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.
Except for accidental pull outs, I change my infusion site when I refill my reservoir. I recently started filling my reservoir with more insulin and have been getting 5+ days using my vari-soft infusion sets. Not manufacture recommended!
Less than 3 days. I have a call pending today about the inserts not lasting 72 hours. Been using inserts since 1996. Have experienced generalized lipoatrophy around abdomen for some years. Any suggestions? 😒
I’m sure you’ve thought of this. But, just for the record. Try another area, e.g., butt, legs, arms.
Sorry for the simple suggestion. I hope it is of some use.
Only suggestion is to use other areas
Thighs, buttox, back, some people have success with arms and chest (I have not tried those places). I save arms for Dexcom
Hope that helps
I dint know what your body is like but try to stay off your abdomen for several months. try about at the waist as far back as you can go – sometimes leaning to the side helps you bunch up a little area you will find. or your arms. After off your abdomen for several months I thin. you will find it works well again. I have had 46 yrs but over half injections so I understand your predicament
I bought a red light. According to a study, about four minutes of exposure to red light therapy at 635 nm was found to cause 80% of lipids to be released from fat cells. By six minutes, 99 % of the fat was removed from the adipocyte, reducing volume and causing a noticeable measurable fat loss.
When I had a Medtronic pump I would wear the infusion set for seven days. Made it easy to remember having a set day of the week to change. Now I have the Omnipod 5 and I have to change every three days since they claim they can’t get the FDA to approve a longer wear time for those of us who have no problems with the seven days.
In the summer, if I sweat a lot, the adhesive wears out and I change it as needed. With more moderate temperatures in Fall, I am able to wear an infusion set for about 4 days (started on Thursday evening & changed it on Monday morning).
I use a Trusteel infusion set for Tandem with CIQ and am supposed to only wear them for two days but I generally wear them for 3 but that’s the longest I can go without getting red, sore bumps and blood glucose going crazy.
I like saying 2-4 days. Some set’s don’t last. And on Omnipod 5, if I have leftover insulin I go the 8 hr grace period that puts me over 3 days. And some do not work so need to switch out at day two.
I am finding it much more difficult to find suitable insertion sites that will last more than 2 days. Have changed type and length of inserts. Get assistance from my husband for ‘awkward’ sites. Running out of real estate, TID 60 years
46 years here with Type 1 and have been experiencing the same issues for the past 4 years. Getting Medicare to approve site changes more frequently than every 3rd day caused me to change endo in early 2022. I had been using Tandem’s AutoSoft XC 9mm cannula sets since starting with Tandem in Oct 2020 (Prior to that using Medtronic Quick sets). Thought that maybe it was the plastic cannulas and have been using Tru-steel sets since this summer…both the 6mm cannula (less effective) and the 8mm cannula. I need to change them every 2 days. I’ve also successfully tried some samples of the AutoSoft 30 sets and will be giving those a longer try to see if they function well for me and last the full 3 days. Dealing with Medicare further complicates things as every change seems to bring snafus in orders. Getting older is not for sissies!!
I’ve been changing my set every 2nd day and my cartridge every 4th. I can use the same set for 3 days if I increase my insulin by 50% to 100%, but I prefer to use a new set. Medicare doesn’t seem to have a problem with that as long as my endo writes the prescription correctly.
I change my verisoft every 3 days, and my cartridge lasts about a week. I’m lucky I’m still very sensitive to insulin and average about 13-14 units a day (for now).
I’ve been lax in changing infusion sites, often going 5 days before changing. Now I’m paying the price with very irritates areas limiting usable sites. Because of frozen shoulder/arthritis damage in both shoulders I’m unable to place infusion sites on sides or back. If the site isn’t irritated I’ve been very reluctant to change it. I fill the cartridge with enough insulin to last 5/6 days and would rather do it all at once.
Trusteel is supposed to be changed every 1-2 days per the manufacturer, so Medicare was quick to approve me changing them that often. My sugars skyrocket if I don’t.
I use TruSteel infusion sets. I’ll leave the set in one spot for 2-3 days (if I’m lucky) then move it to another spot (still have insulin in cartridge) for usually another day or two.
Usually three days … sometimes four days until the insulin reservoir reaches less than 10 units and then I change it when it has 4 or 5 units left. I took a three month pump break this summer to give the poor tired layers of skin cell tissues at insertion sites on my lower abdomen a chance to rest, rejuvenate and heal.
Sometimes I can go beyond the 1.5 day prescribed change. Pumping 20 yrs. Before pumping was on tx regimen of 5 sometimes more injections daily. 4 Humalog for food & correction, 1
I find the medtronic infusion sets work poorly after 3 days, but sometimes when I am broke I have to use them for 4 days.. to make the loaded insulin/ infusion sets and cannulas last longer
I put 2-3 days but sometimes I can do closer to four days. However, since I now use lyumjev in my pump, it is now more like 2-3 days. I actually decide on how well my sugars are in range.
Except for accidental pull outs, I change my infusion site when I refill my reservoir. I recently started filling my reservoir with more insulin and have been getting 5+ days using my vari-soft infusion sets. Not manufacture recommended!
If I wear an infusion set longer than 4 days, even 3 sometimes, my blood sugars are higher and I have a red and swollen site.
