I haven't set a toe in a swimming pool in over a year and I was wondering for if you could share your experiences with chlorine and pump sites. I have a minimed 722.
I'm worried that if there is too much chlorine or if i stay in the water to long my site with fall off.
I've only been pumping for a year and a half (never once have i gone in a pool in that time)
Greg
I have the exact same pump as you, and I have had it for two summers. As far as I know chlorine has no effect on the site. Make sure you use the clear cap on the site when you are in the pool to prevent germs from getting into your body.
THe only time a site has fallen off for me is when I'm at the beach, in the ocean ALL day long. It could happen at the pool though. I strongly reccomend TEGADERM.
It is a sticky square about 3" x 2". What you do is, with the paper backing still on, cut a hole the size of the site in the middle of the sheet. Then simply disconnect briefly, and stick the tegaderm sheet over the white tape of the site. THis helped me so much at the beach to prevent the site from falling out.
As a final note, I prefer putting the site in my butt as opposed to stomach because people won't see it. Not that I'm that self-conscious, but...
Don't worry, go swimming!! :-)
Hope this helps!
I go swimming every summer. I'm a water bug! I've never once had a problem with my site--either freshwater or chlorinated. I'll be in the water pretty much all day long. Just remember to check your bloodsugars often since you will be disconnected. Because I'm typically so active in the water, my blood sugars stay pretty level. When it's time to eat I'll temporarily reconnect, bolus, and then head back out again.
Don't let diabetes or pumping hold you back! If there's something you want to do, go do it! Tailor diabetes to your life--not your life to diabetes :o)
I have found tht Tegaderm works great with my sensor and I am sure that it will be the same for the infusion site as well to keep things secure. I am currently on the MM 722, but in the process of swtiching to the Animas Ping. The thing with the infusion site is that I rarely have run into an falling off issues. When I first went on the pump last year I went down to Florida and was swimming for about 30 minutes a day and never ran into infusion set issues. Now while I have not been swimming due to it being Winter and all I still have not run into any problems. Being a runner and such I tend to shower at least twice a day each shower being at least 10 minutes long, sometimes longer. The showers I take are hot and never have I had a shower induced infusion set pull out.
I swim competitivley so, I'm always in the pool, somtimes everyday and I never have a problem with my infusion sites faling off. I use Cleo 90 infusion sets and use Tegaderm over them. I use an Ping pump so I can take it in the pool with me and there's never been any problems. Other than being able to see the bump on my stomach from the set and having to explain to people what "that bump under my suit" is.
[quote user="Sierra"]
I swim competitivley so, I'm always in the pool, somtimes everyday and I never have a problem with my infusion sites faling off. I use Cleo 90 infusion sets and use Tegaderm over them. I use an Ping pump so I can take it in the pool with me and there's never been any problems. Other than being able to see the bump on my stomach from the set and having to explain to people what "that bump under my suit" is.
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I use Cleo 90's, but I've never tried putting tape over it. Do you cut a hole in the Tegaderm and slip it over the small center part? Do you find that the sets don't stay in when you don't use the tegaderm? I ask b/c I've yet to have a Cleo fall out from sweatiness/wetness. They have been great for me in all conditions.
Personally I've never had any more trouble with sites coming out from being in the pool or ocean than I have from just being active outdoors. When I was in my teens I used to have a lot of trouble keeping sites in during the summer. There are a lot of fixes and I tried everyone: IV3000, Tegaderm, Mastisol, shaving the area, antiperspirant on the area, different types of sets. You just have to find what works for you. As I got older for some reason it just got easier to keep sets in (sweat less?) and I don't put any type of tape over sets anymore even in water. I don't even wear the plastic cap on the infusion sets.
Bottom line is if the tape on the set is loose before you get in water it'll be more likely to fall off, otherwise if it's on snug before getting in it should stay on fine.
Yea, I cut a hole in the Tegaderm and put it over the center part. I've never not used the Tegaderm and I think I may have forgotten to put it on a few times and the set still stayed in place. I just really don't like changing my set until I have to so I do everything I can to make sure it stays. And I think my doctor just tells everyone to use the Tegaderm over their set.
Wow, I thought as time goes by and you get used to your pump you wouldn't worry about it. I've had my pump for about 2 months I guess. And I swim and such. As a matter of fact, my boyfriend and I just went to Six Flags on Sunday and I didn't disconnect the whole day. The only problem I've had with sites is salt water. And it wasn't like they would fall off, just get a little less attached. If it were the case that I didn't want to change the site I would just put medical tape over it and it would last me another day or so.
I've always used Mastisol if my site is in my stomach and not if it is in my butt, but I've had lots of problems reconnecting after swimming, especially in the ocean. If I go in the ocean I use the cap but usually it's fine in the pool without it. Does anyone else have issues reconnecting, especially after swimming in the ocean? The tegaderm sounds like a good idea for falling off sites though.
[quote user="Sierra"]
I use an Ping pump so I can take it in the pool with me and there's never been any problems.
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Did I understand this correctly.... you take your pump in the pool?
Yes, I do.
wow i have never heard of being able to do that. my brother and I are on a swim team in the summer so I will have him look into that to make things easier for him.
I have an animas, and mine is waterproof for up to 12 feet of water for 8 hours. I do know that if your's is waterproof, that they want you to change your battery cap every few months. I go in the pool all the time with my pump and my site doesn't come off ( I don't even use the adhesive alcohol swabs ) If you are concerned, though, you should be able to order clear stickers you can put over your site to reinforce your site better.
Here is the kind I use that I am able to order on the animas website:
http://global.smith-nephew.com/us/IV3000_FRAME_DELIVERY_7749.htm
Hope this helps!
[quote user="Oanj9"]
wow i have never heard of being able to do that. my brother and I are on a swim team in the summer so I will have him look into that to make things easier for him.
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Yea, my pump is the new Animas Ping and it is waterproof for up to 12 feet for up to 24 hours.
i use tegaderm, too!!! but wat i do is wipe around my site with an IV prep wipe and then put on the tegaderm so it sticks better. i also put my site in my butt when i swim cuz it kinda sorta shields it from the water... but is you are self-conscious about your site, then go on http://www.groovypatches.com!!! just click on the type of site u have and there are all kinds or cool sticker things that you an put on ur site!!
I use groovy patches too!!!!! I've never met anyone else who has!!! Usually no one sees them (except I show them off to my friends, hehe) but I still love using them!!!!!!
I have a 715 and I love to go swimming we bought a house with a pool about two years ago and in the summer I go swimming at least 4 or more times a week. The water wont harm your softset in a bad way the only thing is that the adhesive tends to loosen up so it might come out while your in the water if you have it on for a couple of days but that really only happens if your diving in a lot. My only real suggestion it to put a timer on so that you check your count every two hrs because to me the time goes by really fast and I forget to check my self. Hope that helps! Good luck.
I have a ping too! It's great to just be able to forget about it and go swimming.
well i know someone who has a pump and you can go swimming it wont fall out