I just realized that I am currently on day 7 of my current site and I won't be getting back home until 5. Is this a normal thing that happens occasionally to everyone, or am I stupid for always forgetting? I fill my cartridges with the full 200 units, but only take about 10/day so it takes a long time to run out. Should I just not be doing that? How can I start remembering!? I only ended up remembering this time because ripped the site partially off in my sleep last night because it was itching so bad.
We change my son's site every 3 days. I think the longest we have gone is 4, by accident. He averages 7-9 units a day so I usually fill the cartridge with about 40 so that after priming we have a good 10 for each day. Then at the end of the 3rd day we will sometimes get the 'Low Cartridge' warning and that helps prevent forgetting. You are also throwing out less insulin that way.
Not only is it not very good for your skin to keep it in for more than 3 days, it also can affect your insulin absorption. We have also had 2 or 3 sites get infected and that's not pretty either.
I change mine when I change my cartridge, which is every 2 or 2 1/2 days. You know you could just not fill the cartridge all the way when you refill - that way you won't have the chance to go 10 days without fiddling with it. If your endo knows you're going that long between site changes, I'd assume they'd be happy to re-write your prescription to accomodate that.
I am told "officially" that a site should stay in no longer than 2 days - but we all know that we don't always follow that. :)
Someone at Dtreat gave me a VERY helpful hint. I have a mac, and on my iCal, I put an "infusion set change" event. Then, I go to the customize and make it repeat every three days. That way I don't have to refill the cartridge every three days, but i'm not risking infection or getting crazy itchy as much. My computer just give me an alarm on the days that I'm supposed to change it, and then I put in a new site (which takes no time at all), and use the same cartridge and tubing.
That picture totally made my morning!! It totally captures how I feel when my levels get high and I get cranky :P
I was instructed to change my site (changing out the reservoir, tubing, and insertion site) every 2-3 days. Typically, I only fill my reservoir about half way. In the past, I've reached the 3 day mark and there was plenty of insulin left over in the pump, which means it got tossed. Now, I only partially fill the reservoir, so I'm not wasting as much. Because you are not putting as much insulin in the pump, it means the "low reservoir" alarm will go off sooner (for me, in about 2 days). So, that helps keep my site changes on schedule. Also, my skin tends to get a little sensitive with all the adhesives, and keeping it close to 2 days helps avoid that. I hate having those crazy itches from irritation!
I'm impressed that you are taking only 10 units/day. I'm averaging around 45 units/day.
Well, I'm the bad one on here. I'm supposed to change my site every 2-3 days, but sometimes I just get really busy and I forget. I've gone about a week without changing it. I only switch cartridges when it's running low, so that's about 4-5 days depending on what I'm getting into. Changing a site late won't kill you, but don't let it become a habit.
i use a billion units of insulin a day, so i typically run out before i have to worry about changing the site.
but i also only draw up what i know i will use in 3 days.
i've gone up to 5 days without changing it. my blood sugars were consistently in the 200-300s and it was total nastiness in the site when i finally took it out. (i'll the spare the details. just think "gross")
HA. i just realized my post is totally worthless, but i'm sending it anyway.
I am amazed that anyone would go more than 4 days without using a new infusion set. That is very likely to cause scar tissue beneath the skin's surface. When insulin is infused into scar tissue via pumping, the absorption is very slow or nonexistent. With slow absorption the blood sugar levels can go very high. To ensure good absorption and the absence of scar tissue, infusion sets should be changed every 3-3.5 days. I did experiment by going 4 days in 2007. There was a lump under my skin that took several days to go away, That was the beginning stages of scar tissue. I seem to be able to go 3.5 days without a problem, but I have read that some people have had some scar tissue after 3.5 days.
I used injections for more than 61 years and had never been told anything about scar tissue, or that I should rotate sites. I used my upper abdomen for most of those years. I had a lot of high blood sugar for which I had no explanation. I think now that the scar tissue was very bad on that part of my body and my highs were due to that problem. I did not find out about scar tissue until December, 2007, six months after I had started pumping. I had placed some of my sets on my upper abdomen and got a "No Delivery" alarm. The scar tissue was so bad the absorption was impossible. My scar tissue is permanent on that part of my body. I can never use my upper abdomen again. I rotate between my lower abdomen and upper legs. My blood sugar levels are so much better with a pump, primarily because I now know about scar tissue, and how to avoid it.
The other members are correct. You can fill your cartridge with the right amount of insulin for 3 or 3.5 days. I am currently using 40 units per day, and I know which mark on the side of my cartridge will give me enough insulin for a max of 3.5 days.
I am amazed that anyone would go more than 4 days without using a new infusion set.
