How Often Do You Have Kinks In The Canula

[Tony R]

Just wanted to get an idea of how often other pump users have issues with their canula.

My son had a kink in his canula two weeks ago. Then a couple of days ago he said it was especially painful when he did his canula insertion and two hours later his levels started to rise so we replaced the canula.

I'm just wondering whether we're having too many issues with his canula and want to get an idea of how often other pump users have problems with their canula.

 

[Redkite]

We rarely have any problems with the cannula, unless it has been tugged on! However in the early days when he was using Quicksets (90 degree angle) he had loads of kinked cannulas. They just didn't suit him at all, and angled sets are much better. He can only use his butt for cannula sites, as there is not enough fat elsewhere. When we've tried his tummy we've had absorption problems even with the angled sets (silhouettes). Is your son having these issues when his cannula is in a particular site?

 

[HOBIE]

Hi Toney, i might have had 1 in early days but in the last 7yrs. I feel strongly about putting new canulas in when skin in good nik. After coming out of bath etc when skin is softer etc. Must be the Fairy Liquid i use 😉

 

[Hanmillmum]

Tony we are using the steel cannulas because of problems with kinking earlier into pumping. It may be worth trialling some different cannulas for your son, speak to the pump company you are with, they can send some different ones out to try.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

I had one yesterday and that was down to user error. It's very rare for me to have one though.

 

[Julia]

I reckon I get a dodgy one every 6months. Usually I know when it goes in though. Obviously it is very important to leave old cannula in place until you know new one is working.
I feel lucky that quicksets seem to work for me, and these are the first sets I tried, but I know others, especially skinny people/children (with less fat!) need to use other sets. How often are you having set issues with your son?

 

[novorapidboi26]

Been on the pump since January and not had one yet......🙂.....

I use the medtronic quickserter device to attach the cannula, I think this has been the reason, you just cant go wrong really......

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Since changing to angled cannulas I almost never have a problem - like others have said only one or twice a year, and often down to user-error.

I'm another who struggled with Quicksets. Actually I went back to use up the last of the box last month and I had 2 failures out of 3 tries which reminded me of my first year of the pump where I would get at least one dodgy set every 2-6 weeks. 😱

 

[novorapidboi26]

Since changing to angled cannulas I almost never have a problem - like others have said only one or twice a year, and often down to user-error.

I'm another who struggled with Quicksets. Actually I went back to use up the last of the box last month and I had 2 failures out of 3 tries which reminded me of my first year of the pump where I would get at least one dodgy set every 2-6 weeks. 😱

How is the angled cannula fitted Mike......?

I think the extra pounds hanging from my gut may also be a contributing factor to my success with the quicksets

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

There's a fiendish-looking 'kerplunker' that fires them in, in much the same was as the 'egg cup' one for Quicksets, but that allows you to alter the angle of insertion. I have a *much* bigger usable area now as I can put silhouettes in even where there isn't much 'spare'

 

[Munjeeta]

Hi all,

I am a not-so-newbie on the site (back after a couple of years away!) but newly pumping: I got my pump 3 weeks ago.

I am struggling with high readings this week, after thinking I was making some good progress last week! I changed my site on Tuesday evening my time (I am in a GMT +9 timezone) but it made no difference at all.

How do I know if there is a kink somewhere?!

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Hi all,

I am a not-so-newbie on the site (back after a couple of years away!) but newly pumping: I got my pump 3 weeks ago.

I am struggling with high readings this week, after thinking I was making some good progress last week! I changed my site on Tuesday evening my time (I am in a GMT +9 timezone) but it made no difference at all.

How do I know if there is a kink somewhere?!

Hi MJ, the pump will alarm if no delivery of insulin.
It sounds to me as if you need to settle down and do some basal testing.
Have a look at the top of the form and you will see a sticky of how to basal test 🙂

 

[Redkite]

How do I know if there is a kink somewhere?!

If the cannula was kinked as you inserted it, you won't know for sure until you take it out. When my son first started pumping back in 2008 he was initially using Quicksets, which go in at a 90 degree angle (he now uses 45 degree ones). Sometimes when we took them out they were bent almost L-shaped. The pump will only give a "no delivery" alarm if enough pressure builds up behind the blockage - so if you have relatively low basals you might get no alarm despite no insulin getting through. It's always advisable to schedule your cannula changes for just before a meal, so you will be running a bolus through - that way if there is a blockage/kink you'll get enough pressure building up for the pump to detect it.

In your case, it's early days after only 3 weeks, so chances are you need to tweak your basal rates and/or bolus ratios - more testing called for! 🙂

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Hi Munjeeta

It's not unusual for the first few weeks to have a few 'fits and starts' dose-wise. I was speaking to someone who started on a pump yesterday and mentioned that I had a fairly stable 6 days to begin with... then all that went completely out the window and I had to start basal levels and bolus ratios almost from scratch.

I know several other people who experienced the same thing.

As others have said, your pump may 'no delivery' alarm if the cannula is completely blocked and you may be able to see a physical bend in the tubing when you swap the set. If you have more than a handful of those in a year it would be worth talking to your pump DSN about sites/insertion technique and also alternative sets that suit your pump. But for now, assume that the insulin is getting through OK and keep testing/tweaking your levels with your DSNs advice.

 

[Munjeeta]

Hi Munjeeta

It's not unusual for the first few weeks to have a few 'fits and starts' dose-wise. I was speaking to someone who started on a pump yesterday and mentioned that I had a fairly stable 6 days to begin with... then all that went completely out the window and I had to start basal levels and bolus ratios almost from scratch.

I know several other people who experienced the same thing

Thanks so much! And sorry to hi-jack your thread, Tony R!

I have experienced almost exactly what you describe, everydayupsanddowns... It's so good to know it's not just me!

I guess I just need to keep basal testing! Should I wait to see patterns before making changes, or react as they happen? If I need patterns, how many days should I wait to see something before I make a change?

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Thanks so much! And sorry to hi-jack your thread, Tony R!

I have experienced almost exactly what you describe, everydayupsanddowns... It's so good to know it's not just me!

I guess I just need to keep basal testing! Should I wait to see patterns before making changes, or react as they happen? If I need patterns, how many days should I wait to see something before I make a change?

If I'm honest it probably took me around 6 months before I had a setup I was relatively confident in. And more like a year before I was in a good cycle of on-going fine tuning (I found some factors like DIA hard to tie down)

There is undoubtedly a risk in changing too often, and too dramatically. You can end up chasing your tail and never knowing whether you are coming or going.

How often is too often is something you will probably get a feel for yourself in time. If it's a basal change I like to get a feel that things are 'on the move' for at least 2-3 days (depending on how stable things are!) before trying a small adjustment. If I have made a change, then have a normal/uneventful day when things go terribly wrong I may simply change back, or go halfway in between, but really I would like to try out a new pattern for a good 2-3 days to see if it's better/worse/needs improving.

There are SO many other factors that can affect BG levels that changing on the basis of one test, or one day is a route to madness.

This can be frustrating... especially if your basal needs have changed sharply... but patience pays off. Otherwise you can end up in a grim cycle of weeks of up-a-bit... down-a-bit... and repeat!

 

[HOBIE]

Once in early days. Been on a pump for more than 6 years now 🙂