Pumping Saline

[Postleneo]

Well the day has finally arrived!!! After my initial pump training I have been let loose with my new pump pre filled with saline to wear for just short of a week before officially pumping the new FIASP insulin on the 6th. I am using the Inset 2 infusion set and what I have found is that although it is comfortable and keep checking to ensure it is still there.... whenever I give a bolus dose I get a really bad sharp pain at the cannula site each time a dose is administered! this is really awful if I give a fairly large bolus!! and the pain can last for a few minutes after! Has anyone else experienced this?? Is this the nature of pumping? Could it be because I am blousing water and not insulin or could it be the position of the site (just at the side of my stomach). Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

 

[Gaz-M]

I would imagine its the site, saline should not sting at all and I am not sure of those cannulas as I don't use them

 

[himtoo]

the site would get my vote -- can you change it over and try blousing more saline from a different site/ new cannula ?

 

[Snapsy]

@Postleneo I get this sometimes and it always makes me change my cannula. It feels like a long bee sting to me. Horrid. I'm on the Insight and I use Flex cannulas. I would certainly say it's a site issue and nothing to do with the saline.

On my pump start day I used an 8mm cannula. It really hurt when I bolused, and I could even feel it with each squirt of basal too! But I didn't really know that it wasn't supposed to feel like that!

Still, it was my first cannula. It went a bit wrong for me on the second day, but my high sugars and the smell of leaking insulin drew my attention to it, and I changed to a 6mm cannula, which is what I've used ever since. I haven't looked back!

Yay to your new pump and new recipe insulin!

 

[donnellysdogs]

How much are you bolusing?
More likely to be set than anything else.
If its pain, then change.... thats the motto for any set...

 

[Postleneo]

@Postleneo I get this sometimes and it always makes me change my cannula. It feels like a long bee sting to me. Horrid. I'm on the Insight and I use Flex cannulas. I would certainly say it's a site issue and nothing to do with the saline.

On my pump start day I used an 8mm cannula. It really hurt when I bolused, and I could even feel it with each squirt of basal too! But I didn't really know that it wasn't supposed to feel like that!

Still, it was my first cannula. It went a bit wrong for me on the second day, but my high sugars and the smell of leaking insulin drew my attention to it, and I changed to a 6mm cannula, which is what I've used ever since. I haven't looked back!

Yay to your new pump and new recipe insulin!

Cheers for that... Not sure what length the cannula is that I'm using so will def change the site to a completely different area and ask to try a 6mm one. Thanks think it must be the site it wrong length as can feel it now bit painful when pressing it slightly

 

[Snapsy]

It's worth trying different types/lengths of cannula - you'll find what suits you best.

My hospital didn't offer a saline start - I was on insulin from the word go. I think there is an advantage to a saline start as problems like this can be ironed out at this stage!

Hope it's not too hurty. Keep us posted with how it's all going!

 

[Postleneo]

It's worth trying different types/lengths of cannula - you'll find what suits you best.

My hospital didn't offer a saline start - I was on insulin from the word go. I think there is an advantage to a saline start as problems like this can be ironed out at this stage!

Hope it's not too hurty. Keep us posted with how it's all going!

We'll still stung this morning like crazy so did my 1st infusion set change and opted to put the cannular at the top of my .... mmmm.... let's say 'nether regions' and did a 9 unit Bolus at lunch and yeah.... No pain just a slight tingly vibration type feeling so think was definitely the cannula site. Will still discuss a different size I think so will have more options for places

 

[Snapsy]

Wow, erm, that location sounds like it's not for the faint-hearted, @Postleneo !


The two serious cannula fails I've had (**** absorption, leaky, hurty, massively high sugars) were when I'd sited them in my favourite spot for injecting - lower right tummy. I put that down to decades of scar tissue. The other side of my tummy is fine, so I do put them there, but my favourite spot is on the sides of my lower back (spare tyre). When I put it round the back I find I don't trip over the hosepipe when getting dressed or pulling up trousers or whatever, which I sometimes do when it's round the front.

I still sometimes get an owwy cannula without having absorption issues and dodgy sugars. But I'll always change an owwy one, just in case!

 

[richyb]

I have an animas vibe. I feel a slight stingy feeling when it is going in. What i found helps is to slow down the delivery rate on the pump. Probably your medtronic can do the same.
I have also found in the 6months I have had it the stinging effect is less now so maybe the body gets used to it.