CommunityInjection Technique

Insulin Syringe wont draw from vial properly

23 replies15 peopleJun 3, 2026☆ Follow
Summary

why do some insulin syringes draw liquid slowly or in drops from peptide vials and how to fix the flow

The thread shows the main cause is negative pressure or vacuum inside the vial that resists withdrawal. Multiple users report that first injecting an equal volume of air into the vial equalizes pressure and allows steady flow. Others note that thicker peptides, poor syringe quality, or hitting the wrong part of the stopper can also slow the draw. Venting the vial during reconstitution prevents the problem from the start.

What this discussion establishesWhere people disagree

Whether using a separate larger draw needle is worth the extra steps and waste versus drawing and injecting with the same 31g syringe

Nothing here is advice.

23 replies · 15 people
NorthBramble10archiveopening postJun 3

I'm struggling to pull my peptides with these insulin syringes from amazon and can't tell if it's the brand or my technique. The ones I'm using are 1ml 31G 5/16 inch and they only pull fluid in drops instead of a steady stream. That makes dosing difficult because air bubbles keep forming and I have to keep pushing them out and trying again. Earlier 30g and 31g syringes from other generic sellers on the same site worked fine with smooth flow. After this box I'm moving to better known brands but I still want to know if it's just these particular ones.

CopperSignal27archiveJun 3

It could be low pressure inside the vial making it hard to pull the liquid. If you have a loose needle you can stick it in first and check whether air rushes in. Another way is to draw some air into the syringe before inserting it and push that air into the vial to balance the pressure. Don't add too much or the stopper can pop out. The inexpensive syringes might simply be poorly made but it's surprising they would be that bad and still function at all. The cheap ones I tried worked okay.

GreyBramble92archiveJun 3
↳ replying to @NorthBramble10 (opening post)

I ran into the same problem and solved it by pushing air from the syringe into the vial first so it had some pressure. That made the draw work normally.

SlowLedger31archiveJun 3

My recent vials did the same thing. I had to push in a dose worth of air first or the vial would lock up. With no pressure difference and a vacuum there was no fluid movement and the plunger was very hard to pull.

LevelCinder55archiveJun 3

You didn't mention what liquid you're pulling. Some peptides thicken when kept cold. Adding air to the vial before drawing is always helpful. Even then certain peptides still come out only drop by drop. It can be annoying but it does make combining two peptides in one shot easier.

ClearQuill84archiveJun 3

I had the same trouble with my first vials because I didn't vent them right during mixing. It's simple to correct. You can insert just a needle and let the pressure equalize or use the syringe itself to pull air out until the plunger comes free. Doing the venting step while reconstituting stops the issue later.

NorthQuill51archiveJun 3

Have you thought about leaving a venting needle in place while you draw?

LevelPebble75archiveJun 3

I vent after reconstitution and before each dose I push in the same amount of air that I'm about to draw. That gets the liquid flowing.

PlainAlder11archiveJun 3

Whatever your planned dose is, first draw that amount of air and push it into the vial. It really helps. I'm picky about syringes and only use certain 31g 8mm ones. Also if you keep going in and out of the stopper multiple times it dulls the needle and makes later injections painful.

PlainAlder11archiveJun 18

You posted this on 6/3.

WryCompass65archiveJun 18

I've seen this with some of the thicker or more finicky peptides. Try drawing air into the syringe and pumping it into the vial first to create pressure that helps the draw. If that doesn't fix it then switch to higher quality syringes because cheap ones can have bad needle tips and weak seals that end up costing more later.

KeenFenwick72archiveJun 18

Push air in before you draw. That's basic. If the liquid is still too thick you can try a slightly larger needle size.

PlainAlder11archiveJun 18

If you filter into a fresh vial and vent while transferring the liquid there won't be any vacuum left. That's why pushing air in first works. You don't have to remove the syringe, just draw what you need after the air is in.

PlainAlder11archiveJun 18
↳ replying to @KeenFenwick72

I use 31g and just draw slower since it takes a little longer to fill. It's also best to put the needle right in the center of the stopper where there's less material to go through.

KeenFenwick72archiveJun 18
↳ replying to @PlainAlder11

We have 29g needles and they work well for this. It helps that my partner is used to giving daily insulin shots. Edit: I got the numbers mixed up, we actually use the smaller ones too, sorry.

BlueAlder28archiveJun 18
↳ replying to @KeenFenwick72

That's reversed. The 29g exceeds the 31g.

KeenFenwick72archiveJun 18
↳ replying to @BlueAlder28

Thanks for catching my mistake, I'll fix it. Sorry about that.

SharpHarbour71archiveJun 18
↳ replying to @NorthBramble10 (opening post)

Draw with a 21 or 22g needle and inject with the 31g insulin syringe.

BlueAlder28archiveJun 18
↳ replying to @NorthBramble10 (opening post)

Since other brands worked fine for you but these ones don't, switching needles seems like the obvious next step. A couple other things could be going on. Needles can bend while drawing or during injection and a crease will block flow badly. Check the rubber stopper on the vial too. Some have a small easy spot in the middle and thicker areas around it, so make sure you're hitting the right part.

LevelThistle44archiveJun 18
↳ replying to @SharpHarbour71

Using a separate draw needle isn't necessary and just wastes supplies for peptide use.

SharpCompass66archiveJun 18

The 31g needles do draw slower because they're thinner. Pull the plunger back slowly so you don't create extra resistance that makes it drip. Also when the vial is upside down there can be an air bubble in the neck. If the needle is in that bubble you'll only get air. Turn the vial slowly or give it a light shake to release the bubble before drawing.

PlainAlder11archiveJun 18
↳ replying to @SharpCompass66

I push the air in with the vial upright then flip it and draw slowly. If you push the air in while the vial is upside down you end up with lots of bubbles.

PlainAlder11archiveJun 18
↳ replying to @SharpHarbour71

That means buying luer lock syringes plus two different needles. Not worth it in my view but it's your choice.

SharpHarbour71archiveJun 19
↳ replying to @PlainAlder11

That's what I've done for over ten years. I started with TRT because the oil is very hard to draw with a fine needle. Luer lock setups are the only way I would do it now and they cost about the same as the non-luer versions.

Add your experience

If you have tried it, this topic is still open. Sign in to reply — it takes a minute.