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For pump users: In the past 3 months, have you had issues with insulin delivery due to a bent cannula or occlusion?
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I am on the Omnipod 5. No occlusions, but sometimes after 2 1/2 days the insulin effectiveness goes down. Sometimes, but not always.
I have had about 4 bent canulas using Dexcom XC90. It is very hard to get the inserter off straight. I insert a plastic knife between the inserter and the infusion set now to pry it off.
Not Dexcom – Tandem
I had that problem with my Minimed inserter so I stopped using it all together and just commando it straight in by hand. I rarely insert it crookedly. I visually make sure the tape is paralleled to the injection site.
Funny thing…I just took off a site that I had in for 6days because it was getting sore/itchy. When I took it out, it was bent in half and left a huge divot on my stomach. Sugars were rock solid, but not really sure how
I hesitate to bring this up but I am quite sure this happens more than people realize. I use a tubed pump and small amounts of total daily insulin and have checked the tubing for YEARS for bubbles. YES, they are difficult to “notice” unless you have a good light behind the clear tubing because the insulin is also colorless. I detach and check the tubing in the morning and before bedtime if not before the evening meal…I’m talking about significant bubbles—-8-10-or12 inches in length can appear and you would NOT notice them unless you were looking. I wonder how many people wonder why their blood sugar is occasionally high and it’s being caused by a significant bubble…NO, not the champagne sized version that’s often mentioned to “ignore.” The pump company I deal with tried to get me to switch to injections instead but I am an EXPERT with the bubble situation. Also, comments over the years that I am probably not filling the reservoir correctly, etc….just plain silly. I am NOT new at this…LOL!!!
Holy cow! 8 to 10” bubbles? There is definitely something wrong if that is happening to you. I occasionally get 1/4” inch 10” is excessive. Have you gone in and shown your pump instructor how you’re doing it so that they can help you figure out the problem?
This is exactly what I mean…I get “silly” comments –UNLESS you can tell me that you have frequently inspected the tubing in your pump, I have to respond that you do not understand what you are suggesting. Of COURSE it is excessive in bubble size and that’s what I’m saying. Why do you think I have heard from “my” company about changing to injections? This is not a “pump instructor person can help” issue. I am simply pointing out that IF you never check the tubing, you don’t know how often it “might” be happening.
I have had occasions when insulin seems to be ineffective and I have to either increase my dosage by A LOT or change the infusion set. I don’t know how to identify an occlusion as the problem.
Years ago, I had many problems with bent cannulas and occlusions. I use the Tandem Vari Soft cannulas. I found that by switching from the 17mm syringe, to the 13 mm syringe, my bent cannula issues went away. I had occlusions more frequently years ago, and found that when I stopped using over-used sites, and switching my sites more frequently, that the occlusions almost completely stopped. I also found that I cannot insert my cannulas over my rib cage area.
I do not have issues with bubbles in my tubing. I think it is because I make sure that I remove the air from my reservoirs before put the insulin into them (Tandem X2 pump).
Tried to get use to tru-steel. Painful for 3 days everytime. After 4th attempt quit trying.
I have had more incidents of occlusion with the Tandem x2 pump. Rarely had any problems with my older Medtronic Revel pump.
I have absorption problems frequently.
I use a tandem slim 2x and the thing to do to avoid the bubbles is to go thru the two steps to get the air out, first of the empty cartridge and then just before you’re ready to shoot the insulin into the cartridge. It more bothersome but it avoids the chances of getting bubbles.
Tha absorption problem is a matter of luck. I recently changed from my abdomen to the upper front thigh but is difficult to find the exact right place. Every time I don’t reach the 80% in range is because of faulty absorption and not because I’m eating wrong. It’s pretty frustrating. All I can do is use another infusion set and find a new place since the cartridge is still full of insulin.
That problem creates the additional problem of having more cartridge sets than infusion sets and I cannot get the vendor to send me 4 boxes of infusion sets and just 2 boxes of cartridges and my doctor says they don’t allow her to write and uneven prescription. Very frustrating!!!
One of the benefits of using the TruSteel sets is that if it is a n absorption site issue (or the rare time the set comes off) I can just pop it in a new place, and tape. I remember that my set got tugged off (again very rare) and I was at a hardware store. I decided to pick up a roll of blue painter’s tape that was near the register, popped the site in, taped over and didn’t lose my place in line.
It’s just weird how insurances can dictate what we can have to control this diabetes beast. Medicare is very strict. For one thing, I can’t change my site every 2 days. It has to be every three days. One really nice thing though, if I have a problem with the catheters I can call Tandem, I can call Tandem, and they will send me a replacement. The same holds true with Dexcom. They’re really nice to work with.
I have to change my infusion sets every 2-3 days as they become occluded. I can generally tell when it’s coming to the time when I need to change my infusion site, even though I have my pump set to alarm every 2 days informing me that I need to change my infusion set, as I begin to notice blood glucose levels higher than what I’m normally getting.
Once I started using Verisoft cannulas it has not been a problem.
My pump has alerted me to occlusions, but I’m not sure if it actully has had one as it resolved quickly.
Only because i use tandem’s tru steel infusion sets. Honestly the best decision i ever made.
No problems since switching to TruSteel.
I tried Tru Steel, and they make me bleed, so I have to stick with the AutoSofts.
I have to be so careful where I place my cannula because I’ve had Type 1 diabetes for 64 years, and I have some hardened lumps under my skin. Also, I think the needle to my infusion set is kind of wimpy, in that it bends too easily.
No more bent cannula with TruSteel!
I use the Varisoft on a Tandem w/CIQ and usually change after 2 days but I can sometimes get 4 days/ BTW Best A1c was 5.4
In the past 3 months, no issues.
With my prior system I did. One episode gave me the gift of DKA and 4 days in the ICU…all because the occlusion alarm failed. The pump manufacturer has a default of 5 units to consider the pump defective…it alarmed at 4.9 when tested. My average daily units at the time was 30. The manufacturer didn’t see a problem. 😡
In the last 4-5 months, I’ve been lucky. But usually, it tends to happen a few times per year. Luckily, the CGM helps catch them.
How do I tell if I have a bent cannula? If I have
an unexplained high, it could be a bad site, pump failure, bad insulin, broken line.
In the last five months I’ve been new to tandem I had to infusion sets that bent. I re-watched the insertion video and realized I was pulling up too hard on the tape and getting the needle out of alignment are getting it off-center somehow. I am careful now have not had a problem tandem did replace my two sets
Yes, but it was my body problem. The insulin wasn’t going in and I changed the site placement. Then it worked. Some little bump formed on my stomach and the insulin didn’t go through that.
Yes I’ve had two in the last two weeks.
I no longer use a bendable cannula.
I had a recent issue that might have been caused by a bent trusteel and/or occluded insulin.
When I took the site out the needle that was supposed to be 90 degrees was bent maybe 20 degrees (to maybe 30 degrees max) off of what it should have been. But, that site had 3 or so different issues that could have been one or two different issues within each issue.
I decided not to bend my mind around trying to figure out if it was one or two issues or six…
That one was just: “It just needs to change.” LOL!
I answered yes , but I’m glad to say the first vent one in 4 or 5 years!
First one
The Omnipod 5 seems to have some issues. When the insulin from the pod doesn’t work, I switch to injections. I was almost to the point of stopping with the Omnipod until I started adding injections.