Got my first Ping and Dex last week. Am very excited. Am reading through Dex literature now, and plan to start it in a couple of days. My first pump training is end of next week.
So one of the things I’ve been thinking about is site rotation. I developed a great system for my MDI, but that won’t necessarily translate to using a pump and sensor.
I realize everyone has their own systems, but would like to hear yours.
• What routine do you follow for rotating pump and sensor sites?
• Do you always place both on the same side of your body?
• Dex literature says it must be in the abdomen. Do you ever use hips or somewhere else?
• And finally, does anyone know how long you have to wait before you can return to the same site?
I think they recommend pump and sensor on opposite sides or at least a few inches away…not on the same side. You probably already got feedback that the abs are not the only option by far. Legs, arms, …abs just seem to be most common. I rotate every 1-2 weeks and alternate R/L stomache back and forth. kj
I have an OmniPod and a Dex. I am using both on my arms exclusively. I have been doing this for 15 months. Since the Dex is on for 7 to 14 days (I restart the same sensor and get additional mileage-off label of course), and I change the OmniPod every three days, I end up having the Pod and the Dex sensor on the same arm for three days at a time. I just make sure that I follow the recommended distance of greater than 3 inches. I tend to use the front part of my arm for the Dex because insertion, one handed, is tricky.
The reason for the arm usage, for me, was because after 25+ years of abdomen MDI, I had developed lots of scar tissue. I just decided to give it a rest one day and I have never gone back. Just watch out for door jambs. They move quick, lol.
Since I am using only my arms, I “return to the same site” quite often. I try not to “hit the same hole” as the last time, so is that the same site or not? The only problems I have run into with both the OmniPod and the Dex is if I hit straight into muscle. In case of Dex, not quite as close to finger sticks and takes longer to “settle down”. As for OmniPod, I get worse absorption if I go into muscle. So in either case, aim for the fat.
You know, I think that it almost doesn’t matter what they recommend, kjrider. It seems that people end up doing whatever they want!
Stacey, if you’re consistently wearing sites on such visible parts of the body, you must regularly get questions about them. But if it works for you, congratulations. I’m brand-new (only 5 months old), so it will take a while to figure out what works for me.
Quick question, Stacey: what did you mean by "not quite as close to finger sticks and takes longer to ‘settle down’ "?
I set my pump sites up by the month. June is on the right side, first half of the month above waist and second half below. July moves to the right side. Dexcom is either on my arm, middle stomach or I am thinking of trying thighs.
Jan, these are the things I have found. I must change my infusion set sites every 3 days. When I started pumping 4 years ago I was changing them every 3 1/2 days and the absorption of the insulin was not as good after 3 days. that gave me higher blood sugar. Scar tissue was forming beneath the skin surface and that is not good! The only thing good about that was I soon had a couple of extra boxes of sets and reservoirs. Now I change every 3 days.
Sensors are completely different. There is nothing being delivered into your body with a CGM, and scar tissue will supposedly not be a problem with a sensor, for that reason. I have used mt Dex sensors in place for 2 weeks, and still had good accuracy until the 15’th or 16’th day with most sensors. I have always placed sensors on my lower abdomen 2-4 inches away from my navel. i know other people have reported using hips, arms, etc as good sites for sensors. I have always used my ab. If I use my side and then roll over on my side while sleeping, my Dex starts giving me false numbers. The mashing of the sensor against the mattress causes that. I am only 6 pounds overweight, but I am tall, have a big frame and weigh 206 pounds.If you are trima dnweigh much less, you could probably lie on your side with no problem.
I rotate my infusion set sites between my abdomen and upper legs. One body part heals completely while i use another body part. I rotate my sensors from one side of my navel to the other side. that seems to work OK since no scar tissue is present.It is important to keep the infusion set and sensor at least 3 inches apart. I prefer 6 inches, or more.
Richard, great feedback! I really appreciate all the wonderful tips you shared.
I just inserted my first sensor less than an hour ago! For the next week or so, I’ll be using MDI with my sensor. So since I inserted it on my right lower abdomen, the right side is no longer available for injections. I don’t like the fact that for the next 7 days I have only my left abdomen available for MDI, but I guess I have no choice…
You could rotate between the left abdomen and legs, or buttocks. There is nothing wrong with injecting on your right abdomen too, as long as you stay several inches away from the sensor.
Jan,
When I was on MDI, very often I would use my upper arm on the side and towards the back. It worked fine for me. Maybe you could try that and it would give you another area for shots. Good Luck.
I have an Animas OneTouch Ping pump, have been using for several years. I started wearing the DexCom about 2 months ago. I rotate pump site from R ab-L ab-L thigh-R thigh. I only use DexCom on my abdomen, because that’s what the instructions said. (But now I will try other sites based on the user’s answers here!) Whatever site you use, it is true that you must keep at least 3 inches away from pump site.
Observations:
In general, I am annoyed that I have to be really careful where on abdomen I insert pump or monitor. I am very short-waisted, and both items tend to get caught on my underwear or pants waistline. The DexCom more so, because the sensor is bigger and bulkier than my pump’s. That doesn’t give me many regions on my abs to rotate.
DexCom observation: If I put sensor too close to my belly button or towards center of abs, I get spotty readings on the meter or it says Out of Range when I’m sleeping. Probably because it squishes down more or something. I am not heavy, but lay on my sides. Also, if I lay on the opposite side of my body from where i put the DexCom meter, it doesn’t pick up on the signal that well either.
I will try wearing the sensor more than a week per some other posters advice.
