When do you change infusion sets?

Diabetes Technology Insulin Pumps
21

I find that I have to change every 2 days as otherwise my blood sugars rise - my Diabetic Nurse says that this is due to an active immune system blocking the cannula.

22

www.americandiabeteswholesale.com
Opsite Flexfix

http://www.americandiabeteswholesale.com/product/smith-nephew-opsite-flexifix-dressing_2107.htm

23

Do you know if they ship outside of the U.S.? I'm in Canada.

24

I believe they would, check the site.
They may have a sister site in Canada

25

This would make sense. For my first few years of pumping I had no problems with irritation or itchy sets, but ever since the start my blood sugars would be higher on the third day. After about my first year I began changing sets every 2 days. Since all this allergy stuff started about two years ago, I'm now up to changing sets every 1-2 days depending on how irritated they are and how my blood sugars are doing.

26

I tried to "pretend order" something to see, but it seems you have to create an account with the site. I'm at work at the moment but will look into it more when I get home.

27

I change infusion sit every third morning (after shower),and refill my pump when it gives me a low alarm. I also have days when my infusion sit is suspect so I will change early, could be anytime.

28

I cannot keep a set going for more than 2 days. If I leave it in for the third day my BG will start to climb. I will also get a big red bump at the site where the cannula was. The occasional site will start to work less well on day 2. My motto is "If in doubt, change it out!".

There is some recent evidence that loss of site efficiency can be caused by denaturation of the insulin at the cannula resulting in the formation of insoluble fibrils and clogging. The data suggest that there are differences between the 3 analogs, with Apidra the most susceptible to denaturation and Novorapid the least susceptible. That said, I have continued with Apidra and just change more often.

I used to get some itching due to the tape. I now spray the site with Cavillon before insertion which seems to work effectively (although it does tend to make the tape stick less well).

Joel

29

Thanks, very helpful information! I've had a few people suggest switching to another insulin to see if that's the problem. I've been using Apdira for the last few years and used Humalog before that; the irritation began when I was still using Humalog. But it's possible that Apidra is making things worse.