
The only time I don't use the 305536 is when travelling. I've discovered that taking insulin syringes creates almost no reaction when bags are inspected. They see the orange needle cap, assume insulin, and just don't say a thing. The one time I took the allergy needles I was questioned. Lesson learned, and on vacation my injections take an extra 60 seconds. I can handle that.
I would encourage anyone doing subcutaneous injections to give the 305536 a try. Google "bd 305536" and you'll find many options. Enjoy!
(There, see how much better that sounds than calling myself OCD?)
I've been doing subcutaneous T shots since the end of February. I've never backloaded, and started using 29g 1/2" insulin syringes. It took a minute or two to load, but it worked fine if I was just patient, and only pulled the plunger back far enough to create a bit of a vacuum, waited till that filled and pulled it again. Injection was very slow though. My father in law had some 30g 3/8" syringes, and I tried one thinking it would take forever but it actually filled and injected faster! The length of the needle is a factor as well!
So I jumped online, and ordered small amounts of everything from 26g to 31g syringes. I had 7 different sizes and guages from 3 different manufacturers. Say it with me: Analytical, not OCD! <GRIN> But these things are cheap, so why not find the most comfortable and easy to use?
I eventually settled on two different syringes. A BD 31g 5/16" .3CC and a BD 27g 3/8" .5CC. If you're okay using an insulin syringe, don't have super thick oil as your base, and don't mind a little extra time to fill the BD 31g works great. The small .3cc barrel means accurate measurement of dosages (obviously below .3cc each) and the tiny diameter of the barrel generates good pressure to drive the oil out when injecting.
Before I get to the 27g, I'll mention the tuberculin syringes with separate needle tips. They waste quite a bit of oil in the detachable tip. In fact, if you take very small amounts (.13cc EOD) like I do, some of the tuberculin syringes with separate needles waste as much as .05cc! That's more than 1/3 of my intended dose wasted in the tip. So I did try a 26g tuberculin syringe with removable tip, it worked fine, but I wanted a syringe that had zero waste like the insulin needle but with a slightly larger gauge needle. And I still wanted a small barrel for accurately measuring my smaller doses.
I eventually found the BD 305536. I believe it's only sold in a set of 25 in what's called an Allergist Tray. The syringe has a cap over the needle, but no cap over the plunger, which works great for me. And I've seen a tray of 25 for as little as $2.75...or about 11 cents a syringe.
So here's what you get: A 27g 3/8" permanently attached needle and a .5cc barrel. This seems just about perfect. Easily draws the oil, not too large a needle to make me bleed after injection, and just about painless to penetrate the skin. It has an intradermal bevel on the tip, which wouldn't seem optimal, but it works just fine. It's a zero loss design, just like a slightly overgrown insulin syringe. The .5cc barrel generates higher pressure and more accurate readings than a 1cc barrel. It's small, cheap, convenient.
The only time I don't use the 305536 is when travelling. I've discovered that taking insulin syringes creates almost no reaction when bags are inspected. They see the orange needle cap, assume insulin, and just don't say a thing. The one time I took the allergy needles I was questioned. Lesson learned, and on vacation my injections take an extra 60 seconds. I can handle that.
I would encourage anyone doing subcutaneous injections to give the 305536 a try. Google "bd 305536" and you'll find many options. Enjoy!
