How long do you use each site

Diabetes Technology Insulin Pumps
#1

I am using a Ping along with the 6 mm insets. I have not had this problem until today. I started pumping in December. I was changing my set every 3 days as instructed. More recently I have been going 4-5 days. When I removed my inset today it was very sore (it did not feel sore before that). I moved to the other side with my new inset. Now, about 10 hours later, it is very sore and it feels like there is a knot under the skin.

Did I, or am I, leaving the set in too long? Or is this a fluke?

How long do you use your sets? Thanks!

#2

There could be an infection there. Is it painful to the touch?

When I was on Silhouette/Comfort infusion sets, I would use them for 4-6 days with no problems with absorption. (I did this to save money as I had to pay for much of my supplies).

When I joined this community, people warned me that I would develop scar tissue. They were right. I used and abused my upper buttocks to the point where I can no longer absorb insulin there. Now I faithfully change every 3 days.

So if you can take the advice from someone who has been there and done that, there’s a reason they suggest changing every 3 days.

#3

Agreed. You can see the reason that I did it here, but I still feel that it was a mistake!!

#4

It is painful, and a bit red. I do think it’s infected. What should I do?

#5

OK, you all have changed my mind! I will change my sets every 3 days. I am so new to this and I didn’t realize 1-2 extra days could cause such a problem.

Lesson learned!

So, stupid question. I put in a new set on Thursday before lunch. When do I change it?

Thanks so much for all the responses! I appreciate it! There is not another place I can go to ask these questions, and I appreciate all of you!

#6

i average seven days per site. as long as my numbers are good, i ride it as long as i can. i’ve asked MM repeatedly for peer-reviewed studies supporting the 2-3 interval and the only study they could produce mentioned an elevated risk of toxic shock syndrome. that’s not quite enough to get me past their obvious conflict of interest. so … as long as my numbers are good (and they’re almost always good) i’m happy with my approach.

#7

How long have you been pumping? For me, after 4 years, I developed scar tissue. Since I probably will be pumping for many years to come, I decided to start reducing the time.

I noticed absorption problems after day 3 with QuickSets, but not with Silhouettes.

#8

I would change then Sunday before lunch. If that’s not a convenient time, then I leave it in for an extra half a day!

#9

Keep an eye on it. You can use a bit of neosporin and a bandaid if it looks like an open wound. If it gets worse, call you doctor.

#10

Whatever works. “Your mileage may vary” is an axiom invented by diabetics.

I change every three days, not by the clock, but by convenience. In other words, just because i started a new site at noon doesn’t mean I have to change it at noon. Six hours later won’t hurt.

I have better control by changing more frequently. According to my CDE, the longer the insulin sits around in the warm reservoir, the less effective/potent it becomes. Maybe the studies to look for are not those on infusions site changes but on the degradation of insulin at room temperature. Perhaps an insulin manufacturer would have them - or look at the package insert as a starting place.

Terry

#11

Interesting. I only change my resevoir every 10 days and haven’t noticed any problems. YMMV :slight_smile: :slight_smile: :slight_smile: sure is true!

I also agree with the fact that sticking to exactly three days is not the most important part. I change about every 3 days at the time that is most convenient that day (but never early, always late).

#12

.3 days seems to be the magic number for me also. Longer than that and the site get “itchy” and the absorption drops off. If I"m going through a period where I’m bolusing more insulin than normal for me, I change at 2 1/2 days or 2 days.

#13

12 years on a pump for me. i’ve wondered about scarring, but after 50 years, countless shots i figure less is better. and again … i keep very close watch on my numbers. if something goes awry changing my site is one of the first things i consider.

#14

That’s great! If you’re doing well after 12 years of pumping, then good :slight_smile:

My doctor scared me by telling me that I will never again be able to absorb insulin on my rear end (my favorite site for infusion sets).

Are you good about rotating your site location? I’m trying to pay more attention to that these days.

#15

i am careful to stick to my rotation (thighs, butt, abdomen) and i pay extra attention to finding good locations. also … i’ve only used silhouettes. not sure if that makes a difference or not. i may just be freakishly lucky. who knows?

#16

My absorption stayed good with Silhouettes as well. Maybe there is something to that!

#17

I didn’t have any problems going 5, 6, and even 7 days myself until I’d been pumping about 16 years. Then I started having big problems with my skin, healing, and scar tissue. These issues led me to join TuDiabetes in 2008 (oh, Happy Day!). I learned here new places to put them, and the support I found here to accept that two days is about max for me. I keep really detailed logs on a big pad of paper where I put them. I’m short and I don’t have a lot of “real estate” so I have to be creative to make sure I don’t go within a square inch of another site in 30 days.

#18

Yeah, I remember going 5-7 days when I was first pumping… it just didn’t seem like I needed to change sets sooner. Boy do I feel stupid now :slight_smile:

Currently, 3 days is pushing it for me… I do notice the absorption issues after 2 days. I can’t use Humalog or Novolog due to extreme site irritation, and while I don’t seem to have the same physical reaction to Apidra (thank goodness!), it seems like my sites are more prone to not working quite as well after 48 hours. I don’t know if it’s due to the change in insulin or just changes in my body, but it is what it is.

Oddly enough, the only sets I’ve been able to push to 4 days have been steel ones… and those are supposed to be used for less time than the others… but I haven’t had any issues with clogs and the absorption seems to be the most stable with those. I don’t think I have a teflon allergy, but it does make me wonder about how differently my body adapts to teflon vs steel.

However, I do have to say that the way the sites heal when they’re only in 48 hours is amazing… after a day it’s almost like nothing was there, especially with steel sets. The only ones you can spot longer any any that happened to bruise. When I was leaving sets in much longer, I had many “healing” sites at a time… I rarely have any now.

#19

Please, oh please, do not use your infusion sets past 3 days. I was doing the same thing for at least saving money (the other being that I would forget until my meter told me “low eservior”) but it does no good if you get an infection and have to go to the DR. I was also advised by my diabetic nurse practitioner that the quality of the insulin by the end of the 3 days will decline due to the warmth of your body and/or environment. If your numbers start to rise after the 3 days, then you know that it’s the quality of the insulin contributing to your problem. So, Heidi, take care of yourself by changing often.

Thank you, Kristen, for advising Heidi when to change it this week. I have always had trouble calculating when to change. Do you chnage after 72 hours or toward the end? Sometimes it falls into the late hours and I don’t want to change then or I just plain forget.

Lois

#20

When I used the Minimed I would change it every 2 1/2 to 3 days. I seem to have problems with absortion. My endo is baffled with that. I switched to Omnipod in 8-09. They only last 3 days plus an 8 hour reserve in case you are in a place where you cannot change it. Luckily I told my endo to write the scrip to chang every 2 to 2 1/2 days so my insurance will cover it. Still trying to figure out the absotion thing.