I know what you mean about convenient! Those are the easiest spots to insert and work with. The butt is hard to get to (for me, anyway. I don't twist very easily, and I have terrible absorption there anyway), and arms seem to require one handed voodoo to get the stupid site in and then if you want to disconnect...not to mention I seem to need like an extra foot of tubing for arm sites.
Let me know how the vitamin E works for you. I just started using some scar cream stuff a few days ago, so we'll see how it goes. Hopefully it will at least give some improvement!
I used teflon coated cannulas for the first year or so of pumping, and I always had a red inflamed area afterwards. Most of my sites would only last 2-3 days and then decrease in absorbtion. Some online pumpers recommnended sure-t infusion sets with a stainless steel cannula, and I've been using them ever since. My skin can tolerate them indefinitely, and I've been able to keep my sites going for 7-10 days. I know it's not recommended, but, my tissue is not bothered by them at all and they keep working well. I don't need an inserter and they are easy to insert and remove. Anyway, I hope you find something that works well for you. For me, the plastic cannulas might have stopped me from pumping.
I just came back from my appointment- My diabetes nurse educator suggested using the sides of my stomach-- almost to my hipbones-- which I have never done. She suggested doing the pinch method, where you grab a handful of skin to insert into in less fatty spots.
Arms aren't too hard for me to insert into, if I lean against a doorjamb or a wall and twist a little bit. Still SO inconvenient though!
She also mentioned that science suggests that it's not necessarily the cream/oil you use on your skin, it's the actual rubbing that decreases scar tissue. Not sure how much of this information is new to anyone, but for one I am pumped! (pun superduper not intended!)
