Hi there!
I’m going to ask a couple of questions from you all that are admitedly purely vain.
I’ve been pumping for 9 months now, and have gotten pretty used to having both my CGM and my infusion set (all Medtronic) on my stomach - one on each side. However, I’m getting ready to go on vacation to the beach, where I’ll be outside most of every day wearing my swimsuit. This will really be my first time around the pool/ocean since I started wearing the pump.
My pump is not something that I’m ashamed of, but there are times when I just don’t want to draw attention to it, like wearing my CGM & set on my belly while I am only wearing a swimsuit. I haven’t tried connecting either to my legs or thighs, as I just don’t have a lot of body fat on my legs, and I’m concerned about how both would feel in a muscular region.
Here are my questions:
Do you use alternate locations only while wearing a swimsuit? If so, where? (I’m especially looking for guys’ responses on this)
Do you use some type of waterproofing for going in the pool or ocean, or do you just take the pump off during that time?
Do you keep an ice chest or something similar nearby to keep your pump & insulin cool while outside?
I know that there is some opportunity for educating others about pumps here, but I really just want to vacation without having to do so.
I use a Medtronic pump with MIO infusion sets. If you look in the box there's a little plastic packet with what looks like a detached clip for attaching the set to the reservoir tube. Took me a while to realize it's basically a plug you can insert when you go swimming. I suppose you could use it for showering as well, but I don't bother with it just for that. So you could solve your "vanity" problem that way, at least while you're uncovered or actually in the water.
I'd also allow as how it's not really a vanity thing--nobody likes being stared at, and having some weird kind of tube thingy attached to your body is bound to attract unwanted attention.
This was a major reason I went with Omnipod, as I can wear both the pod and my dexcom in hidden areas beneath swim trunks, both upper butt and inner thigh. back of the upper arm works too, and can be hidden by a compression sleeve (I actually use sections of black baseball socks as the sleeve). I have to make sure to wear longer boxer brief underwear so the sensor and pod don’t rub and get sore.
I wear a Medtronic pump as well. If I am swimming in a pool I remove the pump and wear a one piece bathing suit as I will only be there for about 45 minutes. However, on the beach I wear a two piece suit, one that the top is longer and covers your front. This hides the tubing. I tuck the pump into the bra. You just have to remember to take it off when going in the water and take a waterproof container for the pump. Hope this helps.
Thanks, DrBB, 90Duck, and Joan!
I’ve got another week and a half before I start getting ready to go, so I think I’ll try a different site to see how it goes. Stay tuned…
Assuming you are the person in your Avatar photo (and therefore have a Y chromosome), you will probably be wearing swim/beach shorts. Put your infusion set either in your rear end or upper thigh, that way it won't show. You can keep your pump in a pocket. Use the short tubing so you can tuck it in where it won't show. Just remember You can reach into your shorts and disconnect when you go in the water.
Hiding the CGM is a little more difficult. I always put mine on my abdomen and rear-end is not really very practical. If it showed it never bothered me (its more discreet than the tubing). I don't know what tape you use to tape it with. Opsite Flexfix is clear (and therefore more discreet than the opaque tape like hypafix). If you use the IV3000 recommended by Medtronic, don't. It tends to peel off if you spend any time in the water. The Flexfix is expensive but sticks much better
Thanks, jjm! Yes, I do have that ever popular Y chromosome, so I probably won't be wearing a two-piece to the pool/beach. :)
I'll probably try the rear and/or upper thigh for the infusion set next week. I'll post on how it goes. And I just ordered some of the Flexifix to try out as well.
I think it's really the tubing that is likely to make these things an object of unwanted curiosity; from a reasonable distance the patch itself doesn't look like anything much to the casual glance.
When I was using the Medtronic CGMS I used to use the Hypafix tape. It's opaque and looks like dressing so I was always a bit conscious that somebody might make the assumption that I had some nasty disease or infected wound that I was trying to cover. When I switched to the Dexcom I started using the Flexfix, which is transpatent, so all you see is the transmitter. I haven't used it with the Medtronic system, but it should work perfectly well. I also now stick my patch down with Skin-Tac, which helps prevent peeling whilst in the water.
