I had one site that bled. It seemed to be a lot worse than it actually was. My absorption seemed fine. There was that momentary panic but everything seemed to be working.
Well, for the first 3 months or so I had NO idea if it was inserted correctly until I bolused and my BG responded. lol Now I can tell as soon as I look at it that it’s ok and inserted. A magnifying glass is a good idea because the catheter is SO small and clear, it’s very difficult to see especially if you don’t know what you’re looking at. I’ve only had a couple of mishaps but I started to bleed right away so I knew there was something wrong. You’ll catch on and congrats… you’ll love it.
Just an afterthought, here, FHS…I once had a “bad insertion” and i didnt realize it until I did a test bolus, which I do after EVERY new insertion, I just bolus a half unit or so, to make sure the pod is good, I want to hear the telltale Beeps when the bolust is done. My wife has extemely sensiteve nostrals and can smell insulin from a mile away. When I did the test, she looked at me a little strange then said “did you spill some insulin?” That is when I learned that if the cannula is NOT properly insertied, insulin will seep out on the adheasive and onto me! (just an afterthought, as I said). I have gotten to the point where I can “feel” if the cannula is in or not, so like I said, I dont even look anymore! You’ll get there man, just takes a little time!
Thanks for all of the suggestions Steve. So far so good. I’m still working through my morning basal. Last night was pretty exhausting. My initial basal rate settings have been a bit high so far, so I hardly slept. =P
sleepless nights become quite common, unfortunately, with the pod. Sorry to hear last night was a bad night (first night?)(I hope that is gonna be unusual for you!) Get the bad stuff out of the way right upfront so you can start to realize the benefits (of which there are many!)
Thanks Steve, yes it was my first night on the pod but actually it wasn’t that bad. I don’t go back to work until next week and I pretty much planned to be spending the first few nights working through my evening and morning basals. On a positive note, it was the first time in many many years where I didn’t have to worry about spiking my bedtime BG just to make through the night without crashing.
Hey FHS…Glad to see your post and your up and finally podding. Remember you having to wait and anxious to get going, I was also! Anyway, you’ve got a lot of good feedback here…I’m sure you’ll have a few more questions as you get going, normal. Only advice I can offer at this point is when you prime you next podd, right after it’s done priming and before you put it on I take off the protective shield but leave the adhesive covering on and tap it in your palm, similar to how you see people pack cigarettes. This will help to get some of the excess insulin out and help with the condensation in the site veiw window, but you will still see some from time to time if you exercise or it’s hot out. Good Luck, I know you’ll master this in a short while…Wait to you get used to it and extend a bolus and help cover a meal like I just did for lunch! Best of Luck and talk to you soon ~Schmutz
Thanks Schmutz, lot’s of good advice indeed. I’ve been playing with extended boluses. Gonna be a bit of work but so far so good!
Hi Esjay…Good Tip! I ripped off one of those little mirrors from one of my wife’s little makeup thingy (just hope she doesn’t want it back) and now keep it with my change kit. Got the idea from your post…funny how I didn’t think of it sooner!
Well, now that I’ve done a pod change, I can see what the cannula actually looks like on my old pod. It’s not exactly easy to make out through the little window while it’s implanted, but I have a better idea what to look for. I positioned this pod on my abdomen so I can look down at and angle through the window and I can see where it’s penetrating my skin.
You will be able to see what the cannula looks like when you remove this pod in hopefully 3 days. It looks kind of like a fiber optic like thin tube of plastic. It is really hard to see in the window because it is clear. We always look but I think after a few months of podding that we would just notice if it was different looking - kinked or bent toward the front of the window instead of straight down.
I think I will have to get a magnifying mirror to really see it. Even with my reading glasses I cannot really see it that well.
To follow up on many of the posts here and elsewhere on TU about the clear canula I called Insulet. I know several people (including myself) has submitted a request to Insulet to make the canula more visible (with color for example). The answer is that they looked into it and besides the potential complications with getting changes approved by the FDA, they found that many people wanted to be able see the insulin flowing through the tube. A colored tube inhibited that. I can barely see the canula in the first place so I’m not sure how someone could see a clear fluid flowing in the tube. Nevertheless, that’s the answer I got from Product Support on why the canula will remain clear.
REALLY!!! I am sorry, I dont accept that excuse…and by what they told me (which was nothing…just a “thank you for the suggestion”) I am guessing most Insulet reps know that just about noone would accept that answer ( for &^%$'s sake…Just about NOONE can see the cannula to begin with, let alone seeing the CLEAR insuling running through it). Excuse me, it was Rant time here in Richmond! I kn ow, AML - "I am not the one! I didnt say it…so dont shoot the messinger!
Like I said, I can barely see the canula let alone clear insulin flowing through it. The tech I talked to was very sympathetic but obviously she doesn’t represent product management. Having worked for ten years at a medical device company I know that any little change is challenging. However, whether they make it colored or put a reflector behind it, I too wish they would address the problem. If a lot of users continue to complain (i.e. “I might consider a different pump,” and “I don’t have confidence the Pod is working”). Eventually, that will do two things. 1) Formal complaints to Customer Support will be logged and will be seen by FDA auditors. 2) Product management will take notice.
FYI I sent feedback into the Insulet marketing team regarding a) a colored canula, b) a vibrate option for alarms, c) the option to use an IOB calculation similar to other pumps, and d) the ability to schedule weekend basals. No response yet.
Cool! Way to go…AML! I will be calling INsulet tomorrow (bad pod today…was found on my bathroom floor this morning with a bg of 33)(I had known it was not delivering, so last night around 2am I took a shot) so I will doulble all you just said!
Yikes, glad you are ok Steve.
Wow Steve! No more 2 a.m. shots for you! That is really scary! I checked mine at work today and it was 41, and I had no symptoms. I guess I am going to have to get the Dex or something. Stay safe and in normal range.
Thanks FHS, and Shadow! It was just “one of those things”…and yes, Shadow, no more early am shots for me! I didnt have my dex on…never again! Fortunately my wife found me as she was getting ready for work, and she didnt call 911 ( I told her to never do that again without trying to wake me first)(she woke me (took a while) and we took a bg…which was as I mentioned, in the 30’s) Overall, OK but a little shaken and embarrassed! Yeah, Shadow, if you have no symptoms at 41 you are absolutely READY for the Dexcom! Saddle up, and join us in our Dex group! See you there!