Leaking infusion sets and soreness

[PepperTed]

Two days in a row I have given a bolus, smelled insulin, and seen that my infusion site is leaking. The first day it was first thing in the morning, so I assumed I had dislodged it whilst moving around in my sleep. But today it was fine in the morning and started leaking at lunch time, and I definitely hadn't knocked it or touched it at all.

Has anyone experienced this? What turned out to be the cause?

All I can think of is that my large boluses (10-15u) can't be absorbed fast enough, so are spilling out of the tubing. Although I had much larger boluses with injections and it never happened. I've ordered some longer needles which will be delivered on Monday, but if that doesn't work I'm stumped.

Secondly, I put a new infusion set in to replace the leaking one. It hurt on entry, which none of the others had, and it still feels sore now (a few hours later). Would you take this as a sign that something is wrong and change it, or should I leave it? It's only a small pain, and I'm reluctant to waste an infusion set by changing it. I don't know how much they cost but I've wasted a couple with silly mistakes, and I feel bad

 

[CarbsRok]

What infusion set are you using? If it's the steel ones then change to the tethlon cannula. Also set you pump to a slower delivery. If you look at your set up you can change the speed of delivery and also to slow things down more deliver the insulin as an extended bolus over a time of 0.01 hr this delivers it over a 6 min period.
I suspect most of your problems with high blood sugars are due to the wrong size and or type of cannula. If leaking insulin all over the place you have no chance of bringing your numbers down.

 

[RHNtype1]

I agree with CarbsRok, sounds like good advice.I have had some recent issues with pain from my Mio sets and I think that although I have enough fat on my tummy to make it unlikely to hit muscle wall that when pain on insertion, or for some time afterwards happens that it is likely that I have hit something like a small blood vessel or some scar tissue.
There are a couple of areas which often give me some pain but I try to rotate my sights and avoid those bits. Using the longer bolus delivery does sound like a plan for big doses but it might also be worth asking your DSN to check you don't have any issues with scarring.Good luck.Rx

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[donnellysdogs]

Also iit can depend upon how carefully you are ensuring that the sticky plaster bit is smoothed down.

I've had ones come out of my legs and my stomach but never out of my bum.

Also I have had blood back up in the tube from my stomach and legs but not my bum.

I don't know why as I am sure there are others that are lean and muscly and sweat down the gym like I do whilst gardening in the summer.

However, the sets in my bum are whilst awake always held firmly in place by knickers or skorts or jeans etc. in other places they only have loose clothing over them so are easier to fall out if I move or sweat etc...

 

[RHNtype1]

Interested in the blood back up the tubing as I had that recently and was unsure of the reason.I do quite a lot of active stuff as well, exercise classes and such but only garden in Spring and summer.LOL. I'm not sure if lycra holds my sets in place or rubs against them to dislodge them sometimes.Rx

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[donnellysdogs]

I agree with CarbsRok, sounds like good advice.I have had some recent issues with pain from my Mio sets and I think that although I have enough fat on my tummy to make it unlikely to hit muscle wall that when pain on insertion, or for some time afterwards happens that it is likely that I have hit something like a small blood vessel or some scar tissue.
There are a couple of areas which often give me some pain but I try to rotate my sights and avoid those bits. Using the longer bolus delivery does sound like a plan for big doses but it might also be worth asking your DSN to check you don't have any issues with scarring.Good luck.Rx

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Any pain on insertion should make you change area... I too can feel the majority of sets that went in to my stomach.. Due to being too lean and at the time being started off on 8mm length cannulas. My consultant has suggested 4mm ones to me but my CCG won't pay 2 manufacturers....and my current manufacturer only makes 6mm sets.

If feeling any pain, bloods will gain...

 

[PepperTed]

I'm now on 9mm sets and the leaking problem has gone away. I just had a bolus that really stung though, ouch! I've been doing combo boluses for anything over than 10 units, but I think I need to drop this down to 5 units.

The infusion set I took out on Saturday left a big lump which has only just gone down. It's still red around the area. I don't think it was infected as it wasn't hot and my sugars have been going down (I get awful high sugars with any infection). I'm sure I'm inserting them correctly, I think I just need to pay attention to which spots don't react well to the sets.

I have been on the teflon (?) ones since the beginning, no steel.