Thanks, everybody for chiming in. . . . I just wasn't exactly sure of what I was seeing and neither were our kids and other adults of kids with Epis . . .

I think that putting it into ARM vs NOT using is preferable, for sure . . .

very interesting discussion.  Please feel free, anyone, to add more if you wish!!

What comes out of the syringe is exactly the same thing. The only difference is possibly the amount (though I think it should be the same) and the length of the needle.

When I got epi for a poison ivy reaction, they gave it in the upper arm, but by syringe, not by pen.

DS got it in his upper arm at the allergist's office, but that was in syringe form...fwiw.

I've gotten epinephrine intravenously in my a and as a shot in my arm in the ER for asthma (as a child).

DS accidentally gave himself the Epi in his fingers in 8th grade. He was lucky it turned it okay. He could have lost them.

Come to think of it, when I was in the ER they didn't give it in my thigh.  They gave it in my butt.

Not EpiPen, but my DS has been given epi in his arm by the doctor when he reacted to his allergy shots.

Quote from: ajasfolks2 on June 23, 2014, 05:05:04 PM
http://fauquierent.blogspot.com/2012/04/why-does-epipen-have-to-be-injected.html

QuoteIt's probably because the thigh muscle is large with lots of blood vessels allowing for multiple points of access for the injected epinephrine to enter into the blood circulation.

So, for those who understand the science of an allergic reaction...if allergic to insect bites/stings, and the bite/sting occurs on the left leg and reaction starts as leg swelling, red, hard, doubles size.....would you agree injecting in right (opposite) leg would make more sense? Doesn't all that swelling mean less blood flow?

Quote from: catelyn on June 23, 2014, 08:39:42 PM
If I couldn't do thigh, I would go for hip in an pinch over arm. 

My friend's kid shot himself in the thumb with one while playing with one when he was 5 or 6.  His whole hand was ice cold.

If I couldn't do thigh, I'd probably go for butt.  And when I was first prescribed an Anakit I was told to inject into the stomach.

My son's friend's epi was stolen by a hoodlum in training who injected himself in the meaty part under the thumb. Nobody wanted him to seriously injure himself but we were all hoping he'd at least scare the cr@p out of himself.  No such luck.  He just had the hyper active, up all night, common to many when they inject epi.

If I couldn't do thigh, I would go for hip in an pinch over arm. 

My friend's kid shot himself in the thumb with one while playing with one when he was 5 or 6.  His whole hand was ice cold.

Quote from: ajasfolks2 on June 23, 2014, 06:34:06 PM
There are quite a few of recent double amputees (sadly) these days -- due to war injuries.

My family volunteers at an organization where people with physical disabilities play adaptive sports.  We've seen many people with no legs:  ones who were born that way, became that way due to wartime injuries or an accident, diabetes complications, and other reasons.  It makes sense to have an epipen protocol for that situation. 

I merely was curious what situation you were referencing in your OP.  I didn't know if you'd encountered a scenario that I wasn't considering.

I can also see where getting it into upper arm on strong, flailing or "refusing" teenager or adult might be easier than into the thigh.

There are quite a few of recent double amputees (sadly) these days -- due to war injuries.

I have a naive question.  Unless it's a double amputee, the legs are pinned under an object, or there's been an injury to both legs, why would the thigh not be available?  The epipen can go through clothing.

Putting this in here too, as I did find this when Googling:

http://fauquierent.blogspot.com/2012/04/why-does-epipen-have-to-be-injected.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11692118