I know I’ve already asked a similar question to this, but exactly how are you supposed to pinch up/press down on the pod during the cannula insertion. My sites are still red, irritated, and sometimes bloody… I don’t know what to do about this…
Any advice?
Thanks!
I always only pinch up. I never press down on the pod.
Is there any way you can stretch or play with your skin to maybe see where there might be a vein close to the skin to try to avoid it? I don’t have this problem with my stomach too much, but I do on my arms and thighs. I have a lot of veins close to the skin, not to mention I’m pale since I don’t tan, so a lot of times, just kinda pulling th e skin around to stretch it can reveal veins that you may not have seen. Then just make sure you place the pod window above an area that you can’t see a vein when you apply the pod.
As far as the irritation and redness, try to put the pod somewhere where it won’t get moved around so much from bumps and try not to sleep on it. Just some ideas. My sites almost always end up red when I wear it on my arm, but that’s from the movement.
I’ve never pinched up or pressed down on the pod during insertion – and I’ve never had any problems, either.
Sometimes the site is red or has a small bump when I remove the pod, but both go away quickly.
I agree with the advice about avoiding sites that get bumped a lot. Once in a while I don’t put the pod on a good place on my arms and I end up sleeping on it. Not comfortable and more likely to cause occlusions, I think.
Janet
Well, the way I do it is, prepare the site with alcohol, let it dry, put the pod on and following the instruction on the PDM press start, don’t press down the pod while the cannula is inserted.
I believe that the idea of pinching up is to make sure that you are not hitting muscle. I wish that I had that ‘problem’…pinching up didn’t work as well for me as aking sure that the entire adhesive area is firmly adhered to my body…then putting my index finger on the window area while the pod is ‘clicking’ through actual insertion. If you continue to have problems…call your rep and have them actually pay you a visit to review your technique. Hopefuly you will be able to resolve this issue. Oh yes…I’m not pressing down that hard at all…just enough that the front end is lower than the back.
Thumb on one side of pod ---------- middle finger, ring finger and pinky on the otherside of the pod. Grab a big pinch of flesh and pull up away from your muscle and at the same time push down on the pod with your index finger. You’re pressing it into the pinched up flesh.
I don’t always do this either. Especially on the arms, because I end up flexing my tricepts in the attempt to reach over and pinch. If my wife is around I get her to pinch up and push down for me.
Did you ever do injections? They used to teach you to pinch up the skin before the needle went in. That is the best way for me to think of it. So, near the window of the pod just pinch up the skin. I had not heard you were supposed to ALSO press down on the pod, but maybe you are? I just pinch the skin.
I also have irritation pretty often at the site. I think using for just 2 days (vs 3) reduces this. I have not made it go away entirely. I never put a pod back near the site where I just removed one. That really irritates my skin. Lots of rotating. I also put neosporin on the site after I remove it to help speed healing. The comment re: trying not to sleep on it will also help.
Is it the specific place where the cannula goes in that gets red, or the entire pod area? To remove the pod easier (if the irritation is from the adhesive) then I’d try using de-solv-it - you get it at hardware stores and you spray it on the pod, let it sit 5 mintues and then the pod comes off SOO easily. But this is specific to irritation from the adhesive and not the cannula.
LOL which De Solve IT they are not all created equally and some look like they will take your arm off along with the pod 
I use the 12.6 oz trigger spray. De-Solv-It Citrus Solution. The $8.38 one. One bottle has lasted me over 6 months.
I spray it around the edges and then lift up at the middle and let some seep in. Also do that at the back. Wipe off the excess and watch TV or something for a few minutes and then do that again. While it soaks the second time, I deactivate the pod and get my syringe ready. Then I can grab the pod and lift straight up and then clean up the site.
Robin, where do you buy this ‘De-Solv-It’ solution? I’ve been using a Q-tip dipped in finger nail polish remover which works great and fast, but it doesn’t smell so great.
Mayumi
Many people find it at Ace Hardware, Walmart and many home improvement stores. All the stores listed at the website that Renegadez links to I went to here in South Mississippi and none had the porduct. So evidently it depends on regional distribution. I had to order it from their website-shipping was almost as much as the product, but well worth it.