Cannula issues

[racheel]

Hi guys
I've been on the ypsomed pump for about 7 months, but I seem to be having a few issues lately a few times I've had had my sugars spike with no obvious reason so checked my site to find the there's a little bit of blood on the patch where my tube connects to me and also some in the tube. Has anyone else had this problem and does anyone know why. Could it be the placement or something else.
Please help I have been doing so well since going on it I managed to drop my hba1c down to 51 since being on it and it's getting a little stressful not only for me but for my wife
Thank you so much in advance for any tips or tricks

 

[Juicyj]

Hi guys
I've been on the ypsomed pump for about 7 months, but I seem to be having a few issues lately a few times I've had had my sugars spike with no obvious reason so checked my site to find the there's a little bit of blood on the patch where my tube connects to me and also some in the tube. Has anyone else had this problem and does anyone know why. Could it be the placement or something else.
Please help I have been doing so well since going on it I managed to drop my hba1c down to 51 since being on it and it's getting a little stressful not only for me but for my wife
Thank you so much in advance for any tips or tricks

Hi Rach - what sets are you using ?

I use steel cannula sets and get blood around the set, if I feel I am running high due to this and no other factors i'll either just change the 1st part of the set with the tip and do a tube fill or if insulin is running low on the pump then i'll change the whole set.

Also is the site sore once the set has been removed ?

 

[racheel]

Hi, yeah I use the steel ones tried the other ones but didn't like them. I usually just change the tube if I'm spiking to high for no reason but for the most recent part I always seem to find blood in the tube and on the other bit so change it all but its only when I put them on my thigh I tend to rotate my sites every change so I have a break and my sites are always sore afterwards which is why I rotate them from belly to leg to leg to belly
I think I may have scar tissue on my belly tho so try to massage as much as I can but the spukes are getting to me a bit now and some of the time I'm like I just can't be bothered

 

[Juicyj]

Hi - ok that explains the blood, I get the same however mine in part are also due to using Ljumjev which has a preservative which irritates the site and then cause blood to leak too, there isn't a solution to my knowledge except site change and perhaps revert to a manual injection to counter the high reading, as it's easier to just go with a manual insulin correction rather than wait for the new set change. It's really just about vigilance in watching levels. The only issue I think I would have with legs is knocking the sites which can cause irritation on the site, have you tried lower abdomen too ?

 

[racheel]

Hi - ok that explains the blood, I get the same however mine in part are also due to using Ljumjev which has a preservative which irritates the site and then cause blood to leak too, there isn't a solution to my knowledge except site change and perhaps revert to a manual injection to counter the high reading, as it's easier to just go with a manual insulin correction rather than wait for the new set change. It's really just about vigilance in watching levels. The only issue I think I would have with legs is knocking the sites which can cause irritation on the site, have you tried lower abdomen too ?

Yeah I use lower stomach and thighs trying to out them in different places everytime. I honestly didn't have a great track record doing injections I really struggled when I got diagnosed I had diabulmia for a good number of years I only really snapped out of it when I had my last dka which nearly killed me it took me 5 years to get on the pump after that and it's honestly changed my life my mental health is getting better so doing the manual corrections sounds a little scary for me. And yeah I'm clumsy so I do knock my sites or catch my tube on the draws in my kitchen but changing the handles soon so there's nothing to catch it on
But thank you for the advice I'll definitely have a think about the manual corrections tho to try and even out the spikes
Thank you juicyj

 

[Juicyj]

Yeah I use lower stomach and thighs trying to out them in different places everytime. I honestly didn't have a great track record doing injections I really struggled when I got diagnosed I had diabulmia for a good number of years I only really snapped out of it when I had my last dka which nearly killed me it took me 5 years to get on the pump after that and it's honestly changed my life my mental health is getting better so doing the manual corrections sounds a little scary for me. And yeah I'm clumsy so I do knock my sites or catch my tube on the draws in my kitchen but changing the handles soon so there's nothing to catch it on
But thank you for the advice I'll definitely have a think about the manual corrections tho to try and even out the spikes
Thank you juicyj

Absolutely agree with the pump being a life changer, it was for me, had to work hard to get access but was just compliant with everything they asked me to do and so they could see the effort I was putting in and wouldn't be wasted by giving me a pump, I think knocking your sites will cause you issues, i'm clumsy too so lost a few CGM's on door frames, pulled off with clothes but only pulled one set out fully to date on a door frame ! Manual is just a back up, so just stick to set changes if you're more comfortable with that, do you also get lumps around your sites ?