19 Comments
If you wear a device, how many times in the past month have you accidentally ripped out a sensor or pump site?
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It doesn’t happen often, I do wear tape with a loop near my pump site to prevent an accidental tug from ripping it out.
Making a loop is a good idea. In the past I used to pull them out accidentally more often, but have been pretty careful for the last few years. I don’t think I’ve done it more than a couple of times in the past year.
It’s easier to pull out a pump site due to all the tubing. I only pull out my Dexcom sensor when I change to a site that an be affected when changing clothes but that hasn’t happened in quite some time.
I am now using the clear tape designed to hold sensors and pump sites in place. This tape has helped keep my Abbott Freestyle sensor in place. Before it was falling off, coming loose, knocking off – but not with the tape over the top. So that was the solution for me.
About once every five years. I wear a long tube, .oat of which is under my clothing – so I hear the pump hitting something before there is a pull on the tube.
Yes the length of the tubing is both a benefit and a curse. A curse if you work near the doors that have the lever-type handles. They will snag the tube in an instant. Tape and a loop of tubing is the best easy solution. Hmmm maybe a quick disconnect fitting?
What is a loop?
I have managed to pull off my pods a few times. With my pants when it was on my leg, and walking too close to door frames when it was on my arm. All of your comments about the tubing is one of the reasons I chose to use pods. I am pretty sure I would be yanking a tube loose all of the time.
Sometimes my pump comes loose from my belt. It does not rip out the infusion set but can cause bleeding and requires a new infusion set. I have also caught the tubing on various things. I usually notice this before it causes a problem.
We just got a new puppy and he loves to chew. I forgot to hide my line one night while sitting on my recliner & he decided to play tug- of- war. I didn’t win. Only on day 2, I was not happy but how do you stay mad at a 7 week old baby?? “)
Once in five years with the pod. Pulling on pants
I’ve caught a Libre sensor on the corners of hallway walls aboard our houseboat 3 or 4 times in the last couple of years. Abbott is really good about replacing them.
Haven’t ripped one out in a while but I had one insertion set come loose and I didn’t notice it.
My son has been wearing tubed insulin pumps and Dexcom CGMs for years and has never once ripped out a site. *shrug*
Not in a long time. Caught on nails in an attic, snagged on a prybar but after a while you get used to the tubing. My cat chewed the tubing in my sleep once, caught my dog nibbling at it but save it. In warm weather I use a skintak because the adhesive has come loose by sweating.
It usually get a knock out when I rub my abdomen across a box, ladder a tight squeeze. Less tha a month maybe 3 or 4 times a year.
I pulled out a insertion site about two weeks ago because it was in the site which is more prone to this, the side of my upper thighs. I should only wear skirts or dresses when they are put there. It happens about 3x/year.
This is one of the reasons I don’t pump.
I add tape over my 9 year olds infusion site. She’s only pulled it out once in 15 months