On the out of control allergy front - with zyrtec helping have a you added singulair to the mix?
It is a leukotriene inhibitor. It helps to break the out of control,over exuberant response to allergy triggers. It is used for asthma as well as seasonal allergies. There are also reports of improvements in eczema with it as well. Might be usefully to try as it does not effect BG like a course of steroids would.
I haven't tried this, no, but it sounds like a good idea. I'll definitely ask about it, especially in Spring when my allergies are truly horrible even with medications.
Jen, don't wait for spring. Do it now, it is an immune modulator/regulator. It stops inappropriate allergic reactions. They use it in atopic dermatitis which sounds very much like what is going on with you. Show this to your doc when you ask for a prescription. It would be worth a trial.
Would also recommend seeing a dermatologist, they might have other recommendations that do not involve steroids.
Oops - I didn't mean I'd ask about it in Spring, I meant I think it would help a lot in Spring (though reading back it does sound like I'll ask in Spring ...). I'll ask about it later this month when I see my endocrinologist. Thanks for the link, too. I'm no doctor but I do think atopic dermatitis is at least part of what I'm dealing with. I'll definitely bring that along. Not sure if my endocrinologist will feel comfortable doing all this but if he's not, I'll get a referral to a dermatologist or allergist.
Hi Jen Well, this is probably not helpful, but I've found Celiac Disease makes everything worse. Any chance you've developed it?
I definitely don't have celiac. I recently had an endoscopy done where he took a biopsy of my small intestine and it came back normal, so no celiac. The biopsy of my esophagus (I went because I've been having problems swallowing) did find eosinophilic esophagitis, though, which in a way is sort of similar (inflammation of the esophagus caused by allergic reactions to food). I have a follow-up with the gastroenterologist in a few days about that, so it will be interesting if I actually have foods I'm allergic to that might be contributing to my allergies in general. Apparently the most common foods for eosinophilic esophagitis are milk, wheat, eggs, and soy. So I'm mentally preparing myself for the possibility I might have to avoid one or more of these foods, or others. I'll see what the gastroenterologist suggests as next steps at my appointment, but I think sending me to an allergist seems like a common course of action with this diagnosis. But if it's part of the reason my allergies are going crazy and ends up helping my infusion set issue in the end, avoiding foods would be worth it.
Hi Jen. I'm intolerant of gluten (wheat, barley, rye, oats), corn, soy and some tree nuts. Not counting the gluten, I think the others might just be very, very difficult for me to digest. I've had Pernicious Anemia since I was 25 y.o., at which time my Hcl and enzymes were destroyed, so I take them in pill form when I eat. You might consider whether or not you could benefit from Hcl & enzymes, which are over the counter.
Can you have an intolerance like this without digestive problems, though? I don't have any problems with digestion or an upset stomach. I'm always skeptical of taking medications or supplements "just in case" there's a problem when I don't actually have it.
Hi Jen. Well, if Diabetes is individual, allergies are even more unique. I've figured out pretty much what's wrong with me and what works for me, but I don't know much beyond that. If you're not deficient in Hcl and enzymes, you certainly don't want to take them, as that would probably cause some sort of reflux problem. I wish you good luck.
Hmmm, but allergies are when the immune system attacks food (or other things) thinking it's harmful. I think if you are talking about digestive enzymes, that is different ... I looked up pernicious anemia and looks like it's an autoimmune condition, like diabetes and celiac. I don't think allergies and autoimmune conditions would respond to the same type of treatment, since the immune system isn't attacking the same thing. Thanks for the ideas, I will keep them in mind should one of these issues pop up in the future.
Yes, those are three of my five autoimmune conditions! Losing Hcl & enzymes happen naturally as one gets older--and of course, losing them happens immediately with PA.
Wow, five is a lot. So far Type 1 is my only autoimmune disease, but my body's made up for it with about 15 allergies and three other allergy-related conditions.
Here' hoping for a Healthy 2014 for us both! And wow, those are a lot of allergies.
I have figured out my allergies but it’s several steps and lots of stuff.
I start with topical Benadryl about the size of my palm where I intend to put my set.
I let that sit for about 30 min. If u don’t wait, then the rest won’t stick.
Then I apply skin tac ove the same area. I do this to help keep the adhesive from spreading out. I then put a small dot of neosporin in the centre because it works as a barrier to prevent adhesive from getting down the cannula. Also it has anti inflammatory properties.
Then I cover the whole mess with an iv3000. I poke through the iv3000 right at the spot of neosporin underneath.
Then tape down the set on the iv3000.
This is a big bother will all the added steps but it works for me.
When I remove the set now, it looks like I just put it in. After years of suffering scars and infections and irritation.
I nearly gave up pumping till I Got all my stuff in order.
I leave my sets in for 3 days now and they are just great for absorption.
I also have other allergies and excema too. Excema is another auto immune disease that diabetics get commonly. Excema just makes a bad allergy problem worse. If you can avoid placing anything on active excema. Then you will do better. I get it on my face but just a few spots and it comes and goes. Pretty mild.
Of course if u are allergic to skin tac or iv3000 you will need to try out other tapes and solution.
If all else fails consider taking allergy meds to help.
Histamine is one of those things hat builds up and it’s difficult to squash it because then you become even more sensitive to it causing more histamine.
