3 failed cannulas in a week - is it just me?

[MushyPeaBrain]

I am still having trouble with my cannulas and this week I've scored a full house:

One kinked

One looked fine but just wasn't delivering

One hit a vein and had blood in cannula when removed

I am so tired and not trusting the pump right now. Do these kind of bad periods happen to everyone cause it's really getting me down. :cry:

I am using the Animas Inset II. Had no problems until this week. All from same box (which I have just finished) and all on left side of my stomach.

Sat here waiting for next hour to blood test to find out if current set failed too :roll:

 

[josie38]

Hi mushy,

You do seem to be having a lot of bad luck lately with your sets. I can only offer my support and offer you good luck with trying to sort the problem out as i use a different pump to you. I knoe it can be very frustrating as well.

GOOD LUCK HUNX 8) 8) 8) 8)


Jo

 

[jopar]

It can happen occasionally, frustrating when it does..

But I do wonder though, you say that it's seems to be happening on the left side, wonder if it's partly due to technique as in if you are right handed streatching over to the left side make it more difficult!

Are you using a inserter gadget at all, as this might cause some of the kinking issues with firing it into a tad hard hitting muscle underneath..

I haven't experience kinking issues even though I'm a prime candidate for them, as I am so slender I really don't have much of a fat layer, but I do use angled infusion sets and self insert so avoid a lot of problems that the inserter might pose for me..

 

[MushyPeaBrain]

Hi Josie - thanks for the luck. I thought it had worked with this set but having just checked BG and found it's 20.8 I'm not so sure :shock:

Jopar I'm mainly right handed but also ambidextrous so do some things, like blood testing and wearing my watch left handed. I'm using the Inset II which is an all in one with inserter. I have needle phobia and for years injected with the penmate so I would have concerns about being able to insert myself.

I was haviing a major reaction to Levemir so I was injecting that only on this bad side. The first 2 sites were not too far from the old injections but the others have been miles away. Maybe I just have issues with that side of my body!

Either way I have to find some solution soon as these BG levels are really bad and very scary.

 

[iHs]

Hi Mush

Usually the Inset II's go in without any trouble at all. I just wonder if it is yr technique that's not right rather than the set :?

When you put the set in are you sitting down or standing up? If you are sitting, then try standing up to insert and hold the set housing firmly on the place you want to insert before you press the set housing inwards to release the spring. Also avoid above the naval as that is a very tender area.

Also if you insert a set where there is less fat, that can also make the cannula bend using 45g angle but other than that try using an alternative cannula length like 8mm or 6mm. The Inset 30 is for very slim people and is a bit like the Tenderlink that Jopar uses but uses a built in inserter. Ask to try that to see how you get on.

Although Animas dont do needle cannulas, I think Accu Chek do - Rapid D? You could use them as then the cannula wont bend. You will have to ask yr DSN to get some for you though.

 

[josie38]

Hi mushy,

I am sorry to hear that the cannula didn't work! :?

I really hope you can find a solution to this frustrating problem.

i use Flexlink sets (8mm) and not had a problem yet.

Please let me know how you are getting on - thinking of you.

to cheer you up

Jo

 

[MushyPeaBrain]

I took a chance on the BG of 20.8 and used the pump to correct. It had dropped within the hour and continued to drop until I was 6.1 the next morning. What I'm finding is that my carb ratios are screwed up. On MDI I never had a set ratio. I counted the carbs and then injected a dose based on that plus how I was feeling, what I was doing and how my sugars had been. Sounds awful but it almost always worked.

Now I have 3 carb ratios picked by the DSN. They work ok if I'm having very low carb meals and know the exact carbs. That night with 20.8 I ate out. I had a roast at a carvery and no pudding or starter. Counted carefully and added extra but even so look at the result!!

Going back to the set change (my next one is tomorrow and I'm quite worried) I do them standing up and in places I can pinch an inch. I always really take my time and I'm sure I'm doing it ok, but obviously not last week :lol:

We'll see how tomorrow goes!!

 

[donnellysdogs]

Hi Mushy...
So how did your DSN work out your carb ratio's for your pump?

I had always used 1unit to 10g for 25 years, but on pump I worked my own out, and they are now 1 to 8g at breakfast, 1 to 17(!!!) for lunch and 1 to 10g for my evening meal (although I have had it down to 1 to 8g but was getting too many lower readings 3 hours after my evening meal.

If you have a fasting say and miss out your breakfast, are your levels remaining level 3-4 hours after your normal mealtime on just your basal rates, and your how about your other meals if they are skipped?

If you levels go up 3-4 hours after your meals compared to when just on basal and fasting then you need to lower the amount of grams on your bolus i.e if it was set by DSN as 1 to 10, next day try 1 to 9 or 1 to 8 (depending on how high your levels go).