Getting rid of "lipos"

[jane1754]

I am small and skinny, so don't have much skin area for injection sites. My abdomen is now covered with "lipos" - fatty lumps - through over-use, and my Diabetic nurse has suggested I use the area above my belly button (and there's not much fat there either). I've already used up my thighs and I can't use my buttocks because I have arthritic locked wrists which won't bend sufficiently to reach. Does anyone know of a way to speed up getting rid of lipos, or is it just time, and how long will that be?

 

[Antje77]

Not an answer to your question, but have you looked into the I-port? I don't have experience with it but it may be of help.

 

[NicoleC1971]

Now on a pump but did build up lots of lumpy lipos over 37 years though have plenty of subq fat to stick myself with .
They will calm down but in the meantime the only thing is to do as nurse suggests and try tiny needles and splitting basal doses maybe?
The pump gives less lumps because you are generally pushing less big doses (basal in particular) through one site (drip drip every hour) and as you are tiny you won't be on big doses I guess?

 

[Struma]

@jane1754 Have you considered letting someone else give the injection in a little used area that you can't reach? Perhaps arms?
My children have been fully involved in my diabetes care since an early age, finger pricking etc. Obviously it's been on a voluntary basis, and I still have overall control!! It really came into it's own when my son was diagnosed, no trust issues to be conquered. Just a thought.

 

[jane1754]

Now on a pump but did build up lots of lumpy lipos over 37 years though have plenty of subq fat to stick myself with .
They will calm down but in the meantime the only thing is to do as nurse suggests and try tiny needles and splitting basal doses maybe?
The pump gives less lumps because you are generally pushing less big doses (basal in particular) through one site (drip drip every hour) and as you are tiny you won't be on big doses I guess?

I've been on a pump for 9 years, and yes, I am on small doses, but my abdomen does have a resemblance to our mole-infested garden. It used to be nice and flat, my tummy that is, not the grass. A garden roller can be used on the mole, but...

 

[jane1754]

@jane1754 Have you considered letting someone else give the injection in a little used area that you can't reach? Perhaps arms?
My children have been fully involved in my diabetes care since an early age, finger pricking etc. Obviously it's been on a voluntary basis, and I still have overall control!! It really came into it's own when my son was diagnosed, no trust issues to be conquered. Just a thought.

Thanks for thoughts. My husband already does my CGM on my rear, but that's only once every 6 days. I know he would do my pump, but that's a lot more demanding, not only for replacing every 2/3 days but also being available to unplug me when I want to shower, dress, etc. The nurse said not my arms - not enough fat. I like it that your children are involved in your care. My children learned to be gentle with me because of rheumatoid arthritis, and then my son married a girl with worse RA than me, so he was well prepared.

 

[jane1754]

Not an answer to your question, but have you looked into the I-port? I don't have experience with it but it may be of help.

I-port looks brilliant and I hadn't heard of it before, but it's not relevant for me because I have a pump, which similarly only needs to be changed every 2/3 days. Unfortunately even at those intervals I get the "lipo" problem. But thanks.

 

[NicoleC1971]

I've been on a pump for 9 years, and yes, I am on small doses, but my abdomen does have a resemblance to our mole-infested garden. It used to be nice and flat, my tummy that is, not the grass. A garden roller can be used on the mole, but...

I think only plastic surgery would fix my abdomen after 3 c sections and diabetes (lots of collateral damage). Will still wear a bikini this Summer though and be proud of the bumpy terrain....

 

[annliggins]

The tops of my legs were a big mess one in particular had a massive long lump like a big muscle of jelly i have left these sites alone for 12 months or more , massaged them quite often and they have def reduced. Much improved... now im trying to work on the abdomen ! I guess ill need to go back to both eventually meanwhile my bums getting the needle ! Good job hubby knows me

 

[Seacrow]

I don't know if it actually helped at all, but I used to take fairly hot bubble baths (bubbles probably optional!) and lie there massaging the lumps. I'm lucky enough that going on the pump reduced my lipohypertrophy, less needle insertions, so I can't really state the hot bath massage really worked, but I thought it helped.

 

[jane1754]

The tops of my legs were a big mess one in particular had a massive long lump like a big muscle of jelly i have left these sites alone for 12 months or more , massaged them quite often and they have def reduced. Much improved... now im trying to work on the abdomen ! I guess ill need to go back to both eventually meanwhile my bums getting the needle ! Good job hubby knows me

So there is light at the end of the tunnel, or flat at the end of the lumps...eventually. Thanks.

 

[Muneeb]

Make sure you change your needles every time and rotate at least an inch away from the previous injection site. I have lypohypertrohpy from years of bad practices (not rotating, reusing needles), I've lost a lot of weight and not used the area for over a year, and its still prominent. Most of my research shows that the only real solution is liposuction, if its very small it may go within a matter of months/years.

