Cannulas coming out

[Amberzak]

Sorry. Me again.

So last few days i've been having problems with the cannula. There was that over night one, and then the blocked cannula about an hour later. Then last night I actually pulled the cannula out in my sleep. Then today I had a shower, came down for dinner, even had pudding. It was only that I felt high, saw I was and when I did my insulin I noticed the cannula was wet. I've changed it and redone the insulin. I'm using the same cannulas I used before.

The only thing I can think that's different is that it's warmer. (Last night was a warm sticky night). Does anyone else have problems in the hot weather? What can I do about it?

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Sorry you've been having a tricky time recently Amberzak. I don't find any extra problems with warmer weather (well what counts as warm in the UK!) but I guess if I was very warm and slightly sweaty when it put the set in the adhesive might not take as well?

I do tend to find that the adhesive takes a few hours to get up to full strength - if I bend/stretch in the wrong way not long after a set change sometimes I have felt it 'give' and it has never really stick properly after that. When that happens I just overtape with a bit of Opsite, cut/fixed so that I can still disconnect whenever I need to and then it's fine 🙂

 

[Amberzak]

Guess what? Couldn't get my sugars down all night. Constantly testing. Then, just as I was drifting off to sleep when I scratched my belly. Suddenly I panicked. Again, I wasn't connected. This was the tenderlink. Before then I had tried the flexi link. When I found the pump, the cannula had no stick whatsoever.

It's been such a bad time with high sugars constantly.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Guess what? Couldn't get my sugars down all night. Constantly testing. Then, just as I was drifting off to sleep when I scratched my belly. Suddenly I panicked. Again, I wasn't connected. This was the tenderlink. Before then I had tried the flexi link. When I found the pump, the cannula had no stick whatsoever.

It's been such a bad time with high sugars constantly.

Sounds as if you need to contact your pump supplier and explain what is happening.
Just an after thought have you or are you using body lotion or moisturiser?
Perhaps consider adding some tape across the cannula for the time being so it doesn't come off.

 

[Amberzak]

Thanks Sue. That might be it. I've been using a barrier spray to reduce irritation (though I haven't bothered with this one as I put it in at 4am after I realised the other one came out, and it seems to have stuck better. Hopefully.

 

[Sally71]

We had a spate of cannulas falling out all the time, and eventually concluded that we weren't being careful enough to make sure they were stuck down properly when we put them in. Haven't had a problem since.
Hope you find the problem and feel better soon Amberzak 🙂

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Thanks Sue. That might be it. I've been using a barrier spray to reduce irritation (though I haven't bothered with this one as I put it in at 4am after I realised the other one came out, and it seems to have stuck better. Hopefully.

The barrier spray makes them stick better, just make sure you wait until it tacky/dry to the touch before you insert the cannula. (I'm assuming you are using cavilon)

 

[Amberzak]

Ahh. Don't think I left the spray chance to dry

 

[HOBIE]

The only time the cannula come off me was when I was coming out of a loft. Tube caught on top of ladder when I was coming down 😱 Jumped out of my skin. Have you tried to snap a cannula tube ? Medtronic ones are strong & will not snap

 

[Simbul]

The only time the cannula come off me was when I was coming out of a loft. Tube caught on top of ladder when I was coming down 😱 Jumped out of my skin. Have you tried to snap a cannula tube ? Medtronic ones are strong & will not snap

That sounds pretty unpleasant
I've never had it actually come out, but I know that tug very well, when I get caught up in something (usually a door handle) or drop my pump.

Amberzak, I've had the infusion set lose its grip a couple of times. Water is the culprit for me: sweating a lot or spending a long time under water seems to affect the glue. It's happened rarely enough, but usually you can fix it with a well placed plaster 🙂

Failing that, there are transparent sticky patches you can use to cover your set: they have a lot more grip but they are not great on the skin.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Ahh. Don't think I left the spray chance to dry

Ah I did wonder if you had misread the instructions 🙂 Fingers crossed problem solved.

 

[Amberzak]

Ah I did wonder if you had misread the instructions 🙂 Fingers crossed problem solved.

To be fair, I was having a hyper reading of 26 at the time too, from the earlier leaking cannula.

 

[spiritfree]

I have found Skin Tac Wipes to be the best thing I have found yet. Really strong hold of the canula. I would recomend them.