blockages 1 side of tummy

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hkk1970

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Hi everyone, the past 3 times we have put Harry's cannula in the right hand side of his tummy, his blood sugars have increased up to 20 . Corrections have not brought him down so I assumed a blockage and have put it in the other side of his tummy. I cannot feel any lumps in his tummy, do you think it's coincidence or anything else. I am dreading tonight s cannula change. Thanks helen
 
It does sound like a cannula problem hkk, but it might not be down to lumps necessarily, it may be that it is hitting muscle and kinking, we have trouble with my dtrs tummy for this reason, there is too little fat and tissue at the mo. I have tried all cannulas: angled, straight and steel, steel have been about the best but she still gets the occasional blockage alarm on the tummy. We have heavy use of the top of the buttocks, she won't entertain anything on her legs :(
 
I should add also, that we have often traced a blockage back to a bump to the cannula or something of that ilk - I wonder why you have only seen bother with his right side though 🙂
 
When I have a blockage in infusion set I get an alarm from the pump. Every time I try and start it again the alarm sounds. It won't stop until I change the site.
 
Problem is with alarm is that it requires a certain amount of insulin to pass for it to go off. This often doesn't happen for the tiny amounts some kids (and adults too possibly) are on, especially through the night with just the basal running.
 
Also, if the cannula is leaking somehow, or the insulin is going in but the body is not absorbing it from there any more, the pump can't possibly detect that and won't alarm.

Over the summer holidays we seemed to be getting higher numbers on one side of the tummy and lower on the other (not into the 20s though!). It was all a bit crazy then though and has settled down nicely now we are back at school. Daughter cannot bear the idea of having cannulas in buttocks or thighs, so we are stuck with using a very small area of the tummy. I try to encourage her to spread them out as much as possible, but she doesn't like them too far out from the middle either. I'm living in fear that the favoured area will stop working altogether one day 😱
 
Hi, the right side of the tummy has worked this time !! Maybe a coincidence or dodgy cannula,who knows!! Harry would not let us put in his bum or legs so am a little worried like you Sally.
 
Sally71 said:
Daughter cannot bear the idea of having cannulas in buttocks or thighs, so we are stuck with using a very small area of the tummy. I try to encourage her to spread them out as much as possible, but she doesn't like them too far out from the middle either. I'm living in fear that the favoured area will stop working altogether one day 😱
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We still use a little emla cream prior to insertion which helps but it is still a no to thighs. There is a good amount of squishy space round the back/buttocks if your dtr changes her mind Sally, that's all we could use to begin pumping with as for first couple of years she was so young she would fiddle and pick at the cannula if she could see it 🙄 She gets her sites checked on my request when we go to clinic as I feared we had over-used but so far ok thank goodness 🙂
 
hkk1970 said:
Hi, the right side of the tummy has worked this time !! Maybe a coincidence or dodgy cannula,who knows!! Harry would not let us put in his bum or legs so am a little worried like you Sally.
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Fingers crossed it's no longer problematic! 🙂
 
Hanmillmum said:
Problem is with alarm is that it requires a certain amount of insulin to pass for it to go off. This often doesn't happen for the tiny amounts some kids (and adults too possibly) are on, especially through the night with just the basal running.
Click to expand...

Thanks Hanmillmum, I didn't realise that. I do use a lot of insulin.
 
Hi Hobie, we havent had many blockages since our week of non stop ones. So fingers crossed. We have hospital tomorrow so will mention it then. I am pleased as in the last 7 days we have had 70% of readings within range, has been hard work with me night testing and tweaking basals but I hope we are finally getting somewhere. Until he has a growth spurt !!
 
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