I just joined the Online Community. I have been a Type I Diabetic for 23 years and I am currently 25 years old. I am looking for a support group in the online community because it’s hard to cope with this all on my own. My friends and love ones help and support me as best they can. I wear an insulin pump and have worn one for ten years and my bloodsugars were fine, but now they are beginning to get out of control. It makes me afraid and sad to know that my pump sights might no longer be working. If anyone has any solutions I’m open to ideas.
Hi Chelsea @cnmcwhirt and thanks for joining “our” community. We welcome you and invite you to share your experiences living with T1D.
Just reading your brief note, I didn’t see your “About ME” profile, I suspect that based on your current age and the length of time you have been living with diabetes that you could offer VERY VALUABLE suggestions to the many teens who visit here and to the parents of young kids just learning diabetes management; it was 60 years ago when I was diagnosed as a teen and management has drastically changed during the years.
YES, your infusion sites could be wearing out. Even though I “religiously” rotated infusion sites - not returning to a region within 27 days - I began having absorption difficulties. My solution, I looked at the charts and found new areas so I was able to give my old locations a well deserved rest. Just last week at a meeting I was bemoaning the fact that I was running out of space for my infusion sites and a JDRF Board member looked at me and said “you’ve got plenty of real estate left to explore”; and I am rather slender with a BMI of only 20.1. I suggest that you look at some charts of acceptable infusion / injection sites and attempt to give your old area a rest - yep, you will be needing places for your insulin for another 75 years.
Thanks for responding. It’s nice to meet you. It’s good to hear from someone who has experience with this because it’s leaving me afraid. I’ve been talking with my doctor about what I can do because some of my rotation sites I can’t use because my pump reads with a warning of insulin undeliverable and so I’m unable to use those areas. Any suggestions about what I can do?
Hello, I am vishakha from India. I am also living with type 1 diabetes. I have been diagnosed with t1d when i was 3 year old. I am 25 yrs old.
I never used pump in my life because I am using insulin pen from starting till date for sugar level control and i also suffer this problem. Because I am taking 4 to 5 time injection shots each day and it cause lipodystrophy (damage of lipid layer). This problem have only one resolution that leave that place for a month that will help to repair that damage skin.
Rotation of injection sight is very important for us. Although rotating the sight, lipodystrophy occurs. But give it rest for a month that helps to repair the skin and again it become to ready for use.
Thank you so much for sharing this. As a parent of a 4 year old boy who has an Omnipod insulin pump, he likes it mostly on his arms and stomach and yes there are plenty of spots to alternate but this teaches me the weight of reason and how we need to alternate with his legs and lower back too! Thank you for your life experience. How frustrating to feel like something you finally learned to manage is taking a turn. I hope you learn new ideas and techniques to help control your blood sugars.