Changing line and cannula in public place - help!!

[Josco]

I am new to using an insulin pump and a few days ago I managed to pull out the cannula when I went to the loo in a tearoom (no idea how I managed it. I am so clumsy). I did not want to change the line and cannula in the toilet - apart from the hygiene aspect there was no flat surface - so I ended up explaining to the women behind the counter about the pump and they were ok with me changing it at the table. Thankfully there was only one other table occupied at the time but despite that I got agitated after the first line gave a no delivery error reading so that when I tried with another set although I did manage to insert it the sticky bit was folded back on itself and it was not going to hold for long.

I know that part of my problem was self-consciousness because I am fat (trying to do something about that just now) and felt awkward at exposing my abdomen. So what do you do, or where do you go, if you have to change the set when you are out of the house? I could not go to my car because unbelievably there was a police incident and I was not allowed to access it in the car park for some time lol. Eventually I had to speak to a police officer and explain the situation about the spare supplies in my boot and I was escorted to my car and allowed to leave. I was a bit traumatised by the end of it all!! Advice would be appreciated thanks.

 

[LeeLee]

Hi Josco, welcome to the forum. Someone should be along soon to respond to your query re: the cannula. I'm not on insulin so can't help with that I'm afraid.

Something I do have intimate knowledge of is obesity. If you find you're struggling with that, do browse the Weight Loss Group threads for inspiration and help if you get stuck.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Hi Josco

What a nightmare!! 😱

How lucky that you had more than one spare set to hand. I rarely take more than one with me if I'm within 2 hours of home.

I think you did all you could - I agree that the toilet was not a good bet. You might have been able to ask at the cafe whether there was a staff room or somewhere quiet and out of the way, but apart from that I think you did all you could.

Of course you have a little time to rectify things - probably a good couple of hours before things started to go haywire, and then some more time before things got really sticky. Having said that you were wise to try to get a working cannula in as soon as possible!

Hope it's a good long while before anything like that happens again - if ever!

 

[megga]

I have pulled mine out many of time, i remember once i was in Derby on a stag do, had a couple of drinks so could not drive, and managed to pull the thing out, no spare on me 😱 i asked the bar staff for some tape and wraped it around me lol.

Dont be embarrassed, you have a problem thats not your fault, and your weight is your thing, if your happy so what, if your unhappy, do somthing about it, but sod other people think.

One thing i have learnt, bitchy people will find fault no matter, its because they need to to make themselves feel better because they dont like who they are.
Other people, just dont care, they live and let live.

Have the attiude, "i live with this, i'd like to see try"

 

[Josco]

Hi Josco

What a nightmare!! 😱

How lucky that you had more than one spare set to hand. I rarely take more than one with me if I'm within 2 hours of home.

I think you did all you could - I agree that the toilet was not a good bet. You might have been able to ask at the cafe whether there was a staff room or somewhere quiet and out of the way, but apart from that I think you did all you could.

Of course you have a little time to rectify things - probably a good couple of hours before things started to go haywire, and then some more time before things got really sticky. Having said that you were wise to try to get a working cannula in as soon as possible!

Hope it's a good long while before anything like that happens again - if ever!

Thank you for your support everydayupsanddowns. I need to learn to have confidence in the pump and my ability to manage it I think. Part of my panic was problems with my BGs in the first week when, at one point, I went from 24 to 32 mmols and positive for blood ketones in 40 minutes. I did wonder later if a staff room would be an option. Maybe eventually I will only carry one spare set but at the moment I always have two and am like a pack horse with the supplies for the pump and everything else I need!!

 

[Josco]

I have pulled mine out many of time, i remember once i was in Derby on a stag do, had a couple of drinks so could not drive, and managed to pull the thing out, no spare on me 😱 i asked the bar staff for some tape and wraped it around me lol.

Dont be embarrassed, you have a problem thats not your fault, and your weight is your thing, if your happy so what, if your unhappy, do somthing about it, but sod other people think.

One thing i have learnt, bitchy people will find fault no matter, its because they need to to make themselves feel better because they dont like who they are.
Other people, just dont care, they live and let live.

Have the attiude, "i live with this, i'd like to see try"

Oh Megga thank goodness I am not the only one who has pulled the damn thing out. You have no idea how much better that makes me feel. The tape idea was inspired lol. I like your attitude and am going to make it my mission to adopt it 🙂

 

[Josco]

Hi Josco, welcome to the forum. Someone should be along soon to respond to your query re: the cannula. I'm not on insulin so can't help with that I'm afraid.

Something I do have intimate knowledge of is obesity. If you find you're struggling with that, do browse the Weight Loss Group threads for inspiration and help if you get stuck.

Thanks LeeLee. I am going back on the Slimming World diet this week so hopefully between that and a massive reduction in the amount of insulin I have been taking (up to140u daily prior to the pump) I will start to feel a difference.

 

[LeeLee]

Well done for getting back 'on plan'. I'm with SW as well, and have 2 lbs to go before getting my 5 stone award. Fingers crossed for this week.

(Then I have another 3 BMI points to aim for - that will get me into 'overweight' range. This time last year I was 'morbidly obese'. Toldya I had experience with weight issues!)

 

[Josco]

Well done for getting back 'on plan'. I'm with SW as well, and have 2 lbs to go before getting my 5 stone award. Fingers crossed for this week.

(Then I have another 3 BMI points to aim for - that will get me into 'overweight' range. This time last year I was 'morbidly obese'. Toldya I had experience with weight issues!)

Wow well done LeeLee. What an achievement. You go girl!! Hope I am as successful as you. I will keep your weight loss in mind to spur me on.

 

[sunflower_harvester]

Oh Josco what a nightmare! Well done for coping as well as you did. Have done set changes in many a random place- sports hall floor a the end of a zumbathon probably tops it 🙂 am overweight too so appreciate not wanting to get ur tummy out in public. However it's got to be done- simple as. You can maintain a certain amount of privacy the way you position your body- tend to turn round so I've got my back to the majority of the room whilst canulating ( in fact only the girl as next to me at the zumbathon who was a friend realised what I was up to- everyone else was oblivious!) . I also think you did the right thing having quiet word with the lady behind the counter so it allowed them to turn a blind eye instead of wondering what on earth you were doing and causing a scene.
Think you just have to hold your head up and own it. Like Megga says there will always be bitchy people who have to find fault with others and cause dramas but so what? It's a reflection on them not you- Diabetes isnt your fault and weight can change but they'll always be idiots.

 

[Josco]

Oh Josco what a nightmare! Well done for coping as well as you did. Have done set changes in many a random place- sports hall floor a the end of a zumbathon probably tops it 🙂 am overweight too so appreciate not wanting to get ur tummy out in public. However it's got to be done- simple as. You can maintain a certain amount of privacy the way you position your body- tend to turn round so I've got my back to the majority of the room whilst canulating ( in fact only the girl as next to me at the zumbathon who was a friend realised what I was up to- everyone else was oblivious!) . I also think you did the right thing having quiet word with the lady behind the counter so it allowed them to turn a blind eye instead of wondering what on earth you were doing and causing a scene.
Think you just have to hold your head up and own it. Like Megga says there will always be bitchy people who have to find fault with others and cause dramas but so what? It's a reflection on them not you- Diabetes isnt your fault and weight can change but they'll always be idiots.

I appreciate your comments sunflower-harvester and they will actually give me confidence to canulate in public if necessary now. I never worried about injecting but changing the set for the pump seemed such a palaver (I am a bit better at it now!) that I reckoned everyone and his budgie would notice lol. Common sense tells me if you can be discreet and act as though it is the most natural thing in the world that most people would not notice. Thanks for the support.