 

[jane1754]

Make sure you change your needles every time and rotate at least an inch away from the previous injection site. I have lypohypertrohpy from years of bad practices (not rotating, reusing needles), I've lost a lot of weight and not used the area for over a year, and its still prominent. Most of my research shows that the only real solution is liposuction, if its very small it may go within a matter of months/years.

Thanks for that. I do rotate the site and as I use a pump a fresh needle is automatic with each new set change. I think it's happened because I don't have a large skin area available, being small and thin. However, I haven;t been using my thighs now since the beginning of the year (8 months) and I have recently noticed that the lumps are disappearing. Hooray! Apart from the look, the problem is, of course, failure to absorb the insulin effectively where there are lumps, so it is certainly something to guard against.

 

[Muneeb]

Thanks for that. I do rotate the site and as I use a pump a fresh needle is automatic with each new set change. I think it's happened because I don't have a large skin area available, being small and thin. However, I haven;t been using my thighs now since the beginning of the year (8 months) and I have recently noticed that the lumps are disappearing. Hooray! Apart from the look, the problem is, of course, failure to absorb the insulin effectively where there are lumps, so it is certainly something to guard against.

Dr Bernstein does recommend against using pumps for this very reason. He states he has never seen a well controlled diabetic on a pump due to lipohypertrophy buildup, as the canulla and insulin are in a certain location for several days at a time. Unfortunately it does affect insulin absorption and can be an issue. But great to hear they have reduced.

 

[Antje77]

Dr Bernstein does recommend against using pumps for this very reason. He states he has never seen a well controlled diabetic on a pump due to lipohypertrophy buildup

Funny how so many on here use a pump and are very well controlled....
Maybe Dr B. doesn't know everything after all. How long ago did he say this?

 

[Muneeb]

Funny how so many on here use a pump and are very well controlled....
Maybe Dr B. doesn't know everything after all. How long ago did he say this?

Not saying he does, but he has many years of experience dealing with diabetics and his own life experience, he said it a couple of months ago in his Q&A session.

But I guess that depends on what you call very well controlled. Dr Bernstein is an advocate of normalized glucose levels at 83 mg/dL (~4.6 mmol/L), others may see a hba1c of 6 or even 7 as well controlled.

 

[annliggins]

Whilst i respect everyone with years more experience than me.m Dr Bernstein profoundly so ...i have however ,faith in me and my body. I do what i do ...i know what i know ( little amount still expanding ) i have my own lifestyle my own carb ratio and i attain a good HBA1C however relevent this is these days.I guess what im saying is look around ..read ..gather info ..follow which diet you want ...use it to your advantage BUT ..i live with me i know me ..thats Diabetes... it might be a condition that thousands have but its my individual disease with a battle peculiar to me My DNS gives me advice ..i do what i think . Enough said just saying .

 

[Scott-C]

Funny how so many on here use a pump and are very well controlled....
Maybe Dr B. doesn't know everything after all. How long ago did he say this?

Nothing which Bernstein says, from his decades old view point, has any relevance at all to modern T1 management techniques, but, for reasons which I fail to understand, modern T1s seem to think they do.

 

[Muneeb]

Nothing which Bernstein says, from his decades old view point, has any relevance at all to modern T1 management techniques, but, for reasons which I fail to understand, modern T1s seem to think they do.

If it has no relevance, why do people following his programme have near enough normalized glucose levels without the rollercoaster effect (<5% hba1c) ? To say it has no relevance whatsoever is very disingenuous. All the basic principles his plan is based upon is completely relevant today.

 

[Muneeb]

Whilst i respect everyone with years more experience than me.m Dr Bernstein profoundly so ...i have however ,faith in me and my body. I do what i do ...i know what i know ( little amount still expanding ) i have my own lifestyle my own carb ratio and i attain a good HBA1C however relevent this is these days.I guess what im saying is look around ..read ..gather info ..follow which diet you want ...use it to your advantage BUT ..i live with me i know me ..thats Diabetes... it might be a condition that thousands have but its my individual disease with a battle peculiar to me My DNS gives me advice ..i do what i think . Enough said just saying .

I understand that. Dr Bernstein is essentially an advocate of low card high protein, and that's due to the fact that eating high carbs is the main reason for high BS levels and then using insulin to counteract it, which in itself does not have a predictable operation means that you will never eradicate the roller-coaster effect. Although the insulin of today is better at managing this, it is still not ideal.

There's a difference between knowing what's normal and accepting a level of risk to live a lifestyle one chooses, that's each to their own, but that doesn't detract from the fact of what is normal.