I’ve had a few blood-filled cannulas in my 9 or so months of pumping but I just saw that this time the blood has made it past the cannula and up trough it flooding the plastic ring that is connected to the adhesive and the cannula. I’m getting ready to change it because of that and I haven’t had any lows or other abnormal numbers since I inserted in this site, but I have had very severe pain in the area surrounding it to the point where I needed Advil to cope. Insulin delivery was excruciating for dinner and I have it in an area where I should have more than enough fat to handle the 9 mm cannula.
Besides the pain I’m most worried about the blood reaching so far up and out of the cannula.practically spilling out of the ring (I haven’t seen it actually spill out, but there’s so much blood there it looks like it could.
Any ideas?
Btw, this for the Medtronics Minimed Paradigm 722 Pump with 9 mm Quiksets.
I had the same pump as you Pavlos. I had blood back up into the tubing after only one day with a new infusion set. I ended up being allergic to the cannula. Was using the 722 with the 9mm silhouette (I think those were quicksets? I dont remember). I would get infections on my stomach, yellow pussing, and the area would become hardended and really sore. It got to the point that I was changing my cannula on a daily basis, and still was getting blood backed up into my tubing. It was really disturbing and really painful.
I have heard people have better luck on the Sure Ts, but Heather Turek just posted a discussion in the Type 1 forum where she is experiencing almost the same thing. She tried the Sure Ts and they were worse for her.
I don’t know what else you’ve tried. I had to come off the pump three years ago because I was getting no deliveries (but with NO ALARM) I know that I was getting no deliveries because when I would disconnect the tubing to Prime and test, a whole bunch of insulin would spew out.
This sent me into Dka 5 times because I wasn’t getting my insulin for hours while I was sleeping and the pump wouldn’t sound the alarm to tell me it wasnt’ delivering.
I have scars across my stomach that look like transluscent lizard scales from where the infusion sets were. It’s been 3 years and the scars are still there.
Sorry, but I really don’t have an answer for you. Been there, lost that fight.
I don’t think it’s an infection or allergic reaction (at least I hope it isn’t) because I’m not having that kind of trouble most of the time. My sites have been getting progressively worse and more painful though so I don’t know. I used a lower back site last night and so far it’s been perfect (just like when I first started pumping). No pain, no discomfort, expected BG numbers.
The site that had all the blood rushing through the cannula ended up being a massive bleeder. It took me 30 minutes to stop the bleeding and it panicked my wife because by the end I’d completely soaked four large paper towels with blood. I’m afraid of scar tissue being the problem and I think I’m extremely prone to it. If that’s the case I’ll be left with no sites for infusion sets or needles in no time at all. Then what do I do?
Ugh. I hate the gushers. I still get those when I use needles sometimes. Like this morning. Soaked through my skirt on my thigh and I’m at work! Good thing it’s a black skirt.
It might just be due to scar tissue. I had to rotate my sites a few weeks ago to give my thighs a break. I know that I was having a really hard time with my stomach site, though, because I was rotating sides so often that I didnt give each side enough time to heal.
Like with my CGM now. I keep it in for 7 days, so it gives the other side 7 days to heal.
I can’t do anything in my back. It bleeds way too much. Even when I got my tattoo back there, it bled for days and days.
Um, don’t know if you want to try this, but I’ve heard of people using their thighs for pump sites. I was afraid to try it, but it might be worth a shot. Give ur stomach a few weeks off from pumping and see if it helps.
If the gushing and the infections still are happening, then you know it’s the cannula and not the site.
I have too much scar tissue on my thighs for that. In fact the only place I have left is my stomach and lower back/butt since everything else is covered in scar tissue from my MDI days. I am planning on giving my stomach a break for a while though and see what happens.
The blood in the cannula ring happens to me all the time. I ignore it. Extra pain is involved, though. Have you tried your upper arms as an infusion site? I use them in the winter when I wear long sleeves, so I can place the cannula all the way up and down the back of the upper arm. The top of the arm doesn’t work for me, but the flabby back (might not work on a man without flabby arms). This gives my abs a rest. I’ve been on the pump for going on 15 years now, so need all the realestate I can for infusion sites.
Pavlos- have you considered going back to MDI for a few weeks to give ur body a break? Or have you forgotten much of the MDI lifestyle to return? 
I usually don’t worry when I have a bleeder after performing an insert. But yeah, they are pretty painful for awhile afterward when bolusing. What I really hate is when you pull out an infusion site and then you bleed like a stuck pig without noticing it. I have had blood running down my leg, or felt something wet and sticky, or had someone say “Uh, Joe, you’re bleeding quite a bit there” when they see it oozing through my shirt before I even notice it.