Hi all, I’ve been on the monopod for a month or so. This past week I noticed I couldn’t get my sugars down. At first I thought it was stress but when I looked at my two day old pod, I noticed blood in the cannula. So I switched it and a day later the same thing… Is this a common problem? How do I avoid it? Is it from banging the pod against things accidentally? Help!
Megan - This can happen with any insulin pump site. When the insertion needle pierces a blood vessel, the site bleeds and will often inhibit or even prevent insulin absorption. It's just the "luck of the draw." I wish there were a way to know in advance where to target the insertion site but I haven't been able to discover it. I do know that when it is particularly painful upon insertion it often means that I've nicked a blood vessel. I usually terminate and withdraw from that site so I can preempt multi-hour hyperglycemia.
That's my experience anyway. I don't think that it's from banging the pod against things. I always carefully monitor my BGs post insertion to make sure that the new site is absorbing well. Good luck.
I've had this happen a few times with the pods, but also with tubed pump infusion sets. I'm in the habit now of checking the view window on the active pod periodically, especially for during the first few hours - so I can catch it early. I've been pretty rough on the pods, and that hasn't seemed to cause problems - it's the hitting the blood vessels that does it.
hi megan, with my sons pods we have noticed if there is a little blood on insertion in the canula and it clears with a bolus there is no issue however if there is blood in the area and rising bs not coming down there is an issue and we need to change his out, where are you wearing your pods, his are most stable on his abdomen, if he uses his arms we secure it with a piece of tegaderm, like a big clear bandaid supporting the canula end, this seems to help and not to jinx us this problem is pretty few and far between lately. i hope things get better! amy
Megan- I too have this happen periodically and actually I don't usually notice blood sugar problems with it. So while this time it may be a problem and your insulin may not be getting absorbed correctly, don't assume that every time you see a little blood in the cannula it will always need to be changed early.