Cannula in thigh

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shiv

shiv

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Relationship to Diabetes
Type 1
On Friday I decided to be brave (ha) and put my cannula (I use Sils and insert them manually) into my massively lipohypertrophy'd thighs. I thought that as lipohypertrophy is basically a build up of fat, the site would cause higher levels at the worst.

Wrong - I have gone totally the opposite way. Since putting the cannula in there, I have had 2 severe hypos (2.4 and 2.6, which whilst not as low as I have been in the past, the way I was physically was the worst I've been in years) and multiple minor ones. If I had not been at home alone for the first one, and stubborn for the second one at work, I would have definitely needed 3rd party help.

I hovered in the 4s for a while (lovely) - quite often only held up by small snacks. Once I clocked it was the thigh site, and spoke to a few parents who confirmed their kids need much less when they have sites in their thighs, I dropped some of my basals. I then decided that that wasn't very practical as soon I'll change sites again and I might not go for a thigh site. So I'm just on a 75% temp basal permanently and I'm holding out in the 7s.

I had an enormous rebound after my 2.4 this morning and shot up to 18.2, which left me feeling as rough as hell and with stomach cramps (which I know are a sign of ketoacidosis - I did a urine dip and got nothing, but really I'm not sure why I bothered, think I will beg Dr for some more blood ketone strips). I was at work at the time and the nurses were fine with me just sitting down until I got sorted with my hypo.

So: moral of the story is that thigh sites absorb way better for me and whilst it's nice to have less insulin going round, I wish I had known beforehand!
 
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Wow Shiv, I have to run a higher basal if I use my thighs. Infact have given up trying cannulas there now.
 
I find outer thigh I need more, inner thigh I need less. but not always. in fact that's the probelm and always has been all over me!
 
Well Shiv, well done for being brave enough to try it. I have never used thighs, but always had the impression you would need less insulin as your legs are very active as opposed to your stomach.

The hypos sound awful and maybe if you decide touse thighs more often you should set another basal pattern on your pump to help.

How did you find the site for general ease, i mean did they get snagged there with clothes, do you think they could be pulled out? My legs are quite skinny (unlike my tummy), i think they would hurt me there.
 
I haven't got room for another basal pattern - I only have room for 3 and those are used up on my day off pattern, early shift pattern and late shift! I have found a temporary basal rate of 50% sees me through fine and doesn't send me high (I actually set it at say, 60 or 70% - but as I'm on tiny increments at work anyway, as low as 0.1u/hour, the pump physically can't do 70% so takes me down to 0.05).

I haven't had any clothing snagging issues really, a couple of times when I've not been paying attention I've almost caught it but generally I just make sure I steer clear of it when dressing etc. I personally don't think I'd pull it out as I'm quite aware of it being there.

I have all this lipohypertrophy so I have a decent bit of fat to put cannulas into - a while ago I tried it and hit muscle which was VERY painful.
 
I quite like using my thighs to give my abdomen a rest, and I've been lucky enough that I don't really see a difference in my insulin absorption between them. I do have to take extra care to remember that I have them in my leg when I go to the toilet though, because I've caught them a couple of times with my trousers! 😛
 
I have no fat anywhere so I have no idea what mine are going into!
 
It's also worth thinking about a dif length cannula for different areas of the body.
 
I have attempted putting the cannula in my thigh a couple of times - it hasn't been very successful. I have naturally muscly legs and every time I have inserted the cannula it has been tricky. It only seems to last a day maximum before it either bleeds out, leaks insulin or causes my muscles to react (it spasms and bruises). So if anyone has thighs like mine and has success, please could you advise as to where exactly a cannula will stay happily? I am having trouble finding new sites...
 
Err, dare I say, bottom? LOL or rather the bit just below yer waist and on the side-ish of your lower back? In my case and I know it's TMI, the part between the top of me pants but below my waistband .....
 
I had the same idea a couple of weeks ago , but sadly it didnt work for me ,like you i have lumpy sites through years of doing injections , my bs started to go up and also i found it akward in bed as i sleep on my side when i toook canulas out very red sore and just didnt work for me at all , so back to my poor tum it is :(
 
Pumper_Sue said:
It's also worth thinking about a dif length cannula for different areas of the body.
Click to expand...


Sue,

I don't understand your reasoning on cannula length, do you mean try different lengths dependant on siting to avoid snagging? As absorbtion shouldn't be affected by length.

I have had a problem with Lypo... in my stomach after years of injections so now site higher, about 3 or 4 inches above my belly button more to the side......has worked so much better. 🙂
 
Phil65 said:
Sue,

I don't understand your reasoning on cannula length, do you mean try different lengths dependant on siting to avoid snagging? As absorbtion shouldn't be affected by length.

I have had a problem with Lypo... in my stomach after years of injections so now site higher, about 3 or 4 inches above my belly button more to the side......has worked so much better. 🙂
Click to expand...

Hi Phil,
my cannula cleo90 come in 2 lengths 6mm and 9 mm I found using dif sizes in dif areas works very well.
It is pos that muscle is being hit so trying a shorter length if you are using a longer cannula is always worth thinking about.
As you say tubing length makes no difference at all to bs numbers. 🙂
 
Pumper_Sue said:
Hi Phil,
my cannula cleo90 come in 2 lengths 6mm and 9 mm I found using dif sizes in dif areas works very well.
It is pos that muscle is being hit so trying a shorter length if you are using a longer cannula is always worth thinking about.
As you say tubing length makes no difference at all to bs numbers. 🙂
Click to expand...

Ahhhhhhh gotcha! 🙂 I also use two lengths, 8mm or 10mm
 
trophywench said:
Err, dare I say, bottom? LOL or rather the bit just below yer waist and on the side-ish of your lower back? In my case and I know it's TMI, the part between the top of me pants but below my waistband .....
Click to expand...

I really like using that bit too! Works well for me, prefer it to my stomach but not as much room unfortunately.
 
I have room LOL but can't screw myself round to attach the tubing so easily these days as I once would have done!
 
Jennywren said:
I had the same idea a couple of weeks ago , but sadly it didnt work for me ,like you i have lumpy sites through years of doing injections , my bs started to go up and also i found it akward in bed as i sleep on my side when i toook canulas out very red sore and just didnt work for me at all , so back to my poor tum it is :(
Click to expand...

Hi Jenny,
don't give up hope.
Scar tissue can and does disapear over time. It took 3 years from the start of pumping untill I could use my thighs again. That was after 42+ years of injecting. Now on year 46 of insulin.
 
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