Another newbie - insulin resistance

[Yorkey]

Hello to everybody,

I was diagnosed Type 1, 39 years ago and have only recently been having problems with my injection sites. I have used my stomach for the Novorapid injections which I have 3 times a day and I inject with Levemir in my leg before bed. I have asked my diabetic nurse and she thought I might have ‘Lipohypertrophy’ although I do not have any lumps. My blood sugar readings have been quiet erratic lately and I’m worried as my insulin does not work sometimes. I wondered if anybody else has had this problem.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Hello to everybody,

I was diagnosed Type 1, 39 years ago and have only recently been having problems with my injection sites. I have used my stomach for the Novorapid injections which I have 3 times a day and I inject with Levemir in my leg before bed. I have asked my diabetic nurse and she thought I might have ‘Lipohypertrophy’ although I do not have any lumps. My blood sugar readings have been quiet erratic lately and I’m worried as my insulin does not work sometimes. I wondered if anybody else has had this problem.

Welcome to the forum @Yorkey

I think it would be quite common to have some issues with sites after 39 years, even if you‘ve always been quite careful with site rotation.

I didn‘t have lumps on MDI either, but I did get some fat build-up from overuse of my abdomen (which is still stubbornly there after 8 years on a pump and occasional gym/crunches/core exercise efforts!)

I tried thighs for bolus and buttocks for basal on my last year or two of MDI, and have avoided abdomen all the time I’ve been on a pump too.

If you are noticing insulin ‘going missing’ it certainly sounds like you need to look for some fresh spaces.

 

[trophywench]

I've been pumping for approx. 10-ish years now and still have non absorbent patches on my tum and on the outside of both thighs which when I first clocked them 20 years ago were actually ruddy great hollows - just happened to be wearing skintight black Thermal (M&S LOL) leggings at the time and about to step into my motorbike leathers - when I caught sight of myself in the mirror.

 

[Inka]

Yes, I lost a lot of absorption from my tummy after 4 or 5 years of using it for pump sites. There were no visible lumps or hollows - the insulin just didn’t work properly.

I then swapped to my legs, and that works well, rotated with my stomach. I’ve also used my arms for bolus injections when I was on a pen.

 

[Yorkey]

Thank you all for replying to to my query. I will try other sites although I have tried my thighs and it seems the insulin takes longer to absorb. I will keep you posted and once again thank you,

 

[trophywench]

Bum's better at absorbing than thighs - though I have found front, just every so very slightly nudging the puncture point towards inner thigh, to be nicely absorbent for me. There again I've never in my life had 'strong' thigh muscles - they could walk miles and do everything else they needed to perfectly fine but I had a sedentary job and didn't do any other exercise - can't even ride a bike.

 

[brisr949]

I use tummy for my novarapid and bum for the levimir. I did get a couple of lumps as i didnt know at the time how much of the abdomen you can use, now i go right across virtually to my sides and i found it absorbed a lot better the further away from the belly button i go.
Adam.

 

[trophywench]

Yeas - we're actually advised to not go within 1.5 inches, what's that c.4cm?, around our BB these days. Always found my midriff bulge pretty useful when jabbing, but not good since for pump cannulas - too near the bottom of my ribs or something - very shortwaisted.

(Just uncomfortable rather than absorption issues)