Has any one heard of this...

[Dr. Nic]

Hi,

My type 1 hubby has been experiencing slow insulin absorption and a few weeks ago had 3 days where his blood sugar was 16+ and totally unresponsive to his injections.

We went to the doctors on Monday and the doc examined his injection sites. He usually injects in the fatty part of his stomach around his belly button and sometimes in his bum for his long lasting insulin.
My hubby is a runner with ~10% body fat so he doesn't have many options when it comes to injection sites.
The doc told him that the areas around his belly button were fatty desposits which were "feeding off the insluin", and therefore casuing very slow or no blood sugar reduction. Does anyone know the proper name for these fatty areas around the stomach which my hubby has? Apparently many diabetics develop them after injecting in the same place for years.
My hubby is now injecting in the top outer couner of his bum and his blood sugar is very preceisly controlled now. The doc warned him that injecting in a new site would increase insulin delivery and he needed to be careful of hypos. He has noticed the difference!

Just thought it was an interesting point to raise if any one is experiencing a similar problem.

 

[hanadr]

I've heard of this, but don't know what it's called. i hav a feeling it's more common in men than women

 

[diabetesmum]

Hi,

This sounds like 'lipos' (lipohypertrophy). They can happen in anyone who tends to inject insulin into the same area all the time. The fatty deposits inhibit the absorption of insulin, which is why your hubby's BG went up. He will need to leave those areas well alone for some months before the fatty deposits break up, and obviously make sure he rotates his new injection sites, or he will get lipos there too. It is tempting to keep injecting into lipos because they tend to hurt less, but it's not a good idea from a BG control perspective.
Sue