I just discovered a good sized lump under the skin of my abdomen. It’s not pump related as I just started today and it’s significantly below my site. I’ve been using insulin for just short of two years; I only use my abdomen, but rotate sites; I take minimum of five a day. If I press hard on it it’s a little sore, but I wouldn’t say painful. Does that sound like scar tissue to you long time injectors? Is there anything I can or should do about it (other than avoid that spot for awhile)?
I’ve never had any scarring after almost 17 years on insulin, so I can’t comment on whether it’s a scar or not.
What concerns me is that it’s a little sore, and whether it’s hard like a rock or not. I don’t want to scare you, but if it were me, I’d have a doctor check it. Better safe than sorry.
I agree with this advice - ask a doctor just to be sure. I have some scar tissue on my legs from injecting there a lot as a kid, but it’s not hard spots. It’s more like an extra-firm layer of fat (except it’s not fat, it’s scar tissue). And it’s spread out, not just one little spot.
An infection can present as a lump which is a little sore. It is often accompanied by redness and being a little hotter. Also, scarring and lipohypertrophy (build up of fat at injection sites) happens over a period of time, not suddenly. You just “discovered” this, like it was not there yesterday and was here today. That being said, I’ve had some injections where maybe I jammed the plunger to fast and the insulin formed a pocket rather than distributing. In that case, it felt like a little lump.
I would keep an eye on this, if it doesn’t disappear shortly, it would be prudent to have a doctor take a look at it.
Thanks everyone. I will watch it for a couple days and have it looked at if it doesn’t resolve or gets worse.
Thanks for the good pump wishes, John. So far so good with my first 24 hours on the pump, once I figured out how to sleep with it last night! What would I do without TuDiabetes!
Zoe, I got a lot of helpful advice from other long time type1s like me in this discussion:
https://forum.tudiabetes.org/topics/583967:Topic:167026
I’ve now become a careful rotator, and I keep a log book of my sites so I don’t go within a square inch of another site within 30 days.
Thanks, Marie!
My cat disappears for hours on end with her own private life and when I had dogs I let them run free. I try to encourage my pets to love me madly, but not be too needy. The analogy doesn’t work too well, I guess, but is kind of a cute way to think about it! Long as I don’t need a pooper scooper!
Thanks for the encouragement. The good thing about getting older is you know that change is a process and it WILL be ok, even when you’re screaming, “I can’t do this!!”
Totally off topic : Zoe updated her profile picture 
…cool looking " ??" , ha, ha
Ditto for me (as to how Kari described her scar tissue).
Thanks, Nel. I actually went to update my profile and when I finished and clicked “Save” it kept telling me to add a picture, which I found really annoying. I don’t do digital photography and don’t have any pics to upload, so I found some anonymous pictures - sort of looks like me, I think…lol
My pump isn’t exactly a pet, because I don’t pet it (I have 8 cats to do that for me!). But it IS my Lil Buddy, and I talk to it, and scold it, and praise it, but I don’t kiss it, LOL!
I think I would feel naked without my pump at this point – I’ve had it for almost 12 years, and now, with the CGM, I frequently take it out to see what my BGs are.
I’m sure you’ll get used to it too!
Eight cats! No wonder I like you, Natalie! Yep, I don’t see myself kissing it anytime soon but I do hope we develop a comfortable relationship in time!