Pump, or Injections?

[MollyX]

Hi, I have been a pump user since early 2016. Over the last year my control has been terrible, my pump sites are very sore, agony in fact! I was wondering if anyone has went from the pump back to injections? And how this was for them?

 

[MrDaibetes]

Have you ever had a pump break? Do you rotate your sites?

 

[MollyX]

Have you ever had a pump break? Do you rotate your sites?

Never had a break! I rotate from my stomach, to hips, sometimes I have even went to my legs! Nothing is working

 

[trophywench]

How often do you change your cannula? Have you ever tried a different type of insulin or if there are any for your pump, different cannulas?

 

[MollyX]

How often do you change your cannula? Have you ever tried a different type of insulin or if there are any for your pump, different cannulas?

I change every 3 days, and I have used every cannula available for my pump at present. I have never tried anything other than novorapid since going onto the pump..

 

[trophywench]

First thing I'd suggest is changing your cannula every 2 days - I found my sites very soon stop absorbing after 48 hours but I've ameliorated that by moving sites more.

Have you ever tried using eg Tegaderm or Opsite in case it's the fault of the adhesive on the cannulas?

 

[MollyX]

First thing I'd suggest is changing your cannula every 2 days - I found my sites very soon stop absorbing after 48 hours but I've ameliorated that by moving sites more.

Have you ever tried using eg Tegaderm or Opsite in case it's the fault of the adhesive on the cannulas?

I will try changing every 2 days.

I feel like the minute I jab the cannula in, its painful and this in turn makes every dose of insulin painful going in! I’m currently using the mio advance cannula . Going to change it just now and hope that every 2 days I will see a difference. Thank you 🙂

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I don’t think it’s common to go back to injections, but I know a couple who have made that change (mostly because of site/absorption issues).

Diabetes is always very individual, and you have to work out what will work for you, and then *how* to make that toolkit work for you.

I think reverting to MDI brings with it different challenges than you are used to from your years on a pump. Both are systems that can work, but equally both can be a bit of a nightmare if your ratios/correction factors aren’t right or if insulin absorption isn’t predictable.

Good luck with whatever you choose - but I’d suggest trying to ensure you can always switch back fairly easily until you know if it’s working for you.

 

[trophywench]

Being as I'm married and my husband is usually here to help me, he 'shoots me in the arse' as it were. That was a 'virgin' area since it's difficult for me to reach, so that's helped me not over-use my tummy so much, plus although I have no subcutaneous fat on my outer thighs, my inner ones are nowadays a bit flabby and better padded than they were, so occasionally I use slightly off centre of my front thighs too, another untouched area prior to this.

I'm not saying it's going to help - but hey! - you may as well give it a go.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Have you tried a different length of cannula? If not that might make all the difference for you.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Have you tried a different length of cannula? If not that might make all the difference for you.

Good point Sue! Certainly worth checking different lengths of cannula, angled vs 90-degree and metal vs Teflon in case there’s another option that suits you better

 

[MollyX]

Good point Sue! Certainly worth checking different lengths of cannula, angled vs 90-degree and metal vs Teflon in case there’s another option that suits you better

I wasn’t aware these were available! I’ve used 2 different lengths, I’m on the shorter one at the moment. But I will definitely mention this to my nurse now that I am aware. Thanks 🙂!