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Haha, Richard. We seem to amaze you a lot on here ;o)
For some of us, the enticement of wearing our pump sites for longer is spending less money by ordering less supplies or just to skip the hassle of dealing with diabetes for one more day (or maybe 2 or 3 more...). We don't usually think about scar tissue, and I'm sure if it's only an occasional thing not too much scar tissue will build up. Of course, I have absolutely no idea... that's just my hope and wish :o) For the first 6-8 years I was diagnosed, I refused to do shots anywhere but my belly. After a couple experiments, I slowly rotated around to my arms, legs, and butt too. I was initially the same way with the pump - then I expanded to my legs and arms. Now I'm retreating back to my belly, hips, and back because I find I rip out the site from my arms, legs, and butt more often. And every time I do that, I see dollar signs going into the trash can.
While I don't recommend wearing a site for longer than 3-4 days (I've had the nasty infections and high BGs - no fun), I'm sure I'll probably accidentally do it again sometime. I take pretty good care of myself and am relatively complication-free (I've had my share of scares, though). No one's perfect in their D care, and I don't ever expect them to be. To be perfect is to be no fun. :o)
Ha Ha C! I guess that it is just me being older and very set in my ways. Typical of a person in his/her 70s. I have very tight control and my A1c's have been below 6.0 for many years, even before pumping. But was that good enough for me NO!! I wanted to see what it would be like to have an A1c below 5.0. I had a 5.3 several years ago and I had many hypos, some of them were bad ones. That was before I joined any online diabetes sites. Now I realize how wrong I was to try and force my A1c to go much lower. It is much healthier to keep my A1c nearer 6.0 and have no really bad hypos. If I can be D for 65 years and not have complications, I should be able to avoid them for the rest of my life. I tell people that, when I die, it will be due to something other than diabetes. I really believe that. I may get run over by a bus on the way to my next doctor's appointment!!! Lol!
Yes, that is very inspiring. I don't have D, but I care for someone who does while he's at school. (Like a school nurse, but not. lol) I'm always amazed, and at times discouraged, that D is rarely predictable and I cry sometimes thinking about what this little boy's future has in store for him. You have given me hope. I hesitate posting because I know I don't know the half of what all of you deal with, both those of you with D and parents of children with D, but I do want to let you know, Richard, that you have encouraged me.
Rachael - you are what we refer to as a "type 3" - someone who loves/cares about/cares for someone with diabetes. We are glad to see people who make an effort to understand, at any level, what living with the D is like. If only more people were like you! :) Welcome!
I guess I'm the bad one here, I leave mine in for like 5 days. Never have had any problems, infections, itching... yet.
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I'm the same way. Ever since I cut my carb intake by like 99%, I have been using maybe 30 units / day as compared to my 30 units per meal diet haha. So when all is said and done...(pump primed etc.) I have about 170 units to go through. I used to breeze through it in 2-3 days like C said. I haven't had any adverse reactions from leaving it in. I changed mine last night and I had put it in Saturday (10/16) evening...so that's about 5 days. No harm done. If I don't run out of insulin first, I will usually sweat it off or something at the gym.
Hello Rachael, welcome to our group. I am assuming the young fellow you are helping is not your son. Are you a teacher? Sorry, I am curious and do not want to ask inappropriate questions. I am 71 years old, so I am too old to know any better. Lol! Just kidding!
The scar tissue is not visible on the skin surface, it is totally beneath the surface. It gradually builds up and eventually will cause poor insulin absorption and high blood sugar. I am concerned about those of you going longer than 3.5 days without changing your sets. If you insist on continuong this way, be sure your sites are about 1.5 inches apart and that you rotate sites. That will help with the scar tissue issue. I use my lower ab for a few weeks and then switch to my upper legs so my ab can completely heal before I use it again. I did not know about scar tissue years ago and was not rotating sites. I did MDI too long on my upper ab and have permanent scar tissue there. i can never use that part of my body for infusion sets.
Grandpa Richard is concerned that some of you will have a lot of high blood sugar due to scar tissue that you do not realize you have.
The scar tissue is not visible on the skin surface, it is totally beneath the surface. It gradually builds up and eventually will cause poor insulin absorption and high blood sugar. I am concerned about those of you going longer than 3.5 days without changing your sets. If you insist on continuong this way, be sure your sites are about 1.5 inches apart and that you rotate sites. That will help with the scar tissue issue. I use my lower ab for a few weeks and then switch to my upper legs so my ab can completely heal before I use it again. I did not know about scar tissue years ago and was not rotating sites. I did MDI too long on my upper ab and have permanent scar tissue there. i can never use that part of my body for infusion sets.
Grandpa Richard is concerned that some of you will have a lot of high blood sugar due to scar tissue that you do not realize you have.
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Hi Grandpa Richard,
Some of us can rotate 1.5" or so each time, but there are still some of us who are fuzzier than the rest. I only have 2 sides - right love handle and left love handle, that are not fuzzy and not over muscle. That being said, I don't have much of an option. Now I'm sure I'm the only male with body hair here and in the minority, but that's my 2 cents on scar tissue...