I think an allergist could help out. Maybe even get skin tests which might let you know ingredients to avoid.
One other thing. I also had esophageal inflammation but it turned out to be a reaction to an ace inhibitor. I switched to an ace blocker and it seems to correct the trouble. I only take it as a prophylactic kidney and eye situation.
If you take an ace inhibitor. Maybe stop for a few days to see.
It is actually a common side effect of those drugs.
Thanks for the information. I already take an extra-strength antihistamine daily for year-round allergies to a ton of stuff (dust mites, moulds, cats, dogs, feathers, trees, weeds, grasses, etc.). Even with this, irritation (and my allergies in general) persist. Although someone above did suggest another type of medication on top of the antihistamine, which I'll look into.
Fortunately I only have mild eczema, mostly on my hands. Sometimes a few other areas, but none that involve infusion sets, so I don't have to worry about avoiding those areas for infusion sets.
Your technique sounds interesting. I though about using Benadryl cream but didn't think of putting it on before. Unfortunately I wouldn't be able to aim for a little dab of polysporin, though (I'm legally blind), and I definitely react badly to Skin Tac, but the rest I'll experiment with.
I've had problems with swallowing and food getting stuck (sometimes completely stuck to the point I can't swallow for an hour or more) for about five years. It was a biopsy that showed I have elevated eosinophils in my esophagus which, in combination with my symptoms and what the doctor saw when he looked in my throat, suggests this eosinophilic esophagitis condition that's associated with food allergies. I have a follow-up appointment about it tomorrow morning, actually, so we'll see what he says.
Currently the only medication I'm taking is insulin and allergy medications. So I don't think it's a medication reaction. Food could be likely, though. I already have a severe food allergy and have a few other foods I think might cause more minor reactions, and have had some "mystery" reactions over the years. So food would make a lot of sense in some ways.
I'll probably end up going to see an allergist this year at some point. I'm just waiting for this follow up about EE to see what happens there, before I ask to go. My doctor has suggested allergy shots a few times, as this apparently helps calm down allergies overall for a lot of people. Up until now I've put it off because of the expense and time, but I think I might give it a shot (no pun intended) if some of the things suggested in this thread don't work.
I would see an allergist if you are having other allergy problems other than just your site. Possibly also a dermatologist. I too get red, itchy sites sometimes. It used to be that I used a special adhesive that irritated me, but now it seems to be random sometimes. Certain sites are more sensitive than others. I remember a while ago, medtronic changed their silhouette (which is the infusion set I use) to a different adhesive shape, and I think a different adhesive. It stuck better than the previous one, and it irritated me less.
It could possibly be the adhesive on your infusion set. It could also be the cannula. Some people are allergic to the cannula plastic and have to resort to an infusion set with a needle that is not removable.
If it's so bad that you can no longer stand it, it might help to go on shots again for a while. Sometimes giving your skin a rest and time to heal can help.
Oh, I think I am allergic to the plastic cannula—I switched to the metal sites (after trying Cleos, Comforts, and Insets and having them all get irritated) and the irritation is MUCH better than it was.
I'll actually be getting a referral to an allergist in the near future (my gastroenterologist just has to write a letter) for food allergy testing, because I've recently been diagnosed with eosinophilic esophagitis which is a type of allergic reaction that causes throat irritation. So when I see the allergist, I'll probably ask if he can help with the site issues. But I'm also wondering if eliminating foods (if I'm reacting to them) might help my body and allergies overall.
I'll also mention it to my endocrinologist when I see him in about a week and a half and see if he thinks a dermatologist would be helpful (I'll show him the sites if I can).
I was convinced that I was allergic to the cannula also. Turns out tho that the adhesive works it’s way down the cannula after a day or so. That’s what was happening to me. That’s why I use so many barrier techniques now. Plastic is pretty much inert. It is rare to be allergic to it as I found when I researched it.
If you can’t see we’ll you can put a blob of neosporin at the end of the infusion needle before you push in. It will work almost as we’ll and u can’t miss this way.
AS for the other allergies. It would serve you to get food allergy tests. It’s very easy most are done in a blood draw and some skin tests. But once you know. I’m sure it will settle down.
I had a hard time with my esophagus till I figured out what caused it.
I would have coughing fits that would make me vomit. I could only drink my food or choke.
I also got hiccups when ever I tried to clear my throat. Don’t discount the allergy meds. You could try to change that up too.
Thanks for all the suggestions! Will definitely try them out. From what I've found in researching, it's not the plastic itself that people are allergic to, but the Teflon coating it has. This seems to be pretty common ... When I brought it up with my endocrinologist, he even mentioned that some people are allergic to the cannula. I don't know that he would have mentioned this if it were that rare. Even though my sites still get irritated, the metal sets seem MUCH better than the cannula ones did, and my blood sugar control is still better overall, even though it's a bit wonky when they get really irritated.
A LOW does of non-ER metformin before bedtime seemed to help me as well. Metformin can be tricky for T1s though. It makes our body more responsive to insulin, so when it peaks 4-6 hours after taking it, it causes a decrease in BG, and then when it gets out of the system BG starts going up. Before I finally got my T1 diagnosis, I was taking 500mg twice a day, and I had a hell of a time figuring out why my BG was doing a roller coaster. I was blaming the levemir for a while.