I’ve been type 1 for about 25 years, and on a pump for maybe the last 15. I’ve always rotated my infusion sets, but usually changed them every 4 days more than 3. I’ve been trying to find another body part to place my sets that absorb well enough to use. If placed anywhere but my stomach my sugar seems to creep up slowly. Like auto mode on my 770 can’t keep up. If I Bolus for food or a correction it’ll come down but not as much as it should. I’ve tried my legs, hips, and my arms are for sensors now, with a 6mm cannula. Starting to think this is how it’s going to be from now on whic is very frustrating.
2 Likes
I can’t use my stomach because of stretch marks (thanks to multiple pregnancies), so I use mostly my butt and thighs. My butt is amazing (haha) At least I get great absorption there!
1 Like
Haha! My butt use to be nice, but now I lose absorption around the 2nd day if it absorbs at all. I tried my thighs, and had some success the first time. Every time since then my sugar starts to climb after I insert it. Maybe I need a longer cannula
I use my hips a lot now, never did in the past because my belly is pretty much a mine field.
The further I reach behind me, the better they work, and yes I even will put them on the top part of my but or the side of my butt. I can also use the back of my waist, I use a mirror to put them in.
I wore compression tee shits for 3 months to help heal my abdomen, it helped with the little lumps, but the absorption is still not so great there yet. I’m not wearing the shirts now, but still resting my front.
Have you considered that maybe you are dealing with some insulin resistance and not necessarily ineffective pump sites? If your TDD of insulin is going up or your current doses are not doing the job, maybe the addition of Metformin might help. Have you also considered switching type of insulin because that can also have an effect? Sometimes the hardest part of diabetes is figuring out what is causing whatever is going on.
For me I know it’s the site because in a good spot I use the same as always. But in a bad spot, no amount of insulin will work.
Exactly, when I use my stomach my sugars are are where they should be, and insulin works the way it should.