sometimes when I insert a new insulin pump site it hurts so badly and others it is fine. i numb my skin a little with a bit of ice a bit before inserting but that doesn’t always help. any suggestions??
thanks,
Lyla Hunt
sometimes on a site i know will sting a little (for me its my arm) i pinch the skin up and it helps. i’m sure others will have great advice!!!
I use the set that goes straight down and a quickserter. I use my stomach and occasionally my arms
I’ve used 3 different infusion sets in the search for two things:
#1: Which one gives me the best absorption, and
#2: Which one is the easiest and less painful to install.
So far I’ve tried the Quick Set. I didn’t like it, because it slams the needle home. So if you’ve hit a painful spot or possibly one of those little blood vesses, you don’t know it until you take it out. And sometimes it hurts when it does slam it home. I did’nt like those.
So I tried the Sure-T. I liked those because I could install them by hand and it didn’t hurt. If it didn’t hurt when I started to install it, I would simply stop and move it to a different place. What I didn’t like about the Sure-T is the longest needle is only 6mm, and for someone who has love handles that ain’t much. For me the absorption rate wasn’t very good. I also didn’t like that the longest tubing is only 23 inches including the piece that attaches to your belly, so I didn’t have a lot of room to play with. The Sure-T was actually designed for children. However; if you are very thin I think the Sure-T works well. Plus it has a steel neele. I think Dave uses the Sure-T and has very good luck with them. I am now using the Silhouette, and I love it. It has a Serter, but I don’t use it, cause I don’t like slamming the needles home. Just sort of barbaric, you know? I install them by hand, and its so easy I don’t know why anyone would use the Serter. Its pain free (and if I do hit one of those spots that does hurt, which isn’t very often, I just move to a different spot). I use the one with the 17mm cannula, because I have love handles. They go in at an angle and it puts a 17mm cannula pretty deep. The absorption rate is the best I’ve had yet. I assume because of the long cannula. My BG’s immediately began to come down noticeably further. The tubing comes in 23 or 46–I’ve tried them both–the 46 is like a mile and a half long. Not sure why you would need that one. I use the 23 inch one. So far, the Silhouette with the 17mm cannula, and 23 inch tubing (which is plenty long) has been exactly what I was looking for. The sites never hurt, although one drove me crazy itching until I had to change it. So there you have it: that’s my take in a whole bunch of words. So experiment like I did., and probably a lot of us have done. You’ll find what works best for you. If your thin try the Sure-T, if you’ve got love handles try the Silhouette. I use 9 sites from one side of my waist across the middle of my tummy to the other side of my waist, and then start over. Good luck.