Less than 3 days. I have a call pending today about the inserts not lasting 72 hours. Been using inserts since 1996. Have experienced generalized lipoatrophy around abdomen for some years. Any suggestions? 😒
I’m sure you’ve thought of this. But, just for the record. Try another area, e.g., butt, legs, arms.
Sorry for the simple suggestion. I hope it is of some use.
Only suggestion is to use other areas
Thighs, buttox, back, some people have success with arms and chest (I have not tried those places). I save arms for Dexcom
Hope that helps
I dint know what your body is like but try to stay off your abdomen for several months. try about at the waist as far back as you can go – sometimes leaning to the side helps you bunch up a little area you will find. or your arms. After off your abdomen for several months I thin. you will find it works well again. I have had 46 yrs but over half injections so I understand your predicament
I bought a red light. According to a study, about four minutes of exposure to red light therapy at 635 nm was found to cause 80% of lipids to be released from fat cells. By six minutes, 99 % of the fat was removed from the adipocyte, reducing volume and causing a noticeable measurable fat loss.
I try to change my cannulas every three days. But, honestly, I often forget. My cartridges last 4 or 5 days.
I wear an OmniPod 5 and it has a hard shut off on day 3.
So I change my pod every 3 days
I don’t
When I had a Medtronic pump I would wear the infusion set for seven days. Made it easy to remember having a set day of the week to change. Now I have the Omnipod 5 and I have to change every three days since they claim they can’t get the FDA to approve a longer wear time for those of us who have no problems with the seven days.
I use the omnipod 5. The pump says it expires after 72 hours but there’s an 8 hour grace period. I go the full 80 hours.
Using 780g, switch CGM & infusion site every Tuesday
In the summer, if I sweat a lot, the adhesive wears out and I change it as needed. With more moderate temperatures in Fall, I am able to wear an infusion set for about 4 days (started on Thursday evening & changed it on Monday morning).
I use a Trusteel infusion set for Tandem with CIQ and am supposed to only wear them for two days but I generally wear them for 3 but that’s the longest I can go without getting red, sore bumps and blood glucose going crazy.
I like saying 2-4 days. Some set’s don’t last. And on Omnipod 5, if I have leftover insulin I go the 8 hr grace period that puts me over 3 days. And some do not work so need to switch out at day two.
I am finding it much more difficult to find suitable insertion sites that will last more than 2 days. Have changed type and length of inserts. Get assistance from my husband for ‘awkward’ sites. Running out of real estate, TID 60 years
46 years here with Type 1 and have been experiencing the same issues for the past 4 years. Getting Medicare to approve site changes more frequently than every 3rd day caused me to change endo in early 2022. I had been using Tandem’s AutoSoft XC 9mm cannula sets since starting with Tandem in Oct 2020 (Prior to that using Medtronic Quick sets). Thought that maybe it was the plastic cannulas and have been using Tru-steel sets since this summer…both the 6mm cannula (less effective) and the 8mm cannula. I need to change them every 2 days. I’ve also successfully tried some samples of the AutoSoft 30 sets and will be giving those a longer try to see if they function well for me and last the full 3 days. Dealing with Medicare further complicates things as every change seems to bring snafus in orders. Getting older is not for sissies!!
A 60 year T1D fist bump to you, Emily! Me too and I have the same problem.
I’ve been changing my set every 2nd day and my cartridge every 4th. I can use the same set for 3 days if I increase my insulin by 50% to 100%, but I prefer to use a new set. Medicare doesn’t seem to have a problem with that as long as my endo writes the prescription correctly.
I change my verisoft every 3 days, and my cartridge lasts about a week. I’m lucky I’m still very sensitive to insulin and average about 13-14 units a day (for now).
I’ve been lax in changing infusion sites, often going 5 days before changing. Now I’m paying the price with very irritates areas limiting usable sites. Because of frozen shoulder/arthritis damage in both shoulders I’m unable to place infusion sites on sides or back. If the site isn’t irritated I’ve been very reluctant to change it. I fill the cartridge with enough insulin to last 5/6 days and would rather do it all at once.
Trusteel is supposed to be changed every 1-2 days per the manufacturer, so Medicare was quick to approve me changing them that often. My sugars skyrocket if I don’t.
I use TruSteel infusion sets. I’ll leave the set in one spot for 2-3 days (if I’m lucky) then move it to another spot (still have insulin in cartridge) for usually another day or two.
Usually three days … sometimes four days until the insulin reservoir reaches less than 10 units and then I change it when it has 4 or 5 units left. I took a three month pump break this summer to give the poor tired layers of skin cell tissues at insertion sites on my lower abdomen a chance to rest, rejuvenate and heal.
Sometimes I can go beyond the 1.5 day prescribed change. Pumping 20 yrs. Before pumping was on tx regimen of 5 sometimes more injections daily. 4 Humalog for food & correction, 1
I find the medtronic infusion sets work poorly after 3 days, but sometimes when I am broke I have to use them for 4 days.. to make the loaded insulin/ infusion sets and cannulas last longer
I put 2-3 days but sometimes I can do closer to four days. However, since I now use lyumjev in my pump, it is now more like 2-3 days. I actually decide on how well my sugars are in range.
I am using the new Medtronic 7 day infusion sets, and they have been lasting the full 7 days.