A ten-fold dose error caught before injection — one year on posts 31–60

Picking up post #42: that is the part I would want checked first.

Ten-fold dose error caught is a good example of a question where the honest answer is boring and the interesting answers are unsupported. I would go with boring.

This settles it for me, at least until somebody posts a reason it should not.

Reusing a needle blunts it and there is no benefit to offset that. The second injection with the same needle is the one people describe as painful.

I have kept the units in throughout, for the obvious reason.

The thing about ten-fold dose error caught that took me longest to accept is that a plausible mechanism is not evidence of an effect. It is a reason to look, not a result.

I would be cautious about generalising from the ten-fold dose error caught example above. It is a good example. It is one example.

Sharps containers are a legal requirement for disposal in several jurisdictions and a sensible precaution everywhere. A rigid sealed container is the minimum.

That distinction has done more work for me than anything else in this category.

Worth separating two things that post #47 runs together.

Buying a box of the wrong barrel size is the most common regret described in this subcategory, and the reason is nearly always that the dose was decided after the syringes.

This follows post #51 rather than contradicting it.

Needle gauge: smaller numbers (30G) are finer and less painful. Larger numbers (25G) are courser. For subcutaneous injection, 27-30G is typical. Finer needles take longer to draw up but hurt less.

On balance I think that is right, and I would not bet much on it.

Counterpoint on ten-fold dose error caught, offered without confidence: the same observation is consistent with a much duller explanation, and nobody has ruled the dull one out.

Check what the graduations actually say rather than what you expect. A syringe marked in units and one marked in millilitres look similar at a glance and are not the same instrument.

One of those cases where knowing the mechanism does not help the decision.

Syringe barrel size: common sizes are 0.3 mL, 0.5 mL, and 1.0 mL. Smaller barrels are more legible for small doses. Larger barrels hold larger volumes. Choose based on your dose.

Taking post #55 at face value and following it one step further.

Needle length: typical lengths for subcutaneous injection are 4-6 mm (short), 8 mm (standard), or 10-12 mm (longer). Longer needles are needed for deeper tissue or if you have abdominal adiposity.

I read post #55 twice before replying, because I had assumed the opposite.

The honest answer on ten-fold dose error caught is that it depends, and the useful part is the list of what it depends on. Four items, in rough order of how much they matter.

Most people get the first two right and then argue about the fourth.

Fair, and the limits you put on it are the part I will remember.

I would call the community position on ten-fold dose error caught likely rather than established, and I would be comfortable defending that hedge.

Aspirating before injection: for subcutaneous injection, aspirating (pulling back on the plunger to check for blood) is not necessary and is sometimes discouraged because it is associated with more discomfort. Subcutaneous injection without aspiration is standard practice.