Sarah Howard (nee Tackett) has dedicated her career to supporting the T1D community ever since she was diagnosed with T1D while in college in May 2013. Since then, she has worked for various diabetes organizations, focusing on research, advocacy, and community-building efforts for people with T1D and their loved ones. Sarah is currently the Senior Manager of Marketing at T1D Exchange.
Not often, but if I get a lot of blood at my Dexcom site when placed, it won’t work. It runs low, I calibrate, then pauses and asks for another calibration, etc. Now I just pull it and get it replaced, it cannot correct itself if there is visible welling of blood. This makes sense- the blood is out of circulation in that instance, and the RBC’s eat the glucose and don’t allow it to equilibrate with the interstitial fluid. If it is a pump, it bleeds a lot when pulled- likely went through a vein, and like pulling a finger from the dike, it floods upon removal.
Often was selected, although CGM’s probably never. The blood thinners that can kill you (double the dose & you’ll probably die), seem to make the pump insert sites worse. They swell up and redden a bit, often lasting for a day or two after removal. I always wipe the reddened old sites with IV prep. It seems to lessen the irritation. ⚠⚠
I don’t bruise but I can definitely swell, bleed and/or feel that I have injected it into muscular or some other tissue that says I don’t want to move while wearing this insert. I don’t have a lot of fat and have to use the short inserts at low angles.
I bruise easily in general because of low platelets (which are also larger than normal… I don’t understand it all, but there it is). I also have low protein (and low B12 and D.) I’m not on any medication to make my blood slow to clot, it just happens naturally.
I also get the occasional gush of blood when taking a pump site out. Those potential gushers always make taking the site out just a little exciting, never knowing what one is going to have to deal with! ;p
From the Omnipod, sometimes, but I think it’s more from the pod itself than the injection. It’s usually around the edges, like I leaned on it and put pressure on it. Don’t recall a Dexcom bruise, but very occasionally it will bleed like crazy when I insert one. I sometimes get tiny little circle bruises from finger sticks.
Very rarely, my infusion site (Autosoft XC from Tandem) will leave a bruise. I’ve had very rare bruising under the Dexcom G6 sensor if I’ve laid on it during sleep or if I’ve bumped it on a door, etc. Bruising doesn’t happen often.
I’m on two blood thinners (low dose aspirin & Plavix) and another med that can cause more bleeding. When on MDI I injected in my stomach and ended up with a HUGE bruise, at least a foot square. Happened once in 33 years. Now I use a pump with a Dexcom G6. I always bruise from the CGM placement and sometimes from infusion sets.
When I was injecting often. Omnipod and Dexcom sensors make me bleed sometimes.
I get yellow bruises.
Not often, but if I get a lot of blood at my Dexcom site when placed, it won’t work. It runs low, I calibrate, then pauses and asks for another calibration, etc. Now I just pull it and get it replaced, it cannot correct itself if there is visible welling of blood. This makes sense- the blood is out of circulation in that instance, and the RBC’s eat the glucose and don’t allow it to equilibrate with the interstitial fluid. If it is a pump, it bleeds a lot when pulled- likely went through a vein, and like pulling a finger from the dike, it floods upon removal.
Since I’ve been on a blood thinner for the last 3 months it has been more frequent. Before that, rarely.
Often was selected, although CGM’s probably never. The blood thinners that can kill you (double the dose & you’ll probably die), seem to make the pump insert sites worse. They swell up and redden a bit, often lasting for a day or two after removal. I always wipe the reddened old sites with IV prep. It seems to lessen the irritation. ⚠⚠
sometimes when I remove a quickset it bleeds profusely.
Sometimes, used to be regularly when I was on Lo-Dose Aspirin but have been off any blood thinning drugs for over 5 years.
I don’t bruise but I can definitely swell, bleed and/or feel that I have injected it into muscular or some other tissue that says I don’t want to move while wearing this insert. I don’t have a lot of fat and have to use the short inserts at low angles.
I said rarely although when u do bruise it sends to come in clusters.
I never get what I would call bruises. But I rarely get a small pink bump that goes away on its own.
It depends on if I’ve a heparin flush recently or not. I bruise a lot easier after one, in general.
With pump sites I have to be very careful to avoid scar tissue. Have had far more lasting bruises from CGM application and removal.
Injections often, infusion sets rarely.
I bruise easily in general because of low platelets (which are also larger than normal… I don’t understand it all, but there it is). I also have low protein (and low B12 and D.) I’m not on any medication to make my blood slow to clot, it just happens naturally.
I also get the occasional gush of blood when taking a pump site out. Those potential gushers always make taking the site out just a little exciting, never knowing what one is going to have to deal with! ;p
I get that too, from pump and cgm. I sometimes can’t believe how much blood can come out of such a tiny hole.
Touch wood it has never happened but when I get my blood drawn that may bruise the odd time depending on who’s doing the blood draw.
From the Omnipod, sometimes, but I think it’s more from the pod itself than the injection. It’s usually around the edges, like I leaned on it and put pressure on it. Don’t recall a Dexcom bruise, but very occasionally it will bleed like crazy when I insert one. I sometimes get tiny little circle bruises from finger sticks.
When I was MDI, I bruised at almost every shot! My stomach was a mess. Now I am on the pump with my DEX and rarely do I bruise!
I get bruises mush more often now, I started using t-slim steel cannulas and they do cause more bruising but my absorption is good.
Very rarely, my infusion site (Autosoft XC from Tandem) will leave a bruise. I’ve had very rare bruising under the Dexcom G6 sensor if I’ve laid on it during sleep or if I’ve bumped it on a door, etc. Bruising doesn’t happen often.
I’m on two blood thinners (low dose aspirin & Plavix) and another med that can cause more bleeding. When on MDI I injected in my stomach and ended up with a HUGE bruise, at least a foot square. Happened once in 33 years. Now I use a pump with a Dexcom G6. I always bruise from the CGM placement and sometimes from infusion sets.