My doctor has suggested that I find 10 different spots to use as sites. That way each area has a full month to heal before it gets used again. She also said that during the winter the back of your arms work really well because you're in long sleeves anyway. So I tried the back of my arm.... I don't like it. So I was wondering where everyone else's favorite - or not so favorite - spot is.
I've used my stomach, my side (love handles), lower thigh, and upper thigh. I usually try to rotate around but I think most of the time I end up putting them in my thigh. I've never tried my arms before that seems like it could be to be annoying. What did you not like about the arms. Maybe I'll try the arms.
Hmm.. I've never used anywhere but my stomach....which may explain why it looks like a pin cushion. I tried my sides once or twice, but I found that to be uncomfortable while trying to sleep on my side. Maybe I will try the thigh....where exactly do you put it? I too could see the arm being annoying. I would think that the tubing would get caught in your shirt or something.
I only use my sweet love handles. I find the insulin is way too slow if I have it in my butt, and I find it painful and irritating in my stomach. I would be way too nervous to use my legs. They are skinny and fairly muscular.
I'm a butt man.
It keeps the tubing out of the way the best and you don't have to worry about the pant line unless you're wearing something with a really low waist. It hurts the least there, and I haven't noticed any major differences in insulin absorption.
wherever i don't have hair.
my obliques.
i have 6 areas, which gives about 17.5 days between reuse. (i leave my sites in for about 3.5 days)
i use my "love handles" on my back (which is why i require a quickserter and not a more complicated site inserter), left then right. I'm careful not to put the site RIGHT on my side because then I can't SLEEP on my side:)
Then upper butt, left then right. Amazingly I've hit muscle.. it hurts but once you take the needle out I don't typically have problems.
And then the outside of my thigh, left then right. This is a new spot for me, i'm pretty skinny but i realized i can still find a thick-ish pinch of fat. Try it. It's great having more spots, it really gave my sides a rest when they were overworked.
I don't really keep track *where* i put my site in each area... (I find even 2 weeks later I can tell visually where the old spot is, so I just try and not put my site near any old red marks. I used to just use my sides, so they were beat up for a while there.
My killer ninja abs make stomach sites a little uncomfortable, but i'll use my stomach when everywhere else is feeling beat up.
Does anyone have recommendations on what you can put on old site marks to help them heal? I sometimes use regular neosporin but i'm suspicious that it doesn't really do anything.
I'm really curious about the thigh... I overweight enough that I thought, "Thigh? No problem." But I decided to "test" where the fattiest areas are by flexing my mucles then pinching (I do the same kind of thing when inserting a set on the upper, less fatty areas of my stomach), and I came up with very little pinchable fat, even though I'm sure there's plenty. I'm just not at all confident in picking a spot because of this. I'm afraid I'll hit muscle.
[quote user="Elizabeth"]
I'm really curious about the thigh... I overweight enough that I thought, "Thigh? No problem." But I decided to "test" where the fattiest areas are by flexing my mucles then pinching (I do the same kind of thing when inserting a set on the upper, less fatty areas of my stomach), and I came up with very little pinchable fat, even though I'm sure there's plenty. I'm just not at all confident in picking a spot because of this. I'm afraid I'll hit muscle.
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Best thing to do is try it. I don't have muscular thighs, but have been surprised a few times to have bent canulas when I remove them. But only once have I had an occulsion problem.
I LOVE my stomach because the pump is out of my way (plus I have a "mommy tummy" that's really cushy now). But I'd overused the sites there after 8 years of pumping.
Don't like the arm sites at all. Butt sites always make me feel like I'm sitting on something.
@Amy - I didn't like my arm because of how it felt on the third day. The first couple days worked just fine even though it was tender, but the third day it ached like I had been punched every time I bolused. I changed out the site this morning and there is a lump where it was.
@Brianna - the tubing was a little annoying while getting dressed but once dressed it was fine.
@Ideen - why does it not surprise me that you're a butt man. :-D I will have to try it.
@John - If you hear of anything that helps with the marks, let me know!
I've only used my stomach area. The arm site doesn't sound appealing at all. I've never given myself a shot in an arm either.
I like to use my stomach, arms, legs
To heal site spots, i put a dot of triple-a ointment on and a little spot band-aid over it. It works wonders for me!
I like to the sides of my belly button, but every 3-4 months I'll have one that kinks under the skin and doesn't work right and causes a nice 450 for a few hours. Outside of the upper legs work well, either high up enough to be considered side-butt, or just a little lower (the "thigh proper") -- pulling pants on and off must be done with a little extra care. Both spots make it easy to keep the pump into pockets, too.
I like to use my arms, thighs and stomach. I tend to use my legs and stomach in the summer time and just wear bermuda shorts to cover it. When I use my arm I tend to pinch the skin while I'm inserting it which tends to help. I don't like using my butt, I find the sites get really irratated and get caught on my clothes.
I like it in my stomache. I want to try my legs and arms but I have to get a different site set... I tried my back it hurt really bad not a good place either it fell off and wouldnt stay on. and I think that in the butt insulin is slow.
I do my " love handles " because there is to much tissue build up in my tummy now ! But I often use my arms and my thighs for arms I find if Your arms are by your sides than the site should be on the outside of your arm and as far as irrating tubing get a longer tube !! And girls are lucky cause you just stick your pump in your bra making it more comfortable to move your arm around
I have tried a few spots recently, and have come to the conclusion that the stomach is best. I'm still trying to avoid it for the time being because I have used it for about 12 years and, as a result, it looks like a pin cushion. Apparently I don't have enough fat in my thigh. I figured i did, but I tried it there and it *hurt*! Just turning the wrong way or sometimes even just walking made it *very* uncomfortable. My butt is a little better, but I find that I have to be careful how I sit or it will hurt. The arm just sounds very inconvenient. I guess I would have to get longer tubing... my shape would make putting the pump in my bra would look ridiculous. I don't know where else to try! So I guess I will be going back to the stomach once it's healed a bit.
[quote user="Brianna"]
my shape would make putting the pump in my bra would look ridiculous. I don't know where else to try! So I guess I will be going back to the stomach once it's healed a bit.
[/quote]So far Sarah will only let me use her stomach and sides. Her doctors keep telling me we need to find new sites, but Sarah just won't go there. She's only been on the pump since August, so she doesn't have any issues with scars or bumps. I'm very careful to rotate and give her sites lots of time to recouperate. I wonder how long we'll be able to get away with this. Like you, she's a tiny little thing (about 4'11' and 78lbs), so it's pretty darn obvious no matter where she puts it. She usually wears it clipped to the top of her jeans. I can't imagine her trying to clip it on a bra, that just wouldn't look right...
I honestly think 10 spots seem a bit excessive, especially if you don't carry very much body fat. I mainly use my hips, back of my hips, lower stomach, and more recently, my upper thighs. I think inserting a set into one's arm would be neither convenient, nor comfortable.