Let me preface by saying that this is totally an ego issue and not a health concern (to my knowledge).
I'm getting lumps everywhere I put my infusion set, and they STAY! Anywhere from marble-size to pingpong ball-size, they feel like balls of denser fat submerged in the regular fat in those areas, and result in a general puffiness on my stomach and upper thighs. I don't know if they are scar tissue, or extra fat deposition from the concentration of insulin, or something else...?
I've tried using a different kind of infusion set and changing them more often, to no avail.
I'm on mdi and get lumps too sometimes, but fortunately they seem to go away pretty quickly. Could it be some sort of allergic reaction? That is what I thought mine might be. I hope that you figure this out!
In the old days (1970) with Lente and NPH, I used to get lumps and depressions in the areas I injected. I was told it was the insulin that did it. I have not had that experience with my pump at all. However, all the depressions/lumps went away over the years. Yours is different. Have you consulted a doctor?
Could it be a reaction to the insulin? I often think now that the chemical reaction of the insulin and my body did not sync.
Maybe try longer needles,to get it in more? I was always partial to the 12.7 mm (.50 cal...) needles and never had any problems with lumps or bumps and not too many with absorbtion that I noticed.
Interesting discussion. I started one about this years ago, Emily, about the "lumpy bumpies" ;I think I called it. and I do not think I had one reply. I do not have lumps from the infusion sets, been on the pump for 10 years.. However, I STILL have 2 lumps on my outside of my right leg,, one at the top the leg and one almost mid thigh. Both came from awkward injections I had to give when I had a pump or infusion set failure, and chose to inject to correct the highs that ensued. All I know is that both injections were kind of awkward and unusual: I injected a lot, as I was creeping towards 400..The injections kind of hurt, and I was left with one marble size lump and computer mouse size lump right under the skin that have both not gone away in 5 years. The bigger one shows in tight pants or leggings, and My vanity sent me to a plastic surgeon 2 years ago. He said it was hypertrophy, and that he could use an incision and scalpel to remove the entire fatty tissue lumps, ( more scarring); or would preferably insert a tube to liposuction them. Of course insurance will not pay. And these lumpies were from just two bad injections of a lot of Insulin while I was using a pump.. I have researched it. I know came up with no solutions except cosmetic surgery; which I choose not to do because I need to use my funds for other things.
So does anyone else know what to do about them? a "Dr.House" answer? LOL
I've had the opposite complication(dents)(Insulin Induced Lipoatrophy) of what you have(lumps/bumps)Emily. Possibly Lipohypertrophy.
I was for a long time using Lente plus Humalog for about 6 years before I started getting the dents on my lower tummy and arms. I've never been a pumper. Most of my missing flesh/fat layering regrew to normal in a couple of years but with the larger one, it took about 9 years for the flesh to grow back. I stopped using those spots and found many other areas like the sides of my back, front and back of my thighs, the abdomen areas 2 inches above my belly button up to just below my ribs, my shoulders, etc.
I have been rotating every shot, normally do not use more than 7 units in any area including long lasting( divide it). I don't mind more shots. I was using a longer needle when I first got the dents but they might help for you.
I know there were threads about lumps on here but I can't find them as of yet. Here is another site mentioning it. This complication may or may not apply to you. Your Endo may be more helpful.
Mine are more bumpy than lumpy and I generally refer to them as "peas", because I think it feels like someone stuck a hard split pea under my skin. Its not all of my sites for sure, but I get WAY less lumps and bumps now that I've switched to the steel infusion sets. I finally traced a bunch of my problems to the plastic/teflon infusion sets and switching to the metal ones solved many problems for me, including a reduced "pea" population....
I read your posts, all. Thanks for the Links, Terrie: Many suggestions of how to avoid the lumpy bumpies, None on how to reduce/eliminate the longstanding ones. I guess when I get a cash windfall I am off to the plastic surgeon ( HAHA probably not).
Thank you all so much for the replies!! I'm going to try out some of the suggestions. Switching back to steel needles, in particular, never occurred to me. I've been pumping for 20 years, so I started with those and I did get hypertrophy, but I wasn't rotating sites at the time.
This got me thinking... perhaps this is one complication where insulin resistance is your friend?
As a type 2, with 1:3 I:C, I use A LOT of insulin. While I was MDI in June/Jul, I never got anything like this, even though I sometimes was injecting a bolus as big as 20U.
So, speculation: Is it possible that insulin sentivity impairment in the adipose tissue is actually "protecting" me from lipohypertrophy? With the pod, it's even worse -- over two days, 200U drains into the same spot. Yet, no problems with lumps or voids (having other issues, but not that :-))
I second the steel cannula suggestion. Many perks but a few liabilities. What works for me is to use the shortest steel cannula I can get away with (6mm), and when inserting choose the spot with the least sensation to avoid blood vessels. If it still hurts after a half hour or so, I move it (which you can with steel - pop it in somewhere else and tape it down! I can still get a lump but it goes away fast. Plastic cannulae left welts/lumps that took forever to heal. Some say scrubbing old sites with a loofah helps too. Oh, and I keep a map of my insertion areas - just a drawing of my abdomen, really, that I copy anew as needed - and I put dots with dates where I insert so I don't reuse the same spot for at least a month.
Thanks earthling! Where do you get the steel cannulas? Have you found any that come with spring-loaded inserters? Back when I used to use them there was no such thing, and it took me forever to get the needle in. I'm a scaredy-cat :)
Brunetta, I had a non D related lump surgically removed from my thigh several years ago. They said it could be cancerous so my insurance paid for it. I do have a scar there now, but nothing major.
I use Contact Detach, which I used to get from Animas. Now they come with my monthly supplies from Solara Medical.Pretty sure you can get them from many online pharmacies too.The needle is truly tiny, but I understand not wanting to push it in! And no, no spring load inserter with it - all manual. It's kind of like wearing a thumb tack, so I stick one of those Dr. Scholl's circular callous protector thingys over the site to prevent inadvertent bumps against counters or whatever. Definitely some cons to them, but another pro is that they never kink! And if you are short on $, you can clean, then move the needle to another spot and get 3 more days from one set (I was uninsured most of my life).
