Contact Detach sites

Diabetes Technology Insulin Pumps
1

I've been having what seem to be allergy problems with the Comfort and other sets for a few years now. I gave the Contact Detach sets a try about two years ago, but gave up after a few months because for some reason at the time they weren't available in 110 cm tubing length, and the long tubing is really important to me. More importantly, though, about 50% of the sites bled and/or got a huge, irritated lump and stopped working. I've gotten to the point with other sites where I'm pretty sure I'm allergic to the cannula AND adhesive, and sites start getting itchy after a few hours and look very irritated after two days, and I question whether I have absorption problems due to the irritated as well, so my endocrinologist recommended giving the needle sets another try.

This time I got the 110 cm tubing, but I noticed that the 110 cm tubing on the Detach sets is still significantly shorter than the 110 cm tubing for the Comfort sets. (Which doesn't make sense to me, if they're both 110 cm.) Part of my problem is that I have to get the pump right up to my face in order to see it at all (close as in my nose is basically touching the screen), and that's a tight stretch with the Detach sets if the site is in my arm. I think the 110 cm tubing is better than the length I was trying to use before (which was the medium length, can't recall the exact number), but I still find it really annoying.

Also, I just did my first site change tonight with these sets and, like last time, the site bled a fair bit when I took it out (I didn't realize it was bleeding until I went to insert the new site nearby and felt it). My blood sugars have been GREAT the past few days, but the last time I tried these sites the bleeding was a major issue and caused major highs, similar to a cannula kinking or not absorbing. I am making sure to pull up all the adhesive and then pull the set straight out when I remove it, so the bleeding seems to be from the site itself and not from the cannula scratching me as it comes out or something similar.

I would REALLY like to make these sets work. I'm going to try putting some sort of barrier underneath as the adhesive (on both the set and the extra patch) got really itchy after one day, but it didn't like irritated after I removed it. I'm also trying the 6 mm needles this time around instead of the 8 mm ones, in hopes they might help.

2

I think the one tubing seems shorter than the other because the contact-d includes the part between the detach patch and the needle patch in the 110 cm. Maybe you could always put the detach patch towards your head from the site and you'd get more length?

I use them too, for many years now. Can;t speak to the adhesive allergy - any patch redness clears quickly for me. I do get bleeding sometimes, though. The 6mm needles might work better and be more comfortable. I like them. Also I find that it seems like nerves and blood vessels tend to run close together under the skin. When I go to insert the needle, I touch it here and there in the area I want to use and choose the one with the least sensation. This greatly reduced my bloody sites. YMMV. I too love that they don't kink and they work through most scar tissue. Good